AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Still, I hoped that at least someone would be there. I’m normally the guy in the room who eats about a ton of whatever protein they’re serving in the restaurant. And I’m still hungry. And right now, my stomach was growling with hunger.
When I got to the restaurant, I asked the cabbie to stay. “I think no one else is going to show up,” I said. “Can you wait here for a second?”
I walked up the pretty terracotta driveway through the bushes to the restaurant. At the door, the maître d’ greeted me.
“Good evening, Mr. Alson,” he said.
“I’m afraid I’m the only one who’s shown up,” I said. “Everyone else is sick with food poisoning.”
“Not quite the only one,” chuckled the head waiter. “There is a young lady here as well. But I’m afraid everyone else has called ahead to let us know they won’t be coming.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I’ll pay for the table.”
“Not to worry, sir. We’ve moved you both to a table for two. The young lady’s ordered a drink. Would you care to sit with her?”
“Of course,” I said, stepping forward and through the elegant, Japanese-style doors to the dining room.
There, sitting alone, by the window of the restaurant, glass in hand, was Lena Chambers.
She turned and looked at me. Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she laughed.
“It’s just you?” she said.
“Apparently so. Everyone else is sick with bad shrimp.”
“I didn’t eat it,” she said and looked away from me.
“Well, I guess it’s just the two of us tonight,” I replied, but Lena didn’t say anything in response to that.
Chapter Nine
Lena
Afteranexhaustingweekworking on the photo shoot, I felt sure I didn’t want to be there in the restaurant with Alex. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful. I was proud of the opportunity I’d been given and grateful to Alex for giving it to me. And yet …
Was this whole situation something Alex had engineered? Impossible; everyone else had gotten sick, and that’s why we were alone. But as I stared across the table at his bright, shining eyes, eyeing his unbuttoned shirt and bare forearms as we ordered, I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of desire run through me.
“Maybe we should go back,” I said.
“At least finish your drink first,” said Alex. “After all, you’ve earned it.”
“I guess,” I said.
“Was it difficult, working so long?”
“It was tough, but I’m happy it’s done now. I’m looking forward to resting this weekend. What about you? Are you happy with things?”
“You know me. I’m rarely happy.”
“Yeah. I get that. You’ve seemed pretty tense this week.”
“Have I?”
Alex seemed uncomfortable. I could sense his feelings. I knew he was a man who kept his cards close to his chest. I didn’t want to push him, so I looked out the window. In the harbor outside, the lights of sailboats lit the horizon.
The waiter appeared at our table and asked if we wanted to order wine.
“A glass is fine for me, thank you,” said Alex.
