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Dorian:Okay. What about Wed?
The reply was almost instantaneous.
Jez:Wonderful. Shall we say 7? I know this lovely little place in Chelsea.
Dorian:Send me the details. I’ll be there.
CHAPTER33
Dorian knocked on the door to Alex’s office and entered as he heard Alex call to him. Alex smiled as he entered and he felt his heart clench, even more of a reason for him to get this out of the way. He’d already left it a bit late as he would be seeing Jez tonight.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Of course.” Alex tided away the papers on his desk.
“I wanted to talk to you about next weekend, since that’s going to be officially our last date.”
“I hope to catch you about that too.” Alex bit his lip. “The time’s flown. I can’t quite believe it. Everything’s booked, is there a problem with the arrangements?”
He thought he could let Alex go first, but that was the coward’s way out. He sat down. “No, look I wanted to tell you something. I didn’t want you to somehow find out, but I’ve a date tonight.”
Alex’s expression faltered and then the smile was back, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I see. Do you want me to help with something for it?”
“No, I just thought you deserved to know. He contacted me over the weekend so I thought it might be a good idea to get the ball rolling. If you’d rather I can move it to after we’re officially not involved.”
“Don’t be silly. Do you mind me asking who it is?”
“Jez.”
“Ah, yes, he’s on the list. The director—I think he was the guy you talked to on our second date, so kind of fitting it’s come full circle.”
A silence fell between them. Dorian hated it. “You said there was something you wanted to bring up too.”
Alex shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Alex.”
He cleared his throat. “I have quite a lot to do. I imagine you need to get ready for this evening as well.”
Dorian stood. “Can we talk tomorrow?”
“I have a few very busy days. If there’s something specific then let me know and I’ll make sure I’ll get to it, otherwise, I think it best we reconvene on Saturday. As originally planned.”
“Do you want to know how the date goes?”
Alex stared at him a hurt look flashing across his face. “Erm… no. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
Dorian left and he hated that Alex seemed upset. Maybe Simon was wrong and sometimes these things were better not said. He wondered what it was that Alex had wanted to ask him, especially now he didn’t think he could. He’d see if he could get to the bottom of it on Saturday, for now he needed not to overthink this. Enjoy his evening with Jez, which was a real honest-to-goodness date with someone who was interested in having dinner with him without having to have been paid thirty grand to do so.
* * *
The place Jez had selected was an interesting choice, tucked away in a corner of Chelsea and with an eclectic menu—he couldn’t say he’d seen anything quite like it before. He was on time, to the minute, but Jez had yet to arrive and he’d been shown to a secluded table and given a drinks list to peruse. All the tables were secluded, either tucked away in alcoves or had privacy screens, giving it a strange vibe.
His phone pinged and he thought it better not be Jez cancelling so he was surprised to see a text from Alex.
Alex:Sorry if I seemed off with you earlier, I did have a very busy day and I was fighting a headache. I hope your date is everything you wish it to be.
He stared at the screen not knowing how to reply. Alex didn’t need to apologise and Dorian wanted to check and see he was all right, but before he had the chance to formulate an answer, Jez arrived.
