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If the man hadn’t given me money worth his life, I’d have kneed him in the groin.
“Ha!” I spared a look at Carla with a wide mouth, and she caught on. The classic fake-laughter card. “Ha! Ha, ha, ha.” Imade sure I sounded convincing and wiped a non-existent tear drop from my eye. “You’re such a funny man, Mr. Martin.”
He cringed through his toothy smile. “Ah, yes. That’s me: the funny man.”
I started walking away.
“Oh, Vanessa. I thought to mention something to you about the fish...”
“About that, I apologize. It will be better prepared next time.”
I flashed a smile and gracefully made a quick exit.
“Creep.” Carla’s murmur came from beside me.
I breathed a soft chuckle. “Creep is the word.”
Even in a million years, I would never fall for a man like Jimmy.
More greetings. More checks. Soon enough, the night was well and far spent.
“Today, I stand here representing Co-links Inc. to pitch this dream to every distinguished guest in this hall. Be a part of this today and, I promise, you will not regret your decision.”
****
Carla had tried to reach my father’s chauffeur who had dropped us off earlier, but for some unknown reason, he was unavailable.
We stood on the curb waiting for an Uber to take me to my father’s house.
I had to give him the full report of the evening. Especially the financial part and the prospects of potential future partnerships between Co-links Inc. and other companies.
Carla handed me my coat and shuffled her iPad and file into a black bag. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Her breath formed a misty fog.
A black Civic sedan pulled up beside us. I held open the door and shook my head. “You’ve already done so much tonight.If it weren’t for you, I might have given my speech from the stairs.”
We laughed.
“Also, don’t you have unfinished business to take care of?”
Confusion settled on her face and her brows wrinkled. “Unfinished business?”
“The waiter?”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and murmured something under her breath. “I promise, it’s not what you—"
“Hold on, hold on...” I raised my hand and shook my head, again. “What are you doing? No explanations needed.”
“Oh, but I have to, Vanessa.” Her eyes pleaded. “I don’t want you to think I came here, forgot my job, and started flirting with the waiters.”
“Boyfriend?”
She blushed. “We’re not official yet but—”
“He only has eyes for you, and you like him. Therefore, you’re more likely to officially get together after a coffee date tomorrow and an accidental revelation of your feelings for each other.”
“Wow.” Her thick brows creased on her forehead. “Is that what happened to you?”
Unlike what happened to Karen and Akim in Mirabel J. Hudson’sStrong Obsession, I had never experienced falling in love, but Carla didn’t need to know that. But, as in the book, I believed that love could reveal itself in the most unexpected ways.
