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Ella leads me to a cozy corner where her friends are gathered. The interior of the restaurant exudes sophistication, adorned with crystal chandeliers that throw a delicate sparkle of light over the place. Soft jazz music is playing in the background. Anthony, Ella's boyfriend, is the first to spot us. He strides over to us, pecks Ella on the cheek, then says hello to me.
Anthony and I have said hello over the phone a few times whenever I call Ella and they’re together, but this is the first time I'm meeting him in person. The guy is tall with an athletic build, he moves with a confident ease. His sandy brown hair is tousled just enough to suggest a carefree spirit. A pair of stylish sunglasses is casually tucked into his shirt pocket. The lamplight catches his hazel eyes, which glimmer in the light as he smiles.
"Chloe, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you," Anthony says, extending his hand.
"Likewise," I say, shaking hands with him.
"Come on, everyone is waiting." He takes Ella's hand and I follow behind them. There’s no doubt he’s crazy about her, and I'm so happy for them.
"Everyone, this is my best friend, Chloe. Chloe, meet my friends Joanie, Tyler, Bree, and of course, you know Anthony," Ella says with an infectious smile.
Everyone welcomes me in unison.
"Hey, Chloe! Welcome to the city. I’ve heard so much about you." Tyler smiles at me, his green eyes lighting up as he greets me. I shake his hand next.
"Uh oh. There’s no telling what Ella said about me. Please know that about eighty percent of it is completely made up," I insist playfully.
"Don't worry, they’re all good things," Tyler adds, his thumb lazily stroking my skin. Our eyes lock for a brief second and then I pull my hand out of his.
Ella notices and tries to cover her smile with a cough. She nudges me and I return the favor.
"You already have an admirer," Ella whispers sitting beside me. I shoot her my middle finger secretly and she laughs. Tyler takes a seat opposite me, and for some reason, his eyes are trained on my face.
There's a captivating charm to his personality. His golden-brown eyes have a way of drawing me in and creating small tingles in my skin. His honey-brown hair, well-defined jawline, masculine chiseled face, strong nose, kissable lips, and well-defined cheekbones make him very handsome. He looks like a TV star.
"Chloe, Ella said you graduated as valedictorian at school, is that right?" Joanie asks, smiling warmly at me.
"Yes," I say, feeling a little self-conscious about bragging.
"Congratulations," she and the rest of the friends call out.
"Thank you, guys."
"She’s completely brainy. I know this job isn’t going to be enough for her talent, but I'm trying to convince her to at least stay here in New York," Ella chimes in with a proud smile.
"I'm sure she will, right?" Tyler asks, his eyes urging me to say yes.
"Ugh, I'm here. But I don't know if I'm going to stay here permanently or not. Let's see how it goes."
"You’ll like it here, I promise." Tyler urges and Ella smiles mischievously.
"Oh, I'm sure she will. Starting tonight." Ella winks at me and then pinches me secretly.
The waiter brings out a tray of bagels and lox with a stack of small plates. The aroma of freshly baked bagels wafts through the air, mingling with the rich scent of smoked salmon. I love the taste of the food. However, Joanie and Bree think the food isn’t so great, so they recommend another restaurant for next time.
Tyler strikes up a conversation as we eat. He speaks well and he listens when I talk.
As the others eventually migrate to the bar, Ella excuses us so that we can go home. She promises to hang out with them next time.
"Soooooo, what do you think of him?" I ignore Ella's question, pretending I don’t know what she means. She pins me back with a curious look. I refuse to acknowledge it, barely managing to keep a straight face.
"I don't know what you’re talking about." I shrug nonchalantly.
"Don’t give me that. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
I turn to her finally. "There's nothing to think about, period. So don't go making things up in your head. Tyler was just being polite."
"I saw the way he looked at you. I thought any minute now he was going to come across the dinner table and devour you." She gives me a salacious grin as I shake my head helplessly.
