“You sure went all out,” she said raising an eyebrow and he shrugged as he led her to where the trolley was.
“Well, you are definitely worth it,” he said as he pulled her chair back and she sat down before he walked round to the other side of the table. “So, I passed by a store on my way here. I wanted to get something nice for you and you know what I found out?” he asked as he poured her a glass of orange juice. “You have been holding out on me.”
She shrugged and raised an eyebrow over the other.
“What?” she asked and he pulled up a black shopping bag with the word ‘Ace’ written on it in silver grey. She could have recognized that brand from anywhere. It was actually her brand.
“I thought being an intern was your job,” he said and she nodded.
“It is but it’s not my only job,” she said before she took a long sip of her juice. She took the bag from him and looked inside. A smile played on her lips when she saw a pair of black peep toe ankle boots. It was one of the new designs she had brought in just earlier that year and her biggest sellers yet. “Even I don’t own a pair of this yet,” she said as she looked into his eyes. “There is usually a waiting list for this particular pair.”
“Let’s just say that I got really lucky,” Mason said. “Imagine to my surprise when I saw a picture of you on one wall of the store.”
She smiled as she picked up her fork from the table.
“My best friend convinced me to do that,” she said.
“Care to tell me about it?” he asked and she nodded.
“Remember when I said I had a nest egg?” He nodded. “Well, you found it,” she said. “It was something I always wanted to do so back when I still had an allowance, I saved up a few thousand dollars and got Ace running and thank God I did because Martha Wright does not fold. Ever.”
Mason smiled and nodded.
“Tell me about it.” He took a bite from his own plate. “Speaking of your parents, I thought you should know that I bumped into them earlier this week in Washington. Your father seemed very worried about you.”
She looked up and shook her head.
“Well, they have a very weird way of showing it,” she said before she took another bite of her bacon.
“I know that there is bad blood between you but…” he started before she smiled and shrugged uncomfortably.
“Mason, I’m sorry but this is not something I want to talk about,” she said, cutting him short. “They made their bed and now they have to lie in it because honestly there is no way I am going to condone them crawling back into my life.”
“You really feel strongly about this, don’t you?” he asked and she nodded.
“Well, yes of course. I mean you would too if the people you loved offered to pimp you out to advance a political career.”
He raised an eyebrow over another and shook his head.
“They did what?” he asked. “Are you talking about the engagement to Aubrey Ryan?”
She nodded.
“It was never anything real. All my father wanted was Aubrey’s father sizeable donation for his campaign and the Ryans did not want to let the world know that their son was gay.” She took another sip of her juice. “It’s still a sore subject.”
“I always thought you moved away after a bitter separation,” he said and she shook her head.
“That was the story the Wrights and the Ryans fed the world.”
Mason looked into her eyes for a long time before he finally spoke again.
“What if I gave you a permanent position at Alexander, Fleming & Associates?” he asked and she shook her head.
“I like interning. I mean it gives me a real feel of what life is like for when I actually take the bar,” she said. “Besides I am still trying to get Ace countrywide so…I am willing to work my way up.”
“The offer is on the table for as long as you need it to be,” he said and she smiled.
“Thanks for the offer but then again, I didn’t sleep with you to get up the corporate ladder, you know,” she said and he shook his head, grinning.
“Thank God because I don’t want to stop,” he said in a whisper and she pushed her chair back before she stood up. She walked round to where he was and took his hand.
“I don’t think it is about to,” she said as she pulled him up. She led him to the bed and gently put her hands on his waist.
“Breakfast?” he asked.
“There is always room service,” she said in a soft voice, smiling and he smiled back nodding.
“But what about this? Us. What are we doing here, Athena?” he asked as she pulled his pants down.