With the game over, the happy crowd started to head out of the stadium. Henry and I sat in our seats, letting the other attendees file out first. It was nice to just sit with him, our hands together and his knee once again pressed up against mine. I noticed that Andre and Valentina were still behind us, apparently waiting the crowd out as well.
"This was really fun," I said. "Thank you for bringing me."
"You are most welcome," he replied with a smile. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it."
"I'm glad I got to see a peek of your world," I replied. "Are the games like this in Paradisa?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "This was a major match," he explained. "Rugby is popular, but not ‘fill a fifty-thousand seat stadium' popular."
"Do lots of people come to watch you play?" I asked. Two drunk spectators sang some sort of victory song as they passed us by.
"I think that's enough about me," Henry replied. His blue eyes focused far out on the field, his thoughts going elsewhere. He shook himself and turned back to me. "How's your work going?"
I wondered why he wanted to change the subject, but I wasn't going to press it. Maybe he didn't have anyone come watch his games. If that were the case, I would fly out to Paradisa and watch them myself. I put my feet up on the back of the empty seat in front of me.
"It's good. Boring, but good," I replied, answering his question. I left it at that. I didn't want to think about my stepmother and her demands tonight. "What about you?"
"Boring but good," he repeated back to me. "This has been the highlight of my week."
"Me too." I grinned, feeling that happy dizzy feeling in my stomach at being with him. "What are your plans for the rest of the night?"
He shrugged. "I was kind of hoping you'd let me take you out to dinner."
I couldn't stop the smile that lit up my face. I was going to have more time with him. "That sounds great. Anywhere in particular?"
"Someplace not too crowded," he replied. "I think I've had my fill of crowds for the day."
He tugged his hat a little lower as a group of drunk sports fans surged by. A couple seemed to look a longer than necessary at him, but then shrugged and kept going. I figured they were probably just Paradisa Royals fans.
"I actually know this amazing Thai restaurant not too far from here."
"Thai sounds fantastic," Henry replied. "Let's do it."
"There is a small catch." I bit my lower lip. It had been a while since I'd been to this restaurant. "The seating is super limited. It's a to-go kind of place. But, they have the best pad Thai I've ever had. Ever."
"To-go? As in take-out?" He looked thoughtful and then narrowed his eyes playfully. "Are you trying to get me to come back to your place?"
I blushed a deep crimson as I realized that was what it definitely looked like I was doing.
"No, I mean, yes. I mean...." I took a flustered breath. How did he manage to make me lose my head with just a smile? "I mean, if you'd like, we can get the food and go to my place. But, we don't have to if you don't want to. We can go someplace else if you want."
Henry leaned over and kissed my cheek, making my insides heat despite the simplicity of the kiss.
"Take out sounds wonderful," he said. "Much better than a crowded restaurant."
I grinned. I had cleaned up my room this morning just in case, so I was visitor ready. The image of Henry in my bed flashed through my mind again. He would look good in my sheets.
It's just noodles, I reminded myself. Don't get ahead of yourself.
Still, I couldn't wait to get home and it wasn't because of the food.
Chapter 8
The crowds thinned out and the stadium slowly became more quiet. Behind us, Andre and Valentina still sat in their seats. I had to wonder if they were really a couple. They didn't seem interested in speaking to one another. They weren't holding hands and I hadn't seen them do more than simply nod in the other's direction all night.
Maybe Jaqui could get that phone number after all.
"You ready?" I asked Henry, seeing that the stairs were finally empty. Henry checked his phone. I'd given him the address for the restaurant.
"Our car should be here in just a couple of minutes. I need to check in with Andre. It'll only take a moment."
"Sure," I said with a shrug. I thought it was a little strange that he needed to check in with his friend, but I wasn't going to pry. Something was going on between the two of them and I didn't want to get in the middle of it.
Henry stood and hopped over the back of his seat. He took the empty chair next to Andre and began speaking. His voice was too low to hear, but Andre's eyes immediately flashed to me. I smiled at him and then turned back around to play with my phone.
I could feel Andre's eyes on the back of my neck like hot coals. I risked a glance back out of the corner of my eye and saw Valentina giving me a suspicious look as well. I wondered if they were supposed to have plans with Henry after the game.
What if Andre was actually trying to set up Henry and Valentina? It certainly made sense then why Andre was frustrated that I was here. And it explained why Andre and Valentina didn't seem to be closer than work associates. It would also be a good reason why Henry was annoyed that Andre and Valentina were here at the game with him.
Pleased that I had solved the puzzle, and a little glad that Henry had chosen me over Valentina, I went back to my phone game with a smile. Henry chose me.
"Okay. The car's here," Henry said, jumping back over the seat to join me. "Ready?"
"Yeah." I nodded and put my phone back in my pocket. I looked back to see both Andre and Valentina scowling at me. "They okay?"
Henry sighed. "They never are." He took my hand and together we exited the row. Our steps echoed on the now empty stairs, along with Andre and Valentina's. They were apparently following us out.
"Are you sure you guys are okay?" I whispered as we came to the bottom of the stairs. Some of the crowd remained, but nearly everyone was filing into the parking lot to get home now that the game was over. "I don't want to cause problems between you and your friends."
Henry nearly tripped over the last step, catching himself and holding onto the railing. "Thank you, Aria," he said, once his feet were firmly on the floor. "Andre understands. He's just overprotective of me."
"What? Is he afraid I'm going to kidnap you and ransom you off?" I teased as we exited the stadium. The same car that picked me up was waiting to take us to the restaurant.
"You're not too far from the truth," he replied. I looked up, confused, but he just smiled and opened the car door for me. He followed behind me, sitting close to me once again. I loved the way he felt next to me.
"We'll be there in ten minutes," the driver announced. He pulled out into the traffic trying to leave the stadium and was promptly stopped by the multitude of cars trying to leave. "Make that fifteen."
"We're in no hurry," Henry told him, wrapping his arm around my shoulder like I was his girl. I snuggled into him, feeling his solid warmth.
"So, what should I get for dinner?" Henry asked me. "You were right about the grilled cheese, so I trust your food decisions."
I chuckled. "Just don't eat anything I cook. That would be a culinary decision you would regret."
"Really? I thought you looked like a good cook," he replied, cocking his head to the side. He reached up and pulled his hat off, revealing his beautiful red-gold hair.
"I am a terrible cook," I admitted. "I can make macaroni and cheese and Pop-tarts. I never really learned more than that."
"Anyone can make macaroni and cheese and Pop-tarts," he teased. He ran a hand through his hair in an easy motion. "You really don't know how to cook?"
I shook my head. "My dad was always too busy to cook. He used to pay one of his aides to make us a week of pre-made dinners so we would have home-cooked food in the house. When he married my stepmother, she had a personal chef."
"A personal chef?" he asked, his eyebrows raising. "Sounds fancy."
"My stepmother is... she likes money. She likes the power that money brings. The chef was her way of constantly flaunting it. She always made sure everyone knew it."
"Sounds like some people I know," Henry said. "Always doing things for the attention and power and not because they are the right things to do."
"Exactly," I replied with a nod. "What about you? Do you cook?"
"A little," he admitted. "I can make a mean chicken-a-la-king. And my baking is actually pretty good."
"You bake?" I tried to imagine tall, muscular Henry in an apron in front of an oven with a batch of cookies and rather liked the idea.