Slipperless Series (Book #2)(18)

“I see,” I began, offering a tone of indifference to calm her. “Perhaps another evening then.”

Fiona chewed her lip for a moment or so as I finished my thought. I studied her as she shifted her eyes shifted back and forth, calculating and estimating. “Could we do it a bit later? If I went home right after work, I could still meet you. Say around nine?”

I leaned back in my chair and looked at her. After a moment or so, I nodded. “Sure. Not a problem. I’ll send a car for you.”



FIONA

Was this a date? Gabe hadn’t said. Did he even go ‘on dates’?

Something seemed unusual about it but I wasn’t in a position to question his reasons and frankly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

In any case, I put it out of my mind and decided to try and do something completely against my nature and just go with the flow. Unfortunately, that idea derailed right away since I got out of the office a full hour later than I wanted. By the time I arrived home, I had barely enough time to freshen up and get my grandmother her dinner before the car would arrive.

As you might expect, she was curious about why I was going back out for the evening instead of slipping on my pajamas and doing what I always did, spend the evening with her. I told her I’d fallen a bit behind at the office and I had to spend a few hours catching up. Between running back and forth from her bedroom to the kitchen and then my bathroom, I managed to avoid her enough so she believed my lie. Or at least, I hoped she did, because as I slid into the back of the limousine, I really had no idea.

It probably goes without saying I’d never been in a limousine before. I found the whole experience unsettling and as we drove to the pricey side of town, I became unable to sit still. I must have checked my makeup a dozen times, tugged at my dress at least half that many. When I wasn’t busy doing that, I started to straighten the liquor bottles and glasses lining the inside of the entire back seat.

Mercifully, we arrived at the restaurant and after the driver helped me out, I made my way inside. Even though I wore the most expensive thing I owned, it wasn’t long before I became all too aware it was beneath the standards of this place. Looking down, I allowed my hair to fall in around my eyes as I walked towards the hostess. As I arrived, I drew my gaze up to a tall, of course, thin woman with unnatural proportions. She looked me up and down for a moment as if she were sizing me up.

“Good evening,” she said, after several seconds too long.

“Hi,” I replied as I closed to within about a foot of her. While I did, I glanced towards the interior of the restaurant. Halved in two parts, it had both a formal dining area and a bar. In an attempt to avoid dealing with her altogether, I scanned both areas for Gabe, but didn’t see him anywhere.

“Table for one?” she said, breaking my concentration. Her perfect eyebrows angled upward as she asked her question. Before I could respond, she’d already made up her mind and picked up a single menu.

Rude.

I thinned my lips a fraction and shook my head. “No, actually, I’m meeting someone here.”

Her facial expression shifted from one of mild disdain to one of surprise. “Oh. Okay. Well, I can check for you and see if they’ve arrived. What’s the name of the party?”

“His name.” I said, clearing my throat for emphasis. “I’m meeting a man for dinner.”

I have no idea why I felt the need to justify myself to her. Perhaps I was just tired of people thinking I wasn’t worthy of a date. Not that this was a date mind you but still, was it so impossible to think someone would want to go out with me? I’m quite sure she’d been the object of every man’s attention she’d come across since she was thirteen, but not all of us looked like runway models. In reality, she was probably a nice enough person but I just wasn’t in the mood. Not tonight.

“O-oh, all right then,” she stammered. She fell silent for a moment and looked me up and down once again as if she didn’t know what to say next.

Really?

First I’m a table for one and when she finds out I’m not, she’s stunned?

“Hawkins.” I grumbled.

Before she even glanced down towards the reservation book, she looked at me.

“Gabe… Hawkins?”

“Yes,” I answered with a nod. “Is he here?”

She never even looked at the book before she continued, “No, he’s not here.”

“Oh, do you know him?”

Ignoring my question, she smiled and grabbed a separate menu. “Right this way. I’ll take you to his private table.”

I trailed along behind her feeling like I should just turn and walk the other direction. It was bad enough I was even in a place like this. I certainly didn’t belong here. Now it was made a hundred times worse by the presence of the smug beauty ahead of me. There was little doubt in my mind as to how she knew Gabe.