Rafael

Chapter 21 - Relationships Were Hard

During the early part of my spontaneous day off, I was so consumed with thoughts of my boss, that I had somehow managed to forget all about Eric, James' best man whom I had met at the wedding.

That probably would explain why I got a text from an unknown number asking if I remembered them.

I quickly texted a quick message to the number, asking if it was Eric, you know, just to be absolutely sure that it was him and not some psycho James had set me up with in the past.

After receiving confirmation that the mystery number indeed belonged to James' best man, I quickly saved it so there would be no more confusion.

After about five minutes, my phone buzzed with a call from Eric.

Note to self, take your phone off vibrate, you don't have work today.

"Hey cutie," chirped a very enthusiastic Eric into my waiting ear.

Cutie?

"Er, hey...you. What's up?"

"I'm pretty good and a little surprised actually. I didn't expect you to answer my call because I thought you were at work or something."

Then why call in the first place?

"No, I have a day off today," I replied.

"Oh, very nice," he said in an approving tone.

"Yup," I agreed.

"Heard anything from the newlyweds?"

"Um, no but it's just been a day so I'll just wait and see."

"You're right, they're probably living it up in Italy as we speak," chuckled Eric.

Italy?

I was way off when I guessed Paris.

"I think jetlagged in bed is a more accurate depiction of them right now," I stated with absolute surety.

Italy was like a ten-hour plane ride away from New York.

"Nah, Jim wouldn't waste a day sleeping," he annoyingly countered.

This guy was seriously grating my nerves but I wasn't sure if it was because I hadn't gotten to sleep much today and I was just cranky or if he was just this aggravating in real life.

It was most likely the first one.

"Hmm, I guess," I muttered into the receiver, hoping that he wouldn't detect any trace of annoyance in my voice.

"I need to ask you a question but I'm scared of what you might say."

We just met officially yesterday, I hoped he wasn't asking me to help him move or something because my answer would be something along the lines of 'not a chance in hell'.

"O-Okay...Ask away," I said trepidly.

This better be good.

"Could you meet me somewhere this evening?"

Hmm.

Interesting.

"Um, where?"

"A restaurant in Manhattan, Le Bernardin," he mumbled the last part.

"Le Bernardin? What's that?" I inquired.

Sounded French but I wasn't sure.

"What? How can you not know about Le Bernardin?" He guffawed like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard in his whole life.

I hated when people ridiculed others for not having the same knowledge about certain things as them.

"I don't know, I just don't," I replied despondently.