Rafael

Chapter 23 - Thank God, Or Satan, Whoever Liked Me More Right Now

Rafael's POV
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This was getting ridiculous.

She was single, I was single. 

I should just ask her out.

Who cared if she was my executive assistant and it would be the least professional thing I could ever do in my whole life.

I've done worse things.

Gareth should be here right now, he would know exactly how to help.

I sighed.

Mia was very unpredictable sometimes, one minute she was on me like her life depended on it, and the next, telling me to go find Cora.

Cora was nothing to me, not my girlfriend, not even my date.

She was just one of my biggest client's daughters, who participated in method acting every chance she got.

He had asked me to show her the city and I thought, "Maybe she'll like Le Bernardin, one of the best restaurants in New York, according to Google."

We didn't even have a reservation but as soon as they figured out who I was, they suddenly had a table available.

I couldn't hate the power my name held, it helped me out of bad spots most of the time.

This place was really expensive and almost impossible to get a reservation at so imagine my surprise when I saw the one girl I couldn't shake from my mind, sitting at a table with some guy.

I didn't know she had a boyfriend.

They looked pretty good together, I had to admit.

I just couldn't look away from her.

Cora nudged me, bringing me back to reality where it was considered rude to stare at people like that.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"Just someone I work with," I muttered.

Why was Mia with another guy?

All I wanted to do was punch him and he didn't even do anything.

"Let's go over there," She smirked after I gave Mia an awkward wave.

"Okay," I replied a little too quickly as she grabbed my arm and carried me over there where she introduced herself as my date.

I was about to correct her but she gave me a look that made me decide to leave it alone.

If I lost her dad's business, it wouldn't spell good for everyone's Christmas bonuses.

Pete had already lost a client, the board would come down on me if another one decided to take their business elsewhere.

I would play along for tonight.

Somehow, we were now sitting with Mia and the guy she was with who was introduced as Eric.

Even his name sucked.

I flirted with her all evening, almost completely forgetting about Cora because of how captivated I was by Mia and when Eric's ex turned up, I was all too happy to be the one to defend her from those trolls.

Cora later whispered that she only told Mia that I was her date because she wanted to see if she would be jealous.

She knew we were into each other and was just trying to move things along.

When I asked her if she wanted to leave with Mia and me, even though the food wasn't ready yet, she declined, telling me that her boyfriend was close by and she only came out with me to appease her disapproving father.