YOU & ME | JENLISA

Chapter 55

Jennie

She poked at the bottle of olive oil resting beside the salt and pepper shakers. Del Vino's looked busy tonight, everyone is getting on with their own business like there wasn't a big ball of nervousness rattling around my insides right now. It felt big enough to shake the Earth and yet punters got on with their evening, totally unaffected.

"Are you ever going to get out of my car?" Rosé asked, while banging her thumbs against the steering wheel of her jeep. I glanced at the time, it was approaching 10 past 8.

"This was a bad idea, it feels deceptive." I chewed down on my lower lip. "Let's just go home."

She rolled her eyes at me. "She's right there Jen, just walk over there and make a deal with her." I glanced back at Lisa through the window, she kept checking her watch. The minutes were droning on and any minute now she was going to get up and leave. "You're gonna miss your chance."

"Fine, I'm going."

She smiled as I unbuckled my belt and reached for the handle, suddenly very aware of my own heart.

"Call me!"

As I pushed through Del Vino's glass doors, I got enveloped in the delicious smell of tomato marinara and oregano herbs. A young acne-faced server stood at a desk and offered me a welcome, and metallic smile.

"Um... hi." I uttered nervously.

"Hi, welcome to Del Vino's. Do you have a table booked?" He grabbed a menu from his desk and whistled through his brace covered teeth.

"I'm supposed to meet someone here, Lisa Mano... uh... just Lisa."

"Lisa takes table six, by the window." He pointed towards Lisa and my heart leapt. She wasn't paying attention, her fingers mindlessly traced the chequered pattern on the linen table cloth. Drawing imaginary lines around the red and white squares. "You can go ahead" the server said, finding it strange that my feet seemed to be glued to one spot.

I trekked through the restaurant, keeping my eyes set on Lisa. She glanced down at her phone and then stood up, throwing a balled napkin down in front of her. She was leaving. Shit. My feet picked up the pace.

"Hi." I spoke quietly and she looked up, her eyes instantly widening and her whole body flinching backwards slightly with shock. I nibbled on my lower lip, praying that she will say something soon but she just stared in disbelief. She didn't move, she didn't speak, she didn't react.

"Lisa?"

The emotions on her face changed with each passing second. At first she was surprised, it took her a while to register what was going on. Then she went into confusion, I could see it in her eyes, that she didn't understand. Then she flashed to anger, her jaw clenched and she breathed deeply through her nose. But now? Now she's hurt.

"I don't understand Jennie, what is this? Have you come to laugh at me because of how I'm forced to make money?" Her voice broke with emotion, her cheeks flushed with a blush and maybe for the first time ever, Lisa looked ashamed and utterly embarrassed. She clutched her hand to the back of her neck and threw some money down on the table. "Wow." she nodded sadly. "I really didn't expect this, not from you."

"Wait, Lisa. Please wait, let me explain." I grabbed her arm and she lowered her gaze down on my grip. Slowly, I released it. "Please sit down." I encouraged. "Please, Lisa." I begged.

Gingerly she lowered herself back down in her seat. She was back to being mad, she clamped her teeth together tightly, defining all of her jaw muscles in a sexy way. She pressed her finger down on the record button strategically placed between us and raised a brow. I took a deep, steadying breath.

"You look nice." I complimented, with a timid smile, desperate to break the ice.

"Don't." She warned.

I gulped. Okay, maybe another approach might work...

"This." I gestured my finger between us both. "Is real. I want to pay you for your time."

Her brows knitted together and her gaze softened. Anger drained from her eyes, filling them only with evergreens in the autumn foliage.

"You wanted a date with me?" She folded her arms across her stomach and narrowed her eyes at me, disbelieving everything that came out of my mouth.

"Not exactly."

She frowned, did my answer disappoint her?

"More like, I want a favour from you that requires your time."

"Then why this shit? You could've just asked me. You didn't have to go behind my back and trick me into meeting with you."

"Because I knew that you would never agree to what I want you for."

She sat there quietly, while thinking.