He approached me with an air of superiority, clearly unimpressed by my presence. "I hope you understand, Calista, that this marriage is purely a business arrangement," he said coldly. "Do not expect me to treat you with any sort of affection or kind...
"My goodness, you look ravishing!" Astin exclaimed upon seeing me approach our table. I was wearing a black cami dress Alister specifically told me not to wear if he wasn't around. Did he really think I was going to listen to him? Astin is the only man who will ever get to see me look this good. I get to be myself around him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Thank you." I ducked my head, happy he really thought I was beautiful. "You don't look too bad yourself, handsome."
"Thank you, beautiful."
I sat down, admiring the restaurant. Even though I lived here for eighteen years, I couldn't remember if this place had been here all this time.
"What do you think of the place?" Astin asked, taking a sip of his wine. He was enjoying it, which was good.
"It's gorgeous," I said, smiling. "I don't think I've ever been here before."
"Well, let's make it a tradition," he said, his hand reaching across the table to hold mine. His touch sent shivers down my spine. I looked into his eyes, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. "We can come here every time I'm free."
The waiter appeared then, taking our orders. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, hoping it would help me relax. Astin ordered a full bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, his favorite. As we waited for our food, we made small talk about our day. Astin told me about his latest project at work, and I told him about my parents' reaction to my possibly working for them.
"I'm glad they're being so supportive," he said, reaching over to squeeze my hand again.
I raised an eyebrow. "You do realize I hate them, right?"
He smiled at me, his eyes twinkling. "What does that have to do with anything, baby? You won't die, will you?"
"It feels like a death sentence."
"I'm sure it won't be that bad."
"Astin, honey, when you really know people like my parents, you realize you'd rather die than have to work with them everyday."
Astin laughed, nodding as if he understood what I was trying to say. I knew he didn't, but that didn't matter. I was just happy to be here with him.
As the waiter brought out our food, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. I couldn't deny that part of me still obsesses over these moments with Astin. We ate in silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts, but the warmth of his hand on mine and the occasional squeeze kept me grounded in the present.
"So," he said, finally breaking the silence. "What do you really think of the idea of working for your parents?"
I took a sip of my wine before answering. "I think it could be a great opportunity. I'd finally have my own income again. I hate asking Alister if I can borrow money to buy things."
Astin frowned slightly. "I know this is hard for you, but I want you to do what makes you comfortable. If that means working with your parents, then I support you."
