The Headturner

Dining Fancy

Chapter Thirty-Three  - Dining Fancy

Anne hailed a cab to the airport since she did not have any car of her own. The flight by which Adam was coming was delayed by fifteen minutes. Anne decided to check her emails till then. There was an email from David reminding her of the dinner meeting later that night. She was annoyed as it is for having to go to the meeting when all she wanted to do was snuggle up with her boyfriend. She regretted having opened her email as it just spoiled her mood. Just then, the plane landed and Anne felt the excitement seeping up in her veins again.

As she waited for Adam to arrive at the gate, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. When she saw him walking out, searching for her and as he saw her, the expression on his face was all she needed to make her feel better. She ran to him and hugged him tightly, almost suffocating him. He started kissing her. She was not quite comfortable with public display of affection. So, she pushed him away.

"What?" Adam asked, confused.

"Well, we gotta save some of that for later, don't we?" She winked suggestively at him.

"You're gonna be the death of me woman." Adam exhaled, Anne evidently was getting to him.

"Then let's get out of here."

They took a cab back home and Anne was trying her best to keep Adam's hands off her.

"I need to learn how to drive." Anne started a topic to distract him.

"Okay, I'll teach you." Adam nonchalantly said while kissing her neck. That's when he realized she was dressed up in a formal attire.

"Uh... why are you dressed like you are going to office?" He looked questioningly at her.

"Well..." Anne grew uncomfortable as she knew Adam was going to flip out that she would not be able to give him time.

"Well..." Adam gestured her to continue.

"Umm... I have this dinner meeting at 8. I promise I will come as soon as I can leave."

"WHAT??? What about our plans?" Adam asked dejectedly.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." 

"You promise?" Adam grinned evilly.

"Yes." Anne sighed.

After they reached Adam's place and finished what they had started, it was already half past seven. 

"David is going to kill me." Anne shouted and started to touch up her makeup.

"Not if I kill him first." Adam said in a serious tone. "Why do you need to put on makeup again? It's just dinner."

"Are you jealous?" Anne was amused. 

"Not really, should I be?"

"You are jealous. Who would have thought? Adam Carson would get jealous someday when I was in question."

"Yeah yeah. But I like you better without all the makeup covering your natural beauty."

"I know your ploy to make me go sans-makeup. But it's not gonna work. Besides, think of it this way, I am covering my natural beauty with makeup ugliness. Does that make you feel better?"

"No." Adam crossed him arms.

"You are seriously looking too cute now. I cannot be distracted now. I am already late. Gotta go." She put on her heels.

"I'll drop you off. And heels are not good for your legs."

"I am late. Come on. I don't want my head to be served on the platter for dinner tonight."

Adam chuckled, "Drama queen." and led her outside.

As expected, they arrived at the restaurant about half an hour late. She gathered the documents and gave Adam a kiss on the cheek before rushing to the restaurant.

David was already seated with a drink in his hand. But he was alone and the clients had not arrived yet. Anne heaved a sigh of relief that at least the clients were late too.

As she approached David, he took notice of her.

"You're late." He said.

"I know. Terribly sorry about that. Won't happen again. Are our clients late too?" She tried changing the topic.

"The meeting was cancelled."

"What? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I already invited you to dinner. I don't like canceling on ladies." He explained. Anne felt really uncomfortable about it. First of all, it was just two of them. Secondly, it was her intimidating boss she was having dinner with. Thirdly, it did not sound official at all. Her thoughts went back to Adam.

"It's fine, really. We don't need to." She tried to walk back. But David got up and led her to the table with his hands on the small of her back. He pulled her chair for her and Anne tried to be calm and collected about it, while inside, she was freaking out. All she wanted was to bolt and run.

"Why are you nervous?" David asked while gesturing for the waiter.

"No, I'm not. What are you talking about?" She giggled nervously and mentally cursed herself. 

He is just a human. Get a hold of yourself.

Yes, a human who can fire you.

Who cares? I can always ask Adam for a job at his company.

But would your conscience allow it? Nepotism. Not to forget the office gossip you will be a fodder to.

She realized she had been talking to herself and David was looking at her with an amused expression.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asked. 

"Nothing. I haven't said anything to you. Well,  I ordered for you but we can change the order if you'd like."

"Like I'd know what to order in  a fancy restaurant like this." She laughed and realized that she said that out loud.

"I mean, I don't dine out often." She sipped the water to stop herself for talking too much.

David was more amused. "Why not? Doesn't your boyfriend take you out to date?"

She was flabbergasted at the sudden intrusive question. How did he know she had a boyfriend?

"We don't get much time." She explained, but she didn't know why. She shouldn't have answered personal questions at all. It was her boss after all and it was none of his business. Of course, she couldn't muster the courage to say that to his face.

"Ah.... So you do have a boyfriend." David smirked.

So, it was a trick question? 

"Yes. Don't you have a girlfriend?" She decided to play fire with fire.

"Not currently no."

The waiter arrived with their drink order. David had ordered white wine for both of them.

"So, why don't you get much time with your boyfriend?"

"We're both busy." She shrugged. "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"I'm busy too. And I haven't found someone who can keep up with me, yet." 

Anne did not know how to respond to that. So, she just sipped on her wine.

"So, you have any idea why they canceled the meeting?" She asked.

"They did not cancel the meeting. I did."