The group sat in tense silence as they waited for Charles. "He'll just be a few, I suppose," Rebecca offered, clearing her throat awkwardly.
Maya looked out of her peripheral vision at Alex's tense profile. There was a slight tick in his jaw despite his otherwise blank face. Suddenly, he turned to her. "Have I told you how lovely you look, Maya?"
Maya was left speechless. "No, Alex. But thank you. You look very nice, as well." She, in turn, turned helplessly to look at Rebecca who sat on her other side. "So, Rebecca, what was it you said you did?"
Faint clicking footsteps could be heard outside. Rebecca smiled warmly again, albeit with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I hadn't." She got up, walking to the large dining room doors just as they opened smoothly.
Smooth.
That was the best way to describe him. Smooth like running silk, smooth like a sharp, cutting blade, smooth like a decadent chocolate. Precise, punctuates clicks sounded as he walked, stopping to exchange a few words with Rebecca, before the two came to the table. He sat next to Rebecca, across Maya, and then, he looked up. The spell seemed to fade slowly as a lilting smile curved on his smiles. "Hello, darling." Darling. Just like Alex. "Charles," he said, reaching a hand to her across the table.
She offered a shy- shy?- smile back, placing her hand in his. "Pleasure, I'm Maya."
He leaned forward, and over the basket of breadsticks, placed a kiss on her hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Maya." His eyes didn't leave hers as he settled in. "Augustus," he said, flitting his eyes to Alex in terse acknowledgement.
"Alistair." Alex spit out venomously.
YOU ARE READING
Quintessentially True
ActionSummer meant working at the small restaurant down the street on Tuesdays and Thursdays, doing research on Mondays and Wednesdays, and hanging out with her friends at the beach Friday through Sunday. Week after week. And so it had been for Maya Patel...
