Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 29 - June 1995

Alex:

My phone was ringing and even though I was in a hurry I picked it up.

"Hello, this is Alex Shergill."

"Hey Alex, its me Anjali."

I smiled hearing her voice, "Hey Anjali, what's up?"

"I was wondering if we could move our lunch date on Friday?"

"Do you want to meet later? Maybe do dinner instead?" I asked.

"No, I was actually wondering if we could change the date."

"Oh, are you going to Boston to see Karthik this weekend?" I couldn't stand Karthik and I couldn't figure out what she saw in him.

"No, actually, Karthik is busy this weekend. I just have a couple of work meetings I can't get out of," Anjali quickly said.

"A new client meeting on a Friday?"

"No, it's with the big boss he wants to go over the progress on the project I'm working on."

"Okay, then lets do dinner Friday night," I suggested.

Anjali laughed, "Sorry, it's girls night so I can't invite you. Can we do another day for lunch?"

"Are you sure I can't join you for Friday night? I promise to behave myself," I teased.

"Wax your body, thread your eyebrows, and wear a pair of stilettos and I'll think about it," she teased.

"You mean after all of that I just get a maybe for an invite," I laughed. "Okay, what day do you have in mind?"

"I was wondering if Wednesday works for you," Anjali asked.

I opened up my calendar and I paused and stared at my schedule for that day.

"So, does it work?" Anjali asked. "Or we can do Wednesday dinner," she suggested eagerly.

I hesitated after looking at my calendar, "It might work," I said, "but, it would be a late lunch around 1pm or so. Can you do that?"

"1pm works for me. So I'll see you Wednesday for lunch," Anjali asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, Wednesday for lunch works. See you then," I said and then hung up the phone.

Was Anjali up to something?

Wednesday:

I walked into the entrance of the restaurant and I saw Anjali speaking with the hostess. She nodded her head and then turned around. She didn't see me at first and then finally noticed me.

"Hey, how are you?" she asked as she gave me a hug.

"I'm good, why do you look so sad?"

"I'm an idiot I forgot to make a reservation thinking since we were having a late lunch we shouldn't have a problem getting in, but I was wrong. This place is so hot and they are booked. I really wanted to try this restaurant. It's one of only a handful of restaurants with an Indian chef who has a Michelin star. Oh well, next time."

"Do you really want to eat here?" I asked.

"Yeah, but we'll find another time. Where should we go instead?" Anjali asked.

"Come on, let me try," I said.

"I just asked and she said there were no openings not even at the bar."

"Just let me try and play along with me, okay?"

"Sure, if you're going to use your charms shouldn't you leave me behind? I mean if you're going to flirt with the hostess it might be better if I disappeared to the bathroom," Anjali said as she used her fingers to quote as she said the word bathroom.