Restart

Chapter 13. Lunch

I open the door and hold it, offering my hand to help her out of the car. This time she takes it and I am once again surprised as I don't know what to expect from this woman anymore.
She walks ahead of me, all the way up to the restaurant's entrance, when she stops to look back to see where I am, but I am right behind her, so I kind of bump into her, our faces inches away and she immediately takes a step back while blushing. Her blossom scent is so alluring and refreshing that brings a smile to my face, not really understanding why.
A man from the staff is holding the door open, while another one greets and escorts us to my usual table in the restaurant's most private area. Immediately, a waiter is filling our glasses with water and takes a step back, to allow us time to decide what to order from the menu. The menu doesn't really offer too many options, but I am quite spoiled here, to the point I can ask for anything I wish to eat and even if it's not included in the menu, they would find a way to serve it for me.
Wanting to impress her and change her mood, I ask what her favorite food is and what she craves the most, so I can have it made exclusively for her. She manages a sad smile and tells me it's been a while since she had fish and chips. Of course, what else! After a couple of jokes about her being so 'English', I order the food but she doesn't comment the fact that the dish I had ordered for her, wasn't even in the menu.
She is not easy to impress, so I am going to have to think of another way to lighten the atmosphere, because we have a lot to discuss and we can't do it while she is in this mood. Usually women were easy to impress, but she seemed to skip all the little things I threw at her. Not that I tried too hard really, but I am getting the feeling it won't make much of a difference, even if I tried my best moves on her. Not even my extravagant lifestyle seems to impress her, which is also new to me. Usually women would lust after my money and status, but not this one. She only seemed to respond a little to my humor.
"So, you want the chauffeur's position" I smirk.
"You mean I want the chauffeuse's position" she smiles back and I 'm relieved to finally get her out of that dark place she seemed to be moments ago.
"What's a chauffeuse? That's not even a word" I protest.
"It is! But you can use the words 'lady driver', if you prefer".
"Ok, seriously, all jokes aside, you have to make a decision, there is a lot of planning to do and we have to go through the meeting with my father, that has to be completed without any mistakes or uncertainties, to avoid any misunderstandings. He is a very perceptive man and he will see right through our little set up, so we have to be honest and well prepared."
"Wait a minute! Why would you think I'm joking? You said I could choose any of the available work positions. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to perform well, with any of the positions in the list as nothing seemed to match my abilities and experience, but if I get some time behind the wheel, adjusting to all the differences from driving back home, I am sure I will be the best driver you ever had."
"Oh, come on... you are taking this joke too far". I say in a playful complaining tone.
"No, I am being serious. This job is exactly what I need."
"Could be more specific? What are your needs? Maybe if you help me understand you more, I'll be able to help you". I ask in a frisky mood.
"I don't know yet, but so far all I know, is that I want to be calm and for that I need quiet and not to be around too many people. Also, I don't want to be locked in an office in front of a computer all day, although I thought that was what I needed at first, when I applied for that other job. Besides, I am terrible with numbers and most of the positions available at the moment according to your secretary, require human interaction. At this point of my life, I am not ready to be so social. If I were to be your driver, I would only interact with you for the destination. Your present driver always has the soundproof window closed and is left in his own peace and quiet. I am aware that I sound pathetic and maybe you think I am messed up beyond repair, but what you don't know is that I am actually doing much better from before."
After saying all that she looks away so I can't read her face not make sense of the person she is quite yet and this is a bit frustrating.
"What makes you think you can manage this job? Are you even familiar of driving such a big car in the first place and would you know how to drive as smoothly as I need you to, for me to be able to type or have online meetings while traveling from one place to another? You would be driving in a foreign country, not knowing the whereabouts and all the shortcuts a local would. Further more, why should I feel safe in the hands of a woman that was up until now driving on the other side of the road, sitting on the other side of the car? I mean, everything will be upside down for you. That honestly doesn't make me feel safe. And one of the requirements for that position, is at least three years of previous experience."
"I understand everything you are saying and to be honest I have also thought most of those things, that one would find discouraging from hiring me as a driver. Except the part that you said something about me being a woman, but I consciously choose to skip that." She frowns. "As I already said, I will go through training and I will memorize all your usual routes. I am an excellent driver and although I will be using the GPS a lot at first, I know that eventually, you will be VEEERY satisfied with me."
"Are you coming on to me?" I thought you were married." I tease.
"You will be satisfied from me as your driver I mean." She corrects nervously.
"I am definitely not satisfied with your effort to reassure me." I smile.
"Well, you'll see un upgrade of that as well." She smiles back. "Your assistant told me that the position would be available next month but I would be paid through training, if you would agree on hiring me. I would have one month to explore a big part of this city and I am pretty good at memorizing things."
"How much of an excellent driver can a woman be?" And there I go again! For the love of God, someone should shove a cloth in my mouth!
Strangely, she smiles and at that beautiful smile I feel a tickle in my chest, much to my surprise.
"What?" I ask in a fake annoyance.
"I may be a psychiatrist but I used to be a racer, mostly as a hobby." She gets my full attention with that, finally finding a logic to her choice.
"Really?" And I barely stop my mouth from asking if women race drivers even existed.
She confuses my smile that was purely a reaction to my inner thoughts, thinking I was questioning what she was claiming.
"What? You don't believe me do you? My father was a qualified mechanic and a professional racer. He had a collection of antique cars, with which he would win almost every single race he would participate in. I grew up in the country side, loving cars and speed, as well as driving. I am sure my father would prefer I was a son instead of a daughter, but I was all he had, so his options were limited down to me and I am sure I made him proud enough to change his mind about female race drivers. He taught me everything and to my surprise I loved every single minute of the two of us spending time racing together. That's mainly why this seems to be one of the few things that relaxes me, so although I obviously won't be doing this for the rest of my life, I would love to do it for now."
"You are a doctor! How can you professionally demote yourself like that?" I say unable to hide my non approval to her choice.
"I can't exercise my duties as a doctor at the moment, as I am in no position mentally to do so, as surely you have already figured that out. Look, I will not be opening my heart to you or to anyone else anytime soon, but all you need to know is that I came to America to heal myself from a traumatic life changing experience and to be completely honest to you, I don't even have a plan anymore, not that I ever had a solid one to begin with. I promise you I can do this and I will not be asking anything other than the destination. If you want to give me a chance, I would take it. If you don't, I would walk away and again, no harm would be done." She determinedly says.
"You can't walk away on me now. You said you would work for me and agreed to help me. I am sorry but I just don't feel comfortable to have you as my driver, even though I am desperately in need of your help, so you just need to find something else you would like to do." I firmly state.
"I respect that. I will keep my word and help you with the situation concerning your father and that business partner of yours. I don't understand why you should hire me anyway, just to make it more convincing that we weren't two strangers. Couldn't I be visiting you here for the week as a friend? Besides, we will only be telling the truth about what happened and that's the only reason why I agreed to this. And yes, I would feel good to repay your kindness in this way. I have thought of it a lot and although sometimes I am too irritable about pretty much everything, I realize I have to try and find my old self, the one when I was more like a human rather than a Neanderthal. It's part of my healing process to be grateful and to return my gratitude back to you." She says living me even more amazed and completely unable to read her once again.
"I don't know If you are crazy, but you are definitely... different." I say with a smile.
"Bad different I am sure". She playfully grins.
"Uniquely different and quite audacious to my surprise." My smile grows bigger, as I realize what I said was true.
For the rest of the lunch, we discuss about the meeting with my father. I told her it would be better to take place in my apartment, to make it look more convincing that we were actual friends and she doesn't refuse.
Her eyes are still a bit swollen, but this woman I now have in front of me, reminds nothing of that girl that I had in my arms an hour ago. What could have caused such a breakdown? Fuck! Why am so intrigued to find out. I don't know why I am bothered so much with her, but I am. It's curiosity I guess, although that's also new to me. Since when do I care about strangers? She does look so much better now, and for some lame reason, I extend my leg, to 'accidentally' touch hers, as I pathetically seemed to be missing the physical contact we previously shared.
I was shocked earlier, when she pressed herself against my chest, as if she was hiding from someone or something. I didn't know why I wanted to wrap my arms around her instead of doing the logical thing and push her away as she was soaking my favorite suit, so I awkwardly remained still, holding my breath even. I was afraid to break the contact with her, as it felt like I was in a way comforting whatever emotional pain she was going through. But the moment I felt her calming down, she pulled away. I really don't get this woman.
After driving her back to the hotel, I decide not to return to work. I will go to the gym to ease off some tension and I can make my calls while driving there. Driving? I am suddenly aware that she is serious about wanting to be my driver. I will have to think of a new position for her, one that will match her likings and needs. I don't know why, but I need to keep this woman close by for a little longer. I need her for now, but then again she seems to be needing me as well. Maybe even more!
*Forgot to tell you the meeting will be over dinner. My place at 8. My driver (which is not you 😉) will pick you up tomorrow from the hotel at 7.15.*
I include that smiley in my text, thinking that if humor is the way to get to her I will try and use it. Sadly I was never a man known for my humor. I was hardly considered a happy person. I was doing my best to build the image of a tough, serious and unapproachable business man and I didn't have much time for friends and fun.
*Thank you. For everything.*
*We don't need to thank one another. We both benefit from this.*