The Bedshare Agreement

Chapter 13: Take me home, Tine

Tine's POV

"Then, what am I to you?"

"Huh?" I froze on the phone. I wasn't ready for the question Sarawat had just asked. Or rather, the courage to answer honestly. So, I just used my expertise in sarcasm to deflect the heavy question. "Just—just someone special who forcefully feeds me everyday"

Sarawat laughed on the phone. "I force feed you? Tine, you literally ate a whole tray full of lasagna that I left in the fridge."

"Listen, it might have looked a lot in the tray, but it was actually a single serving"

"Sure, if by single serving you really mean food that is enough for 6 adults"

"It wasn't that much and—"

"Take me out to dinner tonight. I don't feel like cooking today"

"Dinner... as in?"

"Dinner as in food that we will eat. You are finally agreeing to take over Phukong's case, I think we should celebrate"

"I am sure you are busy Sarawat, you don't have to bribe me with food. I just really wanted to help Phukong because--"

"I am going to text you the restaurant details and you better be there or I'll come home and drag you out. Bye"

Before I could say anything else, Sarawat had already disconnected the call and texted me the restaurant details. Going out for a dinner with Sarawat was the opposite of what I had planned.

There were a million excuses I could make. There were a billion arguments that I had. I was a lawyer, this is what I did for a living, but the truth was — I wanted to go have dinner with Sarawat. I wanted to spend more time with him. I wanted to know more about him.

And that's how I found myself  in front of the restaurant that Sarawat  had invited me to. Sarawat told me he'd be a couple of minutes late, so I decided to go inside to checkout how the place was. I was so nervous about the whole dinner that I didn't even think about looking up the restaurant on the internet. I had already spent 2 hours picking out my clothes and ended up wearing the same leather jacket from the day before.

When I went in, I realised this was a candle lit dinner restaurant with mostly couples around. Why exactly would Sarawat invite me to a romantic place like this?

There were only two explanations — Either Sarawat had really asked me on a date or he just didn't know what this restaurant was.

No, this is was definitely not a date. He said 'dinner as in food.'  We are only here for eating and that's that. I am going to stuff my mouth with food, pay for the dinner, and go home alone. That's the plan and that's what I will do.

"Hey Tine, you are already here?"

I turned back and Sarawat was standing right there near the entrance of the restaurant in a blazer and a pair of denims. Why was he so dressed up? Was this a date?

"Uh. No. I just got here"

"Great! Let's go in"

The waitress led us to a corner table — with a candle lit right in the middle and rose petals all around the table. I was on the verge of a panic attack and Sarawat just seemed like he didn't care about the roses at all.

We sat down and I finally asked the question I really needed to. "Do you—do you come here often?"

"Yes! My friend lives right across the road, so I come here often."