Page 36 of David's Proposal

The elevator comes to a stop, and the doors slide open.

“Why’s that?” he asks as we both exit the car and veer toward the restaurant.

“Of all people, you’d be the most difficult to explain to why I changed my mind. It won’t happen, anyway. I’m happy with how things are right now.”

“I don’t blame you,” he says, his attention shifting to the hostess heading in our direction.

“How many people?” she asks.

“Four,” James says without stopping.

“The VIP room is ready,” the woman says before pulling away from us.

“Four?” I ask when we’re finally alone.

James’ lips curl into a smile as we make a beeline for the VIP room.

“It’s the girls’ night out, so the boys have dinner.”

We walk down a quiet corridor before entering one of the private rooms.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he says, carving out the phone from his pocket to make a call.

I give up on checking my cell phone as we both sit at the table. Lex and Tiago join us and our food arrives soon after.

It’s been a while since we had dinner together. We see each other all the time when I’m in town.

In meetings or when we have lunch with our business partners. But having dinner for the sake of having dinner is not that common.

I enjoy sitting with them, but even so, I can’t stop thinking about Elizabeth.

At some point, I leave the table, walk outside, and make a phone call in the hallway in front of a restroom.

My driver answers right away.

“What did the mother say?” I ask without an introduction since I don’t have much time.

“Her daughter met someone new at the gym and wasn’t coming home until later.”

“Someone?” Is this a fucking quiz? “Was it a boy or a girl?”

Joel promptly delivers more information.

“I didn’t get to ask her. From what I gathered from our conversation, it was a girl.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

I swipe my phone with my thumb when the screen lights up with a call.

“Not now, Sabina,” I mutter, rejecting the call.

She calls again.

“Yes,” I answer.

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