Page 31 of The Blind Date

“I think you’re being dramatic again.”

“And you’re dismissing my feelings again, darling,” he countered with a raised brow.

“Like how you did the other day?”

“You have me there.” Cedric chuckled and made a show of holding his hands up in surrender. “How about we make a truce since our parents are so adamant that we’re perfect for each other?”

"It depends on the terms of the truce.”

"I have a feeling that no matter how many times we tell them no, our parents will continue pushing us together for a while. So, to make things easier for ourselves, how about we agree to be civil with each other?" He offered.

“I hate that you’re right about this not being the last time we’ll see each other,” I groaned. “I guess we can handle being civil to each other.”

“I’m glad we’ve got ourselves a deal.” Cedric held out his hand. I took it and gave it a firm shake.

“Me too.”

“I don’t know what my parents were thinking setting me up with the enemy.”

“The enemy?” I asked, wondering if he would put his foot in his mouth once again mere seconds after we had just agreed to a truce of civility.

“I mean, we work for rival investment banks. They’re literally across the street from each other. If that doesn’t scream ‘enemy’, I don’t know what will.”

"What's wrong?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can't handle a little competition?"

“Please,” he snorted, pausing to take a sip from his pretentious white wine. “You're only a Vice President. There's no competition here."

I frowned. “What are you talking about? You’reonlya Vice President, too!”

“Technically, yes, but like I mentioned the other day, I’m expecting to make Director this coming January. Anyway, you've just become a Vice President, and I've been one for many years, so again, no competition."

“So?” I put down my cutlery, his rude and inconsiderate words demanding my utmost attention. “You were still an Assistant Vice President when you were my age.”

“That’s just a technicality.”

"And you hearing rumours about being promoted to Director is just that. Just a rumour. For all you know, you might not even make it this year, and you'll have to be Vice President for another year. Maybe two." I knew it was a low blow, but I didn’t care.

His jaw clenched ever so slightly. “I’m confident that I'll make Director this year."

“You sure do sound full of yourself, don’t you?”

“I’m the perfect candidate for Director,” Cedric completely disregarded my question. “Not only am I great management material, but I'm also one hell of a coder. I graduated from university at the top of my class. I also completed three internships before I joined the bank, and I've been a top performer ever since."

"Where did you do your Master's?" I asked, determined to knock this self-assured, borderline narcissistic fool down a few pegs. I was tired of hearing him praise himself all the time.

"I don't have a Master's,” Cedric said, catching me by surprise.

This man acted so high and superior all the time and I was more qualified than him? How ironic.

“I made Vice President before you did,andI have a Master's under my belt. You're one to talk about being better than me.” The smirk on my face was smug enough to give his signature insufferable one a run for its money.

“I never said I was better than you, darling.”

"Maybe not directly, but you sure as hell insinuated it."

"Where did you do your Master's?"

“King’s College London," I told him, sitting up taller. It wasn't Oxford or Cambridge, but it was still Russel Group, and I was very proud to get into King's.

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