Page 21 of Thiago
“Thank you, sir,” Andre said.
Benicio lifted his glass. “So now I make a toast to Monica and Andre. May your days be filled with joy and laughter and may your love story endure, inspiring everyone lucky enough to witness it. I look forward to your wedding, and I hope and pray you have many, many happy years together. Cheers to the happy couple!”
“Cheers!” the group called out.
Thiago touched his glass to Audra’s and a few friends nearby, then took a sip of the bubbly.
As he had told Audra, he left after the toast, but not before congratulating Monica and Andre and talking to a few family members.
He slipped through the front doors and jogged down the outer steps to his vehicle, sitting in the dark for a moment before making a decision. He scrolled to India’s name. It was late, but not too late. If she were open to it, he could pop by her place. He had never gone to her home this late, but after their odd interaction on Wednesday, a visit might be the perfect way to end the night and get their relationship back on track.
As he was about to shoot off the text, he hesitated. He needed a good excuse to reach out at this hour, on a day he had told her they wouldn’t see each other. He’d tell her that he wanted to discuss the marketing campaign for the company’s retail stores.
Satisfied, he tapped out the message and hitSend.
Then he started the car and headed off the property, anticipating he’d be able to see India tonight after all.
Chapter Nine
India applied another coat of lipstick as she checked her appearance in the mirror behind the sun visor of her Audi. She pressed her lips together to evenly distribute the color and then flipped the visor back up to the roof.
Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, a little anxious because she hadn’t been on a date in a very long time and didn’t know what to expect from Dr. Simon Stone. Hopefully, they would have a good conversation, and if the night went well, they could plan another date in the near future.
Simon had gotten off work late, so they were having dinner later than she normally ate, but she didn’t mind. The restaurant had great reviews, and she had looked forward to dressing up in something other than the pants she usually wore for work. She had taken a chance with a fuchsia sweater and fuchsia dress, but it was a fun color, so she decided not to overthink her outfit.
At the last moment, she left the sweater in the car and opened the door, stepping into the chilly air and tucking her purse under her arm. As she strolled toward the entrance of the restaurant, she saw Simon, casually dressed in a white shirt and gray slacks.
“Looks like we arrived at the same time,” he said, a smile breaking out on his face. His wavy hair was brushed back from his forehead. Unlike in the emergency room, tonight he wasn’t wearing glasses.
“A good sign,” India said.
He nodded in agreement. “It means we’re in sync,” he said, opening the door.
India had made the comment thinking it was a good sign that they were both on time and respectful of each other’s time. She merely smiled and didn’t attempt to correct him, walking ahead of him into the warm interior.
They approached the hostess stand together, and after a few minutes were escorted to their table.
India sat across from Simon and looked around. “I’ve never eaten here before.”
“This is one of my favorite restaurants, which is why I recommended we come here. If you like fish, the salmon is excellent.”
“I do like salmon,” India said, opening the menu.
Simon leaned across the table, catching her attention. “Can I say something?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“You are an incredibly beautiful woman. I noticed in the emergency room, but you’re even more beautiful this evening. The color you’re wearing was made for you.”
Her cheeks warmed at the compliment. “Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself.”
He sat back. “That wasn’t a line, by the way.”
“I didn’t think it was,” India assured him. With the evening already started on a positive note, she relaxed.
They both perused the menus until the waiter arrived, and they placed their orders, India choosing the salmon and Simon selecting a chicken dish. Then they spent the next hour inleisurely conversation as they ate salads and then their meal, covering a variety of topics. India learned Simon had become a doctor because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather. She also learned he was divorced, and his daughter and ex-wife lived in another state. He didn’t go into details about the end of his marriage, but she sensed it was still a sensitive topic when his demeanor noticeably changed.
By the time they were sipping coffee and enjoying dessert, India had a good idea of the kind of man he was. Charming and humble were the adjectives that came to mind.
