Page 12 of Safer Together
~ Chapter Five ~
Angela
Elliot’s smile is breathtakingly beautiful, showing all of his perfectly straight teeth. It makes my heart ache, in the best way possible. I have the ability to make this man so incredibly happy with just one sentence.
Elliot opens the door for me, and we stride on in. Being only a few days out from Christmas, the steak house is packed. Families, couples on dates, even a few groups of friends are catching up before the silly season hits. Men at all tables digging into a humongous steak before the roast turkey, ham, baked vegetables and assorted salads are splayed out on the table before them on Christmas Day.
If there is something I have learned from the men in my life, it’s that they are carnivores through and through, and normally, they are hella proud of it. They love steak, and when I say all of the men in my life, I mean my dad and Liam. Whether it’s barbecued over hot coals, under the grill or in a frypan in the kitchen. Men love sinking their teeth into a big, juicy piece of steak.
“Angie, you made it” I turn my head from where the well-known voice has travelled from and see Jenny making her way towards me, wearing a red turtleneck sweater and blue jeans. I suddenly feel overdressed.
“Hey Jen, yep, we made it”. At the sound of the word ‘we’ she looks over my shoulder. I can tell the moment she realizes who I am with as her jaw goes slack. Her eyes tell me that she is playing a story inside her head that won’t be unfolding. I feel Elliot’s strong hands cup either side of my waist.
“Hey, it’s Jenny isn’t it? We met a few weeks ago. I’m Elliot.”
Jenny snaps out of whichever fantasy that she was enjoying and smiles too widely. “Ah yeah, that’s right, Elliot, hi.” Her voice a lot softer than usual.
Stretching her hand out to meet mine she pulls me with her towards the other side of the restaurant, as I am pulled out of Elliot’s grasp I turn over my shoulder giving him an apologetic look, he shrugs his shoulders and makes his way, a few steps behind us. “You told me you were bringing a friend tonight Angie, not a damn client”
I turn back to look at Jenny and bite my lip. “He isn’t just a client Jen. He’s actually my boyfriend.”
Her mouth drops open, looking back over our shoulders looking at where he was following. “No way, you and Mr. Belle Meade Homestead?”
I nod, a huge smile spreading across my face. “You know me Jen, I don’t care about money. He is gentlemanly, he pulls out a seat for me, he opens car doors for me.”
That gets her attention. Her face turns back to look me squarely in the face, “Like old school gentleman, then?” Before I have a chance to answer we reach the door to the separate function room that Sandra had rented for the evening.
Stepping in I see that we are one of the last to arrive. I quickly scan the room and locate Sandra deep in conversation with one of the other sales agent’s wives. Elliot comes up behind me and takes my hand in his. Leaning down to my ear, he whispers “Remember, we stick together tonight.”
I nod and turn my head to face his, looking him dead in the eye. “Like glue.”
“I’m just going to go find Ben. Give you someone to talk to for the evening, Elliot.” And with that Jenny leaves us alone.
“So, she likes me, then?” I turn my body, so we are completely facing each other. “She is the one who thinks I am dreamy, right?”
I smack him across the chest playfully, “It’s nice to know someone thinks I’m dreamy.” I open my mouth, not sure what to say. “I think you’re dreamy, Angela.”
I feel my cheeks go a very similar color to a perfectly ripe tomato. Damn you, Elliot, now is not the time for me to be getting embarrassed. A totally indecent reply runs through my head: ‘And you’re a dream boat I could totally climb aboard.’ Instead I go for safe: “Right back at you, Sands.”
I hear Jenny coming back towards us from her not so quiet whispering to Ben. I turn around to see her just a few steps away.
“Hi, Ben.”
He gives a half-hearted wave, “Hey, Angie, how’ve things been?”
I lean in and give him a kiss on the cheek. Ben really is a sweetie and he makes Jenny incredibly happy, and for that reason, I like him. “Good, thanks, Ben. Jenny tells me you moved in together. That’s exciting.”
He goes slightly pink in the cheeks, another one of those reasons I like him. I’m not the only one who embarrasses easily.
Not one to let her man get caught up, Jenny rushes in “It’s definitely starting to feel like our place now, we’re planning on getting a few other items over the Christmas break, when the sales take place. Ben, meet Elliot. He is a bit of a real estate mogul from New York.”
Elliot squeezes my hand gently before offering his free one to Ben. “I wouldn’t exactly call me a mogul, but I do dabble in real estate. Elliot Sands. Nice to meet you.”
Ben shoots his own hand out very quickly, taking Elliot’s and shaking hands for a little too long. “Are you the guy that bought that old place out in Belle Meade?”
Elliot manages to pull his hand free from Ben and moves a little to wrap both of his strong hands around my waist. “I did. That’s how I met this wonderful lady.” Jenny shoots me a look that tells me she wants to hear all about it.
“Ben, would you mind going to get me a glass of red wine?”
