Page 134 of Midnights
The Uber driver raises a skeptical brow but keeps his thoughts to himself.Same, buddy. Same.I thank him for waiting and slip him a little extra money for the trouble. I step out of the car, and take a steadying breath, following Mike into the diner.
The cozy atmosphere does nothing to settle the odd mix of adrenaline and unease still buzzing in my veins. Mike leads us to a booth near thewindow, and I set my bag down beside me, pulling out my phone to fire off a quick text to Rachel.
Me: If you get the bat signal, call immediately. Just in case.
Hitting send, I look up to see Mike smiling. “I took the liberty of ordering you a glass of wine,” he gestures toward the table. “I told the waiter to bring it once you arrived. Don’t worry, you didn’t keep me waiting long.”
Umm. Excuse me?
I was early, but sure, let’s go with that. My brain flips between irritation and politeness. I was also about to mention I don't drink, but that’s not entirely accurate anymore. So instead, I mutter a polite, “Thank you.”
There’s no way I'm drinking during an interview. I’m here to get through this meeting, not play along with whatever vibe Mike is throwing out.
When the waiter arrives, I ask for a glass of water. He nods then leaves us alone again. I shift my focus back to Mike, keeping my expression neutral.
“I’m still terribly sorry about scaring you earlier.” His voice is smooth, but something about his tone doesn’t match the words. He doesn’t actually sound sorry. If anything, there’s a subtle edge beneath his practiced charm.
There’s something intense about him, nothing outright creepy, but it’s enough to send a quiet warning through my gut.
“That’s okay.” I smile, keeping my tone light and easy. “So, where would you like to start?”
I’m not here to be rude, but Iamon vacation. And between his emails and this meeting, I feel like I already have a solid read on him.
His smile stays tight, but his eyes narrow slightly. “Oh please, I insist we talk businessafterwe order. That way, there won’t be interruptions.”
I nod, keeping my face pleasant, but internally, I'm rolling my eyes.
His type is so predictable.Control freak, ego central, everything by-the-book, barf.I’d bet good money he’s calculated this down to the second, including a time limit for how long he thinks we should chat. My first impression of him was spot on.
The waiter returns, and we both place our orders. I opt for a side salad, and. I swear I catch the faintest flicker of irritation cross his face at my choice.Oh well, buddy. You’ll live.It’s not like we’re on a date.
He takes a sip of his wine; his movements are smooth and practiced. The way his eyes stay fixed on me over the rim of his glass makes me resist the urge to shift in my seat.
“So, tell me,” he begins, setting the glass down with a little too much ease. “How has your trip been so far?”
His tone is casual, but the way he asks feels like he’s less interested in my actual answer and more interested in howI answer.
“Actually, it’s been really good so far,” I offer a polite smile. “Scotland’s beautiful. I’ve just been trying to soak in as much as I can.”
His smile widens, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“It is, isn’t it?” He swirls his wine before taking another sip. “I imagine it must be quite the change of pace for you.”
I tilt my head slightly, my smile never faltering. “It's been so nice, actually.”
The more we talk, the more I second-guess myself. There’s an ease to his tone now that doesn’t match the controlled, calculated version of him I had pegged in my mind. His charm isn’t over the top, it’s subtle. It kind of sneaks up on you.
Maybe this won’t be the stuffy work meeting I was dreading after all.
We talk about the places I’ve visited so far, and any initial doubts I had about Mike start to fade. Naturally, I leave out the parts about the castle, and Kane. Especially Kane. Instead, I focus on how excited Rachel and I are about the ball, keeping things light.
The second I mention it, his whole expression changes.
“Ah, the masquerade,” he says, smiling. “Now that’s an event worth attending.”
Okay, so this is what gets him excited?Noted.
“You sound like you’ve been before.”
