Shay's POV
Time quickly went by, and before I knew it, it was already six in the evening. The reminder of our dinner suddenly popped into my head.
He had offered to pick me up from home, so I quickly left my office and hurried home to get ready. After showering, I picked out a cute baby blue dress from my closet along with a pair of stilettos. I put on my outfit and then sat down in front of my vanity to do my makeup. Once I was done, I slipped on my heels, grabbed my purse from the bed, and left my room.
My parents were sitting quietly in the living room. Dad was aimlessly staring at the tablet in his hands, while Mom was sitting across from him, reading a book with a wine glass in her hand. She looked up when she saw me, and she winked, making me smile.
Dad suddenly looked up and frowned upon seeing me all dressed up, but he didn't say a word and simply returned his focus to the screen. I left the house, strolling down the driveway, and saw Jason's familiar Porsche parked outside the main gates. He was standing beside it.
He wore sleek black dress pants and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and two buttons undone at the top. His hair, though not styled, was perfectly tousled, making him look effortlessly handsome.
Seeing him leaning against his car, arms folded, staring at me as I walked toward him, made my heart beat faster.
The security guard opened the electric gates for me, and I stepped outside, stopping in front of Jason. The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile as he leaned toward me and placed a soft kiss on my cheek, making me blush uncontrollably.
"You look beautiful."
I smiled at the sweet compliment. "Thank you."
He opened the door for me, and I slid inside before he closed it gently. As I fastened my seatbelt, he got into the driver's side and started the car.
The drive to the restaurant was quiet. Neither of us could come up with anything to say, except for the occasional glances and smiles. Since I had no idea where we were going, I focused my attention outside, trying to figure it out.
Jason swerved the car onto a gravel path, and dark trees began to surround us. I frowned and glanced at him, confused.
"Um, so where we going?"
He glanced at me and smiled reassuringly. "It's a surprise. You'll see."
Okay, this was not what I was expecting. This was clearly the beginning of a scene from a horror movie! I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and stared at him suspiciously.
"You're... you're not bringing me here to kill me, are you?"
He laughed and suddenly turned the car to the right. Bright lights came into view.
I looked out the window, and my jaw dropped. Right in front of us stood a massive restaurant, illuminated by golden lights, with dozens of cars parked nearby. Outside, people were dining at neatly aligned tables while waiters and waitresses moved between them, carrying wine bottles and meals.
This was an incredibly fancy restaurant, hidden away in the middle of nowhere.
I awkwardly glanced back at Jason and found him already staring at me, an amused smile on his face.
"Kill you at a restaurant? Now that would make me a very stupid amateur murderer, don't you think?"
I chuckled, feeling embarrassed.
"Sorry. It's just that... it was so dark on the way here, and my imagination kind of ran wild."
He chuckled. "I get it. Shall we go?"
I nodded, unbuckled my seatbelt, and stepped out of the car. Jason walked beside me, gently taking my hand. His touch was familiar, comforting.
A young female attendant greeted us and guided us to an empty table. We sat down as she handed us the menus before stepping aside to give us some privacy.
As we browsed the selection, Jason started telling me how he had discovered this place. He'd come here a few nights ago, instantly knowing he wanted to bring me here someday.
I smiled at his story.
When our meal arrived, our conversation shifted to random topics, making me smile and laugh throughout dinner.
"I can try, but I will never eat eggs. Ever," Jason declared firmly. "Whether it's fried, scrambled, or whatever, I am never eating that."
I laughed.
"Why not? What if it's mixed into a salad or something, and you don't know? Would you eat it then?"
He shrugged.
"I may never eat eggs for the rest of my life, but that doesn't mean I don't know what they taste like. I can tell when there's egg in my food. If it accidentally ends up in my mouth, expect a puking disaster within seconds."
I scrunched my nose in disgust and sipped my wine.
"Are you allergic or something? I never knew you had any allergies."
He grinned. "I'm not allergic. I just find eggs disgusting, that's all."
I scoffed. "Well, eggs are in cakes too, and I'm pretty sure you've had your fair share of desserts."
"That's different." He smirked, defending himself.
"You're so weird."
He chuckled and downed his wine in one go.
"Says the person who hates wearing heels but still wore them tonight. Why not just go barefoot?"
I laughed, playfully glaring at him.
"Hey! This goes with the outfit, alright? At least I've gotten used to wearing heels by now."
He grinned and slowly shook his head.
A long pause settled between us as we stared at each other, mirroring each other's happy expressions. Tonight was perfect. It was funny how we were still learning new things about each other, despite thinking we already knew everything.
Realizing I had been staring too long, I quickly looked away and cleared my throat.
Jason signaled the waiter for the check. When the waiter placed the tab on the table, Jason reached for it, but I quickly stopped him by grabbing his hand.
"Let me. You've already done enough by bringing me here and giving me a great time."
He shook his head, pulling the tab toward him.
"It wouldn't be much of a great time if you didn't let me pay. Don't worry, it's on me."
I frowned. "What? No, but Iâ"
Before I could argue, he pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet, slipped it into the tab, and gave me a warm smile.
I wanted to insist on splitting the bill, but since he was so adamant about paying, I let it go.
As we walked back to his car, my phone rang. We stopped while I fished it out of my purse. It was my assistant, Kacey. I frowned before answering.
"Hello? Kacey?"
"Hi, Miss Falcon. I'm so sorry to disturb you this late."
"No, no, it's fine. What is it?"
"Well, I was wondering if you have a copy of the marginal chart with you. I forgot the file on my desk, and I need it for the meeting presentation tomorrow morning. I'm really sorry for asking this."
I let out a relieved sigh and glanced at Jason, who was patiently waiting beside me. For a moment, I thought it was something serious.
"I'm actually not at home right now, Kacey, but I'll go back to the office and get the file for you. I'll email it to you soon."
"Really? That would be great, ma'am! Thank you so much! I'm really sorry for this."
"No problem, Kacey. Have a good night."
I hung up and looked at Jason.
"That was my assistantâ"
"I'll take you to the office. C'mon." He cut me off before I could finish.
He walked ahead and opened the car door for me again, making me chuckle in amusement.
When we arrived at the office, Jason insisted on coming inside with me. We greeted the security guard before taking the elevator.
Inside, Jason's hand lightly brushed against mine, sending a rush of warmth through me.
"Thank you for tonight. I really had a great time," I said softly.
He turned to me, his gaze warm. "Me too."
And before I knew it, his lips were on mine.
Sometimes, a broken heart needs to be mended by working together to make a relationship last.