“I don’t know about the world, but thanks for the confidence.”
The server returned with their drinks and took their orders.
“Have you started on your next bike?” Eri asked once they were alone again.
“I finished the design and sent it to the customer. If they like it, I’ll order whatever parts I don’t have and start next month. If they don’t, I’ll make some changes and go from there.”
She studied him momentarily. “Did you have trouble with the design, or is the client difficult?”
“Why do you ask?”
“It sounds like you don’t think they’ll like it. Almost like you’re dreading it if they don’t.”
She was correct. The design had given him an issue, and he could admit he wasn’t sure how the client would feel about it. They’d given him free rein, but under a particular umbrella with a list of things they didn’t want. Whenever that happened, it made coming up with a design for them more challenging because it would be easier at that point to tell him what they wanted when the no list was so extensive.
“The design was challenging. There were a lot of things they didn’t want. Most of which would normally be standard or pair well with one of the items on the yes side of the list. I had a hard time getting the creativity to speak to me.”
“I’m sure they’ll like it; if they don’t, you’ll figure it out. I’ve seen your work. So, I doubt a little creative block will stop you.”
They continued conversing through lunch, and an hour later, as they waited for the bill, Elias handed his phone to her. She raised a brow at him, and he leaned back in his seat.
“Let’s not pretend you don’t know why I’m asking for your number, and we can go through the motions of you pretending you don’t want to give it to me, you saying something slick that isn’t going to phase me, and me responding with some flirtatious comment, or we skip to the end where you put your number in any way.”
Sure, Elias could have gotten her number from Avian or Nesiah. He could have even asked for it earlier, but he wasn’t sure she would have given it to him then. When she’d been keeping him further than arm’s length away. She wasn’t doing that now. At least not to that extent, and it seemed like a good time to ask. She glared at him but didn’t respond, returning the phone after putting her number in.
He paid for lunch, left a tip, and walked her to her car.
“This wasn’t horrible.”
He could tell that she was joking. “Then you shouldn’t have a problem with me taking you out again.”
“You didn’t take me this time. We bumped into each other.”
“Touché. I’ll remedy that soon.”
“Bold of you to assume I’ll let you.”
“Same response as before, Amate.”
She bit her lip. “Thank you for lunch.”
“You’re welcome.” He opened her car door for her. “Drive safely.”
Elias watched her pull out before going to his car and sliding behind the wheel. He already knew where to take her on their first date, if he could call it that. He’d keep the setting to something she was used to. Elias wasn’t quite sure why he felt the need to do so, how he knew she would be more comfortable if he did, but his instincts seldom steered him wrong, and he’d allow them to lead him this time, too.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Eri hadn’t been expecting to see Elias when she decided on lunch. She’d been calling the restaurant and couldn’t get through. Which finally caused her to break down and drive there to place her to-go order. She’d been craving their lasagna for the past couple of days. She had planned to order it to go, but she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t enjoyed having lunch with him.
As much as she put on airs and liked to pretend she didn’t enjoy being around him, she did. He made her feel desired and at ease with little effort, and it had been a while since a man had done that. It had been a while since she had felt what she did. It didn’t matter how much she attempted to tell herself otherwise; she was as attracted to him as he was to her.
When he handed his phone to her, he’d been right; she was prepared to pretend like she didn’t know why he had, and possibly say something a little smart-alecky, but his calling her on it had her putting a pause to that. Knowing that her attitude didn’t faze him, she typed her number into his phone—a number he still hadn’t used three days later, which irritated her.
Eri had decided not to dwell on it when she was getting ready for class that morning, but now that she was leaving her last class of the day, her mind drifted back to it. Why ask for her number if he wasn’t going to use it? Now, she wished she had given him an attitude and even made him wait and ask her again at a later date before she did.
She sighed as she walked through the quad. That would have been childish, and to be honest, she only felt that way now because she’d expected him to text her that night or the following day, at least with as much as he flirted with her when they were around one another. She felt slighted but had no idea why and knew it wasn’t fair of her to. He had his own life, worked two jobs, and could have been busy. Just because he popped into her mind at random times without permission didn’t mean she did into his.
“Hey, Eri, right?”
