Page 15 of War Within
Yeah, I'll meet you there. I sighed, knowing it meant I had to drag myself out of bed and do something with my life.
Hey, dress nice. You have a date!She blurted the sentence so loudly, I had to yank the phone away from my ear.
You know how I feel about dates, Lily.
Byeee.
She did not give me a chance to protest any further. I threw the covers off my body, stumbling to the shower. I was going to kill her.
Moxie Café. Our Sunday tradition. The upscale, four-star restaurant hosted a brunch buffet with unlimited, free mimosas every Sunday. Lily, Tyler, and I always met there and had a great time. I was positive I would not be drinking this morning.
It was always crowded on Sundays. The six rooms were packed with people coming and going from the buffet. Trays of mimosas passed by as Lily waved me over to their table in the middle of the room. I waved back, grinning.
Weaving between the tables, I winced a little, fighting off the wine hangover. I glanced up to see her and Tyler on one side and an empty chair next to a male on the other. He and Tyler were in deep conversation. As I neared the table, the stranger looked up.
“Jane?!” He jumped up out of his seat.
“Marco!” I gasped. “What are you doing here?!”
“You guys know each other?!” Lily practically cheered.
Marco pulled my chair out and I slid into it. He then sat after I was settled. Reaching over, he assisted in removing my jacket then hung it up on the back of the chair.
“She's the one I was telling you about, Ty.”
Lily leaned forward, wearing an extremely wide grin. “Great! So, no introductions needed.” Winking, she sat back in her chair, studying us with a proud expression.
Tyler chuckled. “Meanwhile, she's been sitting here talking you up, not knowing you were the mystery girl he’s been going on about.”
The nerves in my body began heating. My cheeks felt flushed. The room began to cave in on me. A server sped by, placing a glass of water on the table in front of me. I picked it up immediately, wrapping my lips around the straw and taking a large gulp.
Lily and Tyler went to the buffet, leaving me alone with Marco. He was already close, but he leaned in tighter. I took a long, slow breath so he would not suspect how nervous I was.
“To be fair, no one needed to talk you up. I think you're beautiful.”
Generally, I was terrible at being able to figure out if guys were flirting with me or not, because I had not been in a relationship since my ex died. Furthermore, no one typically flirted with me. I was not ugly by any means, but rather normal. I was not a model, and men did not line up to date me like they did Lily, who has always been a visual sign of perfection.
I never stood out in a crowd. Maybe that is why I was chosen to infiltrate the Rovati family. Spending time with Lily was the only time in my life where I felt genuinely happy. She and Tyler had been dating for two years, and I was going to be so delighted for them if they ever got married.
The rest of brunch went incredibly well. It was really nice hanging out with them. Marco was an amazingdate. He was entertaining and charming. After the initial shock wore off that he and Tyler knew one another, I was pleased he was the man they had chosen for me. He was a nice escape from my harsh reality.
After brunch, I was waiting to cross the street, when I heard a voice behind me. “Long time no see!”
Startled, I spun around. “Funny.”
“So, um, I just wanted to talk to you alone before you were forehead deep in work later.”
I snorted. “It’s going to be great. I love deadlines and stress.”
He chuckled before pinning his bottom lip between his teeth. Reaching out, he took my hand in his. “I could always come help you.”
I felt hot once again. I gulped as his fingertips circled my hands. A surge of electricity traveled through my body. “That's actually really sweet, but my boss likes things done his way. I would be in trouble if something went wrong. It's pretty confidential stuff.”
“I completely understand.” He winked. “If you get finished early enough, text me. Maybe we can get dinner.”
“I'm not sure I’ll have time, but I’ll text you an update close to dinner time.”
“You have to take a break and eat.”
