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‘’Bah ha ha’’ I laughed out ‘’flattery will indeed get you everywhere’’ I teased, and with another amused chuckle I exited the car with Hudson ready to bravely go inside.

The scene around me was stunning! More beautiful than words could describe, with the smooth flow of soft water gently soothing my ears from the restaurant's luxury outdoor fountain in the rounded driveway, all elegantly lit with blue and white lighting that made the water dance like falling crystals around it. Then was the pine-scented display of rich greenery decorating the entrance, prettily entwined with deep red roses and twinkling fairy lights that made it look more like Santa’s Grotto, rather than a place to dine.

It truly was stunning, as was the building itself, which I could see was beautifully crafted with Art Deco styled pane glass windows, perfectly matching the sleek elegant style of well-dressed patrons going in and out of it, each the superstar vision in their posh attire and fancy cars I’d only ever seen in movies.

Why was I here again? Oh that’s right, because I’d made a promise to accompany my new friend to dinner tonight…in a now ‘what the hell was I thinking’ moment as I stood feeling the most uncomfortable I’d ever felt.

It didn’t help that I could also feel the doorman’s eyes out front looking over at us, by that I meant me, as no doubt I stuck out like a filthy sore thumb amongst all this elegance. I however was surprised to see my nervous expression reciprocated with a rather warm and polite smile…must be being paid good money I shrugged matter-of-factly, and with my own warm smile up at Hudson, we began making our way over to enter inside the building.

‘’Good evening Mr. Avery, Madame, have a very pleasant evening to you both’’ the doorman beamed as we neared.

‘’You too Mark, don’t work too hard now’’ teased Hudson dropping his car keys in the concierge's hand, along with what I caught was a very generous dollar tip.

‘’I’ll do my best Sir’’ he chuckled and motioned over a valet to take the keys, while Hudson gently ushered me through the large automatic glass doors of The George restaurant.

‘’Holy fuck, wow…’’ I gasped quietly under my breath, trying not to let my face fall completely apart at the sight of even more elegant beauty dripping richly around me.

‘’Wait ‘til you see the food, now that’s a ‘holy fuck wow’ moment’’ Hudson teased in my ear, and I felt my face instantly redden over the fact that he’d even heard me.

‘’Sorry, I guess I need to remember where I am’’ I said looking down at my feet.

‘’Not at all Taylor, I want you to be nothing but yourself around me’’ he winked, and gently ushered me by my waist over to the seating host stood by her podium ‘’table for two plea-‘’

‘’I’m sorry, but I can’t do this!’’ I said turning and exiting out the restaurant fast. I needed air. I needed to be outside. It’s all I knew, and the only place that made me feel comfortable.

HUDSON POV:

‘’Sorry about that’’ I told the host ‘’although, you could do me a favor…’’ I said, and spoke with her a few seconds more before spinning on my heel out the restaurant to go find Taylor.

‘’What was that? I thought we were going to have a nice meal together?’’ I said, finding her perched out front on the far wall, timidly playing with a rose in her hand which she must have taken from the garden display beside her.

‘’I’m sorry about that Hudson, I really am, but I just can’t. I’m not made for this type of environment. And while I appreciate greatly the extended gesture of your kindness, I can’t be myself and someone else at the same time to please you. So if it’s okay with you, I’d just like to get my rucksack from your car so I can leave.

‘’What if I don’t want you to leave…?’’

She looked up at me, and I once again felt my heartstrings pull and break a little at possibly having to leave her on the streets to fend for herself. It wasn’t what I wanted, but her stubborn -and in a way understandable nature- kept blocking every advance of help I tried giving her ‘’yeah well, we don’t always get what we want in life. Trust me, I learned that the hard way’’ she said looking down again, and I stood watching her break petal after petal away from the rose until it was no more.

‘’Why do I get the feeling you were maybe forced to grow up faster than you were meant to?’’ I asked softly.

‘’Because it’s true’’ she said snapping off another rose beside her and pulling the petals off that one also.

‘’I don’t know what your story is Taylor…but I’d like to if you let me’’ I said, gently placing my hand on hers and taking the petal stem from her so she would look at me ‘’I’m sorry you felt uncomfortable just now, again that was never my intention. It’s just I promised to take you to my favorite place to eat, and well, that’s it. But we don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to’’ I assured her.

‘’No…I’m the one who’s sorry’’ she said looking up at me now ‘’I’ve lived so long on the streets, and put so much pride aside just to survive, that any semblance of a ‘normal’ life now feels nothing but foreign to me’’ she said quietly ‘’but I um…I really am hungry, so if you maybe know some other place we can go where I don’t feel like a leper, I’ll happily accompany you’’ she said with a small smile.

‘’First off Taylor you are not a leper. Please don’t insinuate something like that about yourself. I understand it’s maybe how you may feel, or how society has made you feel, but in my eyes I see a nice girl with a warm heart, one who deserves way better than the unfortunate curve ball life decided to throw her. So yes, if it’s okay with you Taylor I’d love to take you somewhere else to eat, away from any prying eyes of the public, where you and I if you’re comfortable with it, can maybe sit down and have a nice talk together while indulging a delicious ‘anything you want on the menu’ style meal’’ I winked warmly at her.

‘’I don’t understand why you’re being so nice to me, but I’m also not going to fight it this time. So yeah, let’s do it’’ she said with a big warm smile and hopped off the wall.

‘’…on one occasion’’ I said looking seriously at her.

‘’Aah ‘The catch’ okay, let’s have it’’ she chuckled.

‘’…that you promise not to run away this time, and instead talk with me if anything’s making you feel uncomfortable, okay?’’

I could see her blue eyes looking skeptically up at me, as if weighing out the pros and cons of the verbal agreement I’d initiated…before a warm smile crossed her lips and she nodded ‘’okay’’ with a happy grin.

‘’Great!’’ I beamed ‘’now, do you trust me?’’