Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aubrey
“Hey, Aubrey, you ready for our staff meeting?” Ian asked as he walked into my classroom.
“Yep. Gotta love these staff meetings after school.”
“Honestly, I’d rather have them after than before. I’m not trying to get up any earlier than I have to.”
I gave him a smile as I took hold of his arm.
“How about we do dinner after our meeting?” he spoke.
“Sure. Where do you want to go?”
“I’m in the mood for Japanese. How about Benihana?”
“Okay. I haven’t been there in a while.” I smiled.
After our staff meeting, Ian told me that Rigby had sent him a text message saying that his meeting with a client had been canceled.
“Would you mind if Rigby joined us for dinner? I want you to meet him so badly.”
“I would like that. I’m dying to meet him.”
“Excellent!” he spoke with excitement. “I’ll text him now.”
It seemed like it took us forever to get to the restaurant because traffic was heavier than usual today. Once we arrived, Ian saw Rigby standing outside waiting for us.
“He’s already here and looking as sexy as ever,” he spoke as he pulled into a parking space.
Shaking my head, and with a smile, I climbed out of the car and felt a hand wrap around my arm.
“You must be Aubrey. Here, let me help you.”
“And you must be Rigby.” I grinned. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. Ian has told me so much about you.”
“All good, I hope.”
“Nothing but the best.”
The hostess took us over to our table, and I sat on the end so Ian and Rigby could sit next to each other.
“Weird. We’re the only ones at this table so far,” Ian spoke.
“It’s still early. This place usually doesn’t start getting crowded until around six.”
“Do you need me to read you the menu?” Rigby politely asked.
I couldn’t help but smile at his generosity. “No. I’ve been here enough that I pretty much know what they have.”
“Oh shit,” Ian spoke in a low voice.
“What?” I asked.
Before he had a chance to answer, I heard the hostess walking over with other patrons. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes for a moment as a familiar scent crossed my path.
“Aubrey?” Ethan spoke.
“Aubrey, sweetheart,” his mother spoke. “What a surprise seeing you here.” She clasped my shoulders and kissed my cheek.
“Hello, Nancy.”
“Ethan, you sit here next to Aubrey.”
This was the last thing I needed. Oh my God. How was I going to get through this dinner?
“Hello, Ian. Nice to see you again.”
“Ethan,” he spoke in a disgruntled tone. “This is my friend, Rigby. Rigby, meet Ethan Klein.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Klein.”
“Likewise, Rigby.”
I heard the scraping of the chair across the floor as he pulled it out and sat beside me.
“I can request to sit somewhere else,” he leaned over and whispered to me.
I wanted to tell him to do it, and if he had been with anyone else besides his mother, I would have.
“It’s fine.”
My heart was racing a mile a minute as Nancy carried on a conversation with me. More guests were seated, and it just happened that the woman sitting next to Nancy was a girl she knew back in high school. Go figure. That left Ethan and me, the odd ones, out since everyone else had someone to talk to.
“May I get you a drink?” The waitress asked me in a high-pitched voice.
“I’ll have a Mai Tai, please.”
“And for you, sir?”
“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks. Make it a double.”
After she went around the table and took everyone’s drink order, we placed our order for dinner.
“How was your day today?” Ethan asked cautiously.
“It was good.”
I didn’t ask him how his day was because I didn’t care. Like I said before, I was now in the angry stage.
“I’m surprised you’re with your mom,” I spoke.
“Why?”
“I just figured you’d be with someone else.”
Shit. I really didn’t mean to say that.
“No. She was shopping in the city and asked me to have dinner with her. Well, actually, we were supposed to have lunch, but she got a late start.”
“That’s nice.”
“And I’m not seeing anyone else. Why would you say or think that?”
“Because, Mr. Klein, you’re a man with needs.”
“Aubrey, please. Don’t do this.”
“They were your words, not mine.”
“You know what? Maybe it’s best if we don’t speak,” he whispered.
“That’s probably for the best.”
“I told you that I would switch tables.”
“Why are you speaking?”
I heard the sharp intake of his breath and the ice clanking in his glass as he picked it up. We sat there in awkward silence as I sipped on my Mai Tai.
“Listen, you can hate me all you want, but just not right now. My mother doesn’t know anything, and she’ll start asking questions. So please, just for the next hour, at least pretend to hold a conversation with me.”
“I have nothing to say to you. So how am I supposed to do that?” I whispered.
“Oh, you two look like you’re in deep conversation,” Nancy spoke with excitement.
“See. I told you,” Ethan whispered. “Well, now we don’t have to worry about it. Our chef is here.”
“I know. I heard him wheel the cart over.”
As the chef put on a show and prepared our meal, I sipped on my Mai Tai. I needed to remember what Ethan said to me because even though I was angry, his scent drove me crazy. During dinner, I talked a bit with Ian and Rigby, and Ethan held a conversation with his mother. This had to be the most awkward dinner I was ever at, and I couldn’t eat fast enough to get the hell out. All I wanted to do was go home, climb into bed, and hide under the covers for the rest of the night.
I finished eating and waited patiently for Ian and Rigby to finish.
“Are you done yet?” I leaned over and asked Ian.
“Yes. We’re done,” he replied. “Let me ask the waitress for the check.”
“No need,” Ethan spoke. “Dinner is on me tonight.”
“Ethan, that’s very kind of you, but we can’t let you pay,” Ian spoke.
“What are you doing?” I whispered in a harsh tone.
“It’s only dinner, Aubrey. Now you’re free to go.”
I didn’t want to thank him, but I had no choice being the good person I was.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I pushed back my chair, and as I was about to get up, I felt a hand on mine.
“Let me help you,” Ethan said as he squeezed my hand.
A thousand lightning bolts raced throughout my body as I stood there, frozen for a second, just taking in the touch of his hand on mine. A touch that I hadn’t forgotten and didn’t think I ever would.
“Thank you.” I pulled my hand away.
As soon as we exited the restaurant, Nancy gave me a hug and told me not to be a stranger.
“Have a safe drive home,” I spoke as I said goodbye to her.
“Hey, Aubrey,” Ian spoke. “Is it okay with you if we stop at Nordstrom? I want to pick up a couple of things, and so does Rigby.”
“You two go ahead. I’ll catch a cab home.”
“What? You don’t want to come with us?” Ian whined.
“I have some things to do at home, and it’s been a long day. No worries. You two go and have fun.”
“I’ll drive you home,” Ethan spoke.
“No, thank you. I’ll catch a cab.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Aubrey. Why pay for a cab ride when I can give you a free one?”
Ugh. I was going to kill Ian for putting me in this situation.
“Please. It’s just a ride home,” he spoke. “And I promise I won’t speak to you.”
“Fine,” I huffed.
“My arm?” Ethan spoke.
“What about it?”
“Are you going to take it?”
“No.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Aubrey.” He grabbed my hand, wrapped it around his arm, and led me to the limo.
Upon opening the door, I slid into the backseat.
“Hello, Aubrey. It’s good to see you again.”
“Hi, Harry. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
I heard the other door open, and Ethan slid in next to me.
“Harry, we’re driving Aubrey home.”