Chapter 9 #2
“Yes, it is,” Juliet cut in immediately. “And even if he is Elias’s friend, what does that have to do with you? You’re not together anymore. It’s none of his business whom you date now.”
Amara pushed open the restaurant door, and entered inside.
Juliet, meanwhile, sounded more excited the longer she talked.
“In fact, you should be happy about this.”
“Happy?” Amara repeated flatly.
“Yes!” Juliet cried out. “Think about it. Now Elias will see that you can pull literally any man you want — even his former best friend.”
Amara nearly stumbled at the insanity coming out of her friend’s mouth.
“This is the ultimate revenge,” Juliet declared proudly. “You should be thanking me.”
“Seriously?”
“No, wait, listen!” Juliet interrupted excitedly. “What if this turns into one of those romantic love triangles?”
Amara immediately looked horrified.
“Imagine it,” Juliet interrupted excitedly. “Your ex-husband suddenly realizes he’s in love with you after seeing you with another man. He tries to win you back, but by then you’ve already fallen for Maverick. And not just any man — his former best friend.”
Juliet actually giggled to herself.
“Oh my God, the drama would be insane.”
“Jesus Christ, Juliet,” Amara muttered under her breath in complete disbelief.
Amara pinched the bridge of her nose so hard it almost hurt.
“You know what? I’m going to talk to you when I get back.” She pointed a finger uselessly into the air as if Juliet could see her. “We’ll discuss your mental instability later.”
Juliet burst out laughing.
“Good luck falling in love with him!” Juliet shouted teasingly before ending the call.
Amara stared at the dark phone screen for a second before slipping it back into her purse with an exhausted sigh.
Then she finally walked deeper into the restaurant.
The inside was even more luxurious than the exterior.
Silver lights reflected softly across the sleek marble floors.
Floor-to-ceiling glass walls surrounded the restaurant, while modern silver décor and soft white lighting gave the entire place a luxurious, almost unreal atmosphere.
Quiet piano music drifted through the air, blending with the low murmur of conversations.
There weren’t many people inside. Only a few tables were occupied, making the atmosphere feel private and intimate.
Amara instinctively smoothed her dress down nervously before following the table number Juliet had sent her.
Her heels clicked softly against the floor as she walked deeper into the restaurant.
Then suddenly—
Her steps slowed.
Maverick was already standing near the table, one hand resting casually in his pocket.
The moment Amara saw him clearly, she nearly stopped walking altogether.
He was dressed simply, yet somehow still looked expensive. A fitted light blue full-sleeved zipper shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and muscular chest, paired with black pants tailored perfectly to his long legs.
His tall, broad frame carried an effortless intimidation, and his dark hair fell loosely around his nape like a wild mane. The sharp stubble covering his jaw only made him look rougher, colder.
Her eyes instinctively drifted toward his hand that rested loosely at his side.
A platinum ring rested on the middle finger of his left hand, and dark black tattoos started beneath the ring before climbing slowly up his wrist and disappearing under the sleeves of his shirt.
Even though most of it remained hidden, Amara could already tell the tattoos stretched much higher — probably across his arms, chest, and body.
The tattoos, the jewelry, the calm posture… everything about him gave off a cold, rebellious energy that instantly stood out even in a room full of rich people.
The last time she had seen him was at a party more than a year ago.
Back then, he had been standing beside Elias, laughing freely with a drink in his hand while the two of them laughed at something.
But that easy smile that used to be on Maverick’s face was gone now.
Like life had carved the warmth out of him and left behind only the dangerous edges.
Then, as if sensing her stare, Maverick lifted his head.
Their eyes met instantly.
She straightened at once, a faint polite smile forming on her lips as she resumed walking toward him.
And he simply stared.
Silent.
The intensity of his gaze immediately caught her off guard. He did not smile. Did not greet her. Didn’t even blink for a second as his dark eyes stayed fixed on her face.
For some reason, the way he looked at her made her nervous.
The air between them suddenly felt heavy.
She forced a smile onto her face before stopping in front of him.
“Maverick?” she asked softly.
Maverick seemed to snap out of whatever thought he had been trapped in. The strange look in his eyes disappeared almost instantly.
A smile appeared on his face.
But it didn’t reach his eyes.
It looked practiced. Empty.
Amara noticed it immediately.
Maybe it was because she had spent years around Elias. When Elias smiled, she could always see the emotion behind it in his eyes—the warmth, the amusement, the happiness. His smiles had always felt real.
Maverick’s smile felt nothing like that.
Seeing that emptiness in his smile made something inside her chest feel hollow too.
Trying to ignore the strange feeling, she extended her hand toward him.
“How are you, Mr. Bishop?” she asked politely. “I’m Amara.”
Maverick tilted his head slightly as he looked at her hand, then at her face again. His gaze lingered a little too long, making her fingers slowly stiffen in the air.
“You’re Elias’s wife?” he asked finally, his tone calm but strangely sharp.
“Ex-wife now,” Amara corrected with a small laugh. “That’s why I’m on a blind date.”
Finally, he reached out and shook her hand.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I figured that much when I found out you were the one coming.”
His eyes stayed on her face for a second longer before he gestured toward the chair opposite him.
“Come. Sit.”
The table was small, meant for only two people, positioned beside a large glass window overlooking the city outside. Maverick settled into his seat, leaning back slightly as Amara took the seat across from him.
A waiter soon appeared to take their orders. Maverick ordered a hot Americano, while Amara asked for a latte.
Not long after, the waiter returned with their drinks, carefully placing the cups down on the table before quietly walking away.
Silence settled over the table again.
Maverick tapped his fingers lightly against the side of his coffee cup before looking at her.
“You know me?” he asked suddenly.
“Yes,” Amara admitted. “We were never officially introduced before, but I’d seen you around Elias a few times. I know you’re one of his close friends.”
A faint smile appeared on Maverick’s lips again, though this one looked more like a smirk.
“Yeah,” he murmured. “A very close friend.”
There was something strange in the way he said the word friend, almost like he was mocking it.
Amara wrapped both hands around her latte, enjoying the warmth against her fingers before taking a small sip.
Across from her, Maverick adjusted slightly in his chair before lifting his Americano. His eyes stayed on her even as he drank.
“Miss Hawk,” he said casually, adjusting slightly in his seat, “how do you feel after the divorce?”
Amara blinked, slightly caught off guard by the direct question.
Still, she answered politely.
“It’s… nice, actually.” She gave a small shrug and looked down at her cup for a second before meeting his eyes again. “I got my own place. I’m living there now with a friend.”
“Great. It’s good to see you adjusting well,” Maverick muttered quietly.
Amara gave a small nod, but a second later, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her fingers tightened slightly around the warm coffee cup before she looked up at him.
“Mr. Bishop… there’s actually something I need to confess.”
Maverick’s eyes lifted to hers immediately.
For the briefest second, something dark flashed across his face before it disappeared behind another calm expression. He leaned back slightly in his chair, one hand resting lazily near his cup while his lips curled into a faint smile.
“What is it?” he asked. “What do you want to confess?”
Amara let out a small awkward breath before lowering her eyes to the latte in front of her. Her fingers brushed nervously against the edge of the cup.
“To be honest… I didn’t come here expecting anything,” she admitted softly. “My friend set this blind date up behind my back and practically forced me to come. I only found out I had to show up here a little over an hour ago.”
She gave him an apologetic smile.
“I came because I didn’t want to disrespect you by not showing up, but…” She hesitated briefly before forcing herself to continue honestly. “I’m not really looking to start seeing someone right now. I just wanted to make that clear so you wouldn’t misunderstand why I came here tonight.”
Maverick straightened in his seat.
He placed his coffee cup down carefully against the table before looking at her quietly for a few seconds. Then a smile appeared on his face.
“Oh,” he said lightly. “That’s disappointing.”
His tone sounded teasing, but his eyes remained unreadable.
“I was hoping we could get to know each other a little more.”
“Yes, of course.” Amara quickly shook her head. “I mean—I knew this was technically a date. It’s just… I didn’t really prepare for any of this. My friend had already arranged the date, and I didn’t want to embarrass you by canceling at the last minute.”
She let out a small embarrassed laugh before lowering her eyes again.
“But I know this is unfair to you, so I’m sorry about that. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”
Maverick stared at her for a second before giving a nod.
“Alright then,” he said. “We won’t take it seriously.”
He leaned back again, relaxing into his chair.
He lifted his coffee and took a slow sip before continuing,
“Let’s just think of this as two friends meeting each other.”