16. Drake
Drake
I can't stop thinking about the conversation I had with Leonard at the restaurant last week. A part of me feels guilty for entertaining the idea of being with Olivia after what he said. But I can't help feeling so strongly about her. She's unlike any woman I've met.
Even though I'm thinking about a relationship with Olivia, I think a lot about what Leonard said about her restaurant. The fact that she was willing to share that with me but not somebody as close to her as her father speaks volumes. There might be hope for us.
On top of that, I've considered investing in her.
I know it sounds cheesy, but the idea she shared with me was amazing.
Her food is some of the best I've eaten, and I'm confident that investing in her restaurant would pay off.
Things are a little complicated between us right now, though, and involving money could make things worse.
I get to the office Monday morning and Olivia isn't here yet. I take a seat and focus on my work but find myself looking up from the computer to see if she’s behind her counter.
Nine a.m. passes, then 10 a.m., then lunchtime, and there's no sign of Olivia. I'm tempted to reach out and make sure everything is okay.
I grab lunch with Tyler at a diner down the street. It’s one of my favorite places in the city to eat, and as I look over the menu, I wonder what Olivia would think about it.
This diner feels like home in a lot of ways. It's small and familiar. The menu is filled with classics like meatloaf and chicken parmesan. There are no kale smoothies or seaweed wraps. The servers know the regulars, and half the people who come for lunch don't even need to place an order.
“What do you think about branching out into the food industry?” I ask Tyler as our food is served. He ordered a burger without a bun and extra lettuce that he's trying to make into a wrap. I got the same thing I always do, a breakfast platter with scrambled eggs, bacon, and home fries.
“What are you thinking?” He knows I must have something in mind.
I shrug and take a bite of my food, looking out the window at the people walking past. “It's a viable industry. There are restaurants around here that make millions of dollars. A lot of investors are focusing more on tech and medicine, and the restaurant game is virtually untapped.”
I hold back my real interest, knowing that mentioning Olivia could give away what is going on between us.
“I can run some statistics this week and get back to you about it,” Tyler offers, finally taking a bite of his burger and nodding from satisfaction.
“From what I understand, though, most restaurants fail within a year. This might be a good location, but it could backfire. Our business is too new to take risks in something that might not pan out.”
He is the more logical of the two of us, and I’m disappointed.
Most restaurants can't stand on their own unless they build a solid client base, which I'm confident Olivia could do.
The problem is the competition. Olivia would be fighting against countless other trendy restaurants with big names backing them.
Without that for herself, she could get swallowed and easily forgotten.
Even after being presented with that logic, I still feel like it's something I want to do. If it's not something I do through my company, I am still interested in doing it personally. I believe in Olivia and everything she told me about her dream, and I want to support it.
She's in the office the next day, but every time I try to approach her to talk, she avoids me. I wonder if she didn't show up on Monday because of me, too. It's confusing because I thought we had hashed everything out between us and were on good terms.
Every time I go to the counter to talk to her, she heads into the storeroom for more ingredients or leaves for a grocery store run. She won't even make eye contact.
My mind starts to wander. Could she have told Leonard about us? If she had, I'm almost positive he would have stormed into my office by now. The only logical thing I can come up with is that she's still upset about the shrimp incident.
Toward the end of the workday, when most people have left the office, I can't take not knowing anymore and find her at the counter prepping dough for tomorrow.
“Can we talk?” She doesn't look up when I ask.
“Sure, what's up?” Her voice is filled with reservation, and it piques my curiosity.
“Well, I’m wondering why you’re avoiding me, for starters.”
She freezes, then shrugs, and focuses on the dough again. “Why do you think I'm avoiding you?”
I could laugh at how classically avoidant she’s acting. She is deflecting, and I know that something is bothering her.
“I waved at you earlier, and you turned and practically ran away,” I say, leaning my elbows on the counter and waiting for her to look at me. “I know things are a little complicated, but that seems extreme. If this is about the shrimp…”
“It's not.” Her voice is sharp as she drops the measuring cups.
There's an intensity in her eyes that I wasn't expecting.
My heart beats a little faster wondering what's going on.
“Believe it or not, the world doesn't revolve around you. Other people can go through things that have nothing to do with you.”
I can tell she instantly regrets saying that. She lets out an exhausted sigh and shakes her head.
“What is it? You can tell me,” I say. She looks at me and opens her mouth like she might talk, but she decides against it and shakes her head.
“It's nothing. I'm sorry for snapping.” She huffs as she wraps the bowl of dough in plastic wrap and shoves it in the fridge. “I should get going.”
“Before you go, there's something I wanted to ask you,” I say, watching if she turns around and raises her eyebrows. “I've been thinking a lot about the conversation we had in the car about your restaurant. You have an incredible vision, and I want to be a part of it. I want to invest.”
Olivia stands still for a moment, not even breathing. “What?”
I let out a soft laugh and nod, thinking she must be speechless. “I want to invest in the restaurant. I was thinking you could put together a presentation, and we could try to convince Tyler.”
“I don't think that’s a good idea,” she interrupts, shaking her head vigorously.
Now it's my turn to be speechless. Most people would be jumping up and down with joy to learn someone is willing to invest in their dream. Then again, Olivia isn't most people.
“Do you want to think about it?” She shakes her head again, nervously holds her elbow in one hand, and clutches the collar of her shirt in the other. “Olivia, if there's something wrong, you can just tell me.”
She pauses, opening her mouth with a nervous look growing in her eyes. “Nothing is wrong. I just don't know if I want to be around you right now.”
Hearing her say those words is like a dagger in my chest. I clench my jaw, waiting for an explanation that doesn't come.
“I thought we moved past this,” I say, dumbfounded.
“It has nothing to do with what happened. I just need to be alone right now,” Olivia says, grabbing her bag and hanging it over her shoulder as she walks around the counter. “It's for the best that we don't get our lives more intertwined than they need to be.”
She lingers for a moment, biting her lip as she rests a hand on my shoulder. I want answers. I deserve them. But instead of giving any, she walks away, leaving me alone at the counter.