Chapter 62 Unanticipated
ALICE
Was it weird that I was still thinking about what Todd said to me at the launch event?
The longer his words sat on my mind, the stranger they seemed. I didn't want to spend too much time or energy on that man, especially since I would be seeing him again, but I couldn't ignore how I felt.
Freddie was right on time. My car decided not to start this morning, so he offered to drive me there instead of letting me take an Uber.
I put the seatbelt on and told him, "I really appreciate this. Thanks for the ride."
"It's no issue at all," he assured me. Moments later, he added, "Listen, you seemed tense last night. Do you know that guy from somewhere? I had this feeling that there was a lot of...tension between the two of you."
I moved my hand to tuck my hair behind my ear then stopped myself. He'd notice that, too.
Before I could say a word, he claimed, "I could've asked you this earlier, but I've been trying to figure out if it was even my place to ask."
I was mortified that he noticed, but this was what I expected anyway. I opted for something really close to the truth. "He was connected to my old boss. It's nothing, really. I found him a little...I don't know."
Freddie nodded slowly. He barely glanced at me. "I see."
How could I tell him the truth? How could I mention what Todd Steimer thought about me?
"If you're uncomfortable at all, at any moment, just give me the signal and I'll take it from there. I mean it, Alice. All you have to do is tell me. Okay?"
I breathed a lot easier. Nodding, I said, "Okay."
The restaurant was otherworldly. It felt like I was walking into a museum and not a place where people sat to eat and drink. Freddie gave our names at the entrance and mentioned we were with Ember & Ink, and we were escorted to our table where Todd was already waiting for us.
The bastard. He was ten minutes early.
"Right on time," he remarked as he stood. He shook Freddie's hand and when it came to me, he offered me his hand, too. I shook it, hating how his fingers seemed to hold onto me a little longer than was necessary, and no, it wasn't my imagination.
The table was round, but I chose the seat closest to Freddie. Todd sat across from him, and I was more to Freddie's left. Todd had this sinister smile on his face whenever his gaze landed on me.
What was his problem?
A waiter took our orders. I asked for a glass of water and Freddie did the same. Todd insisted that we get something alcoholic for the meeting to go a lot 'smoother', but we continued politely declining.
He ordered a glass of really expensive whiskey.
"So," he began, showing us his hands, "where do we start? Give me your best shot."
Freddie was the one who spoke. He was tense, but he managed to sound polite and professional the entire time. Usually, I would participate in this conversation too and take advantage of Freddie's pauses to say my piece, but this time, I just let him talk.
Frankly, I didn't want to be here, and it didn't even bother me that Freddie would now have the certainty that something about Todd Steimer irked me.
I looked around as they spoke, taking in everything. Usually, we didn't have meetings at restaurants that were this expensive. The meetings were usually on us, so Freddie always chose a place that was high-end, but with reasonable pricing.
This place was...something else, but Freddie was willing to invest because Todd Steimer was a good client. According to Freddie, he also had good relations with the owner of Ember & Ink.
From where I was sitting, I had a perfect view of the door. I saw people walk in and out, and observing everyone was mildly entertaining. It was definitely better than amusing Todd by looking at him the entire night.
God forbid he got the idea that I was flirting with him or something by maintaining eye contact.
Sometimes, I paid attention to their conversation, and other times, I allowed my eyes to wander.
I saw a group of three men heading inside, escorted by the hostess.
My heart dropped.
Theo?
I looked away so quickly that something in my neck cracked. My eyes were on the half-eaten plate of food in front of me. They were going to walk right past our table, it seemed. I could see them from the corner of my eye. If Theo hadn't stopped to talk to Todd, then everything would be fine and we wouldn't have to see each other.
But I wasn't so lucky.
Todd saw him first. He said his name out loud, his tone friendly, and when I looked up, I saw that Todd was smirking at me as he moved to stand and intercept Theo and his group.
"I haven't seen you in a while," Todd was saying to him. My eyes were still on the table and I hated myself for it. I had to push through this. I was behaving like a child.
"Yes," Theo claimed. The sound of his voice trickled down my spine like warm honey. It was so achingly familiar. I didn't trust myself to look at him and maintain a neutral expression. "I've been busy. Carl, Victor, this is Todd Steimer."
One of them said, "Yes, I remember. How do you do?"
"Great, thanks. I'm here with Frederick Carlton. Oh, and I’m sure you remember Miss Rhodes.”
Crap.
I needed to get myself together and fast.
The situation forced me to look up. I made direct eye contact with Theo and for a few beats, I forgot how to breathe. My heart was beating uncontrollably in my chest and I clutched the hem of my skirt tightly just to distract myself from the awkwardness of the moment.
The moment seemed to last forever. All the feelings I tried to bury for the past few months rose to the surface. I realized it was a losing game from the start.
And I could’ve sworn that I saw the same conflicted emotions in his eyes.
But then the moment ended abruptly when Theo simply nodded at me and was the first to look away. His face became unreadable, and I wondered if I imagined the whole thing.
They shook hands and Todd told him, “Oh, yeah. Congratulations on your engagement. I’ll try not to be offended that I didn’t get an invitation.”
Her heart dropped for the second time this evening.
He was engaged?