"What?" Reyona looked around to be sure that the people at the next table had not heard his statement before rounding on him with a vicious whisper, "What the heck is wrong with you? Do I know you before?"
He leaned towards her like he was about to tell her a secret: "No, you do not, but I will like us to rectify that. He stretched his hand across the table for a handshake "I am Max, and you are?"
"None of your business. Go bother someone else, please. I am in no mood for your "I am too handsome to resist" bullshit.
"So you admit that you find me handsome?" he asked with a wink.
"No, I admit that I found you full of bullshit and like I said..."
"Yes, yes. I know you are in no mood for my handsome self. Maxwell turned slightly away like he was about to leave her alone. Then, at the last minute, he turned to her again "May I have your number?"
Reyona couldn't believe her ears. "What?! Are you…"
"You seemed to be saying that a lot tonight," he said in a low, suggestive tone that made Reyona forget what she was about to say.
"Is flirting so easy for people to do these days?" She thought to him, "What am I saying?"
"What?" He smiled at Reyona's confused look. "I mean, the word "what?" you've said it like, how many times now, two times? Three? I could almost believe that my handsomeness, as you admitted, has made you speechless."
Reyona's mouth was agape for a moment "You are full of..."
"Bullshit," he completed for her. "Yes, I know. Still, I would like to have your number."
"You know what? I have had enough of this. Reyona shut her mouth as she saw the grin on his face. Yeah, she was about to stay bullshit again. She wouldn't give him the opportunity to make fun of her again, though.
She had enough of people making fun of her.
She picked up her purse and looked around for the waiter so she could pay and leave.
Great. Just great. She thought, "I left an asshole at home just to come and meet another."
Maxwell thought to himself that he had probably taken his jest too far. "You are not about to leave because of me, are you? You don't look to me like someone who would back off just because of a challenge."
"Why not simply call me a coward and get it over with? Mr. whatever your name is," she looked around for the waiter again.
"Max. The name is Max."
"Well, I don't care," she flung her hand and stood up with the thought that she would have to give the bartender the money then.
"Listen, I am..."
Reyona saw the waiter coming from the back and whooshed out a breath of relief. She beckoned to him and asked for her bill.
"Don't worry, put it on my tab," Maxwell told the waiter.
"No, I would not..." Reyona started to protest, but the waiter had already moved on to the people calling him at another table. "Do not expect a thank you from me," she said and turned to leave.
Hold… shit," Maxwell muttered as he realised that she was leaving already and had no intention to slow down. He looked at his watch at 8:55 p. m. and stood up to follow her out.
She was headed towards a Phytonic Blue BMW X3, and Maxwell confirmed that he had not been wrong early. The woman sure had class. Well, he did not care about that. He just knew that if he let her go like that, he would blame himself.
She whirled back a few distances from her car. "What is this? Is this how people address one another in bars these days?" she asked with a raised brow.
"You sounded as if you..." He raised his hands as her brows went higher. "Look, I am sorry. I just... you just." He was not about to make a fool of himself by telling her that her presence just sort of bowled him over, and he reacted poorly. "Okay, I am sorry for my action. I was only teasing you, you know. You make it so easy."
She gave him a steady look "So, this is my fault?"
"Yes. I mean, no, you... Can we please talk later? Do you mind if I have your number? There is someone I have to meet and..."
Reyona was incredulous "Why are you asking for my number? Can't you see that?" She completed it as she realised that her ring was not on her finger.
She wondered what happened to it for a moment before she remembered that, in a moment of anger, when she had parked by a roadside, she had removed it as it seemed to be sitting there as a symbol of her foolishness.
She had not put it back on.
She closed her eyes as she berated herself for not thinking right. No wonder this ridiculous man had thought...
She dipped her hand in the pocket of her jacket and brought out her wedding band.
Maxwell thought as if his chest had been smashed with a club, as he felt an indescribable pain in his heart when he set his eyes on the shiny diamond ring. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Reyona repeated as she put on the ring firmly. She had no idea why she felt hollow as she said, "So, you should know now that your attentions were highly unwanted and unflattering," she said firmly.
Her voice sounded condescending to Maxwell, and he had no idea why anger filled his chest as he fired back at her. "Do you enjoy playing games, ma'am?"
Reyona scoffed. "Games? Ma'am?" She had no idea why his accusation or the look in his eyes irked her. She said firmly to herself that she cared not about what he thought of her action. "What games are you talking about?"
Maxwell knew he should just leave her be and go face what he came here for after all, but he just couldn't. "The one you seemed used to playing. There is only one reason why a married woman would deliberately remove her ring when coming to such a place." He flung his arm carelessly towards the bar, where the strains of the band's music were still flowing out the door, wrapping the two of them in its melancholic embrace.
Reyona fleetingly thought of him as dangerous as he moved closer to her.
She dismissed it as being fanciful and stood her ground even when her feet wanted to move back of their own accord.