Chapter 23: Lunch Date

The rest of the drive made me nervous. My heart wouldn’t quit racing at the speed of light. I also felt my palms starting to sweat.

I hoped that Dax couldn’t tell how I was feeling. He continued to drive without a care in the world. I still hoped that
this was only a friendly lunch. I may have been jumping to conclusions. A man and a woman could have a meal without it meaning something more.

I tried to distract myself and attempted to talk with Dax. “So, can I have a hint at where we’re going?”

Dax shook his head and replied, “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Are we even close to it?”

“We’ll be there in a few minutes. Someone seems excited to get there.”

“I’m just dying to know where we’re going. You’re being too mysterious.”

Dax chuckled a little and said, “I thought women liked mystery.”

How could he say something like that so casually? I had no idea how to respond to his comment.

It got quiet as he kept driving, so I turned the radio on. The silence was suddenly weird to have.

Dax changed the station not long after I had put it on a country station. There was no point in changing it again, as that would appear childish.

Suddenly, I asked, “Have you been here before?”

Dax told me, “Just a couple times.”

That made me reassured, since it meant that it was probably good. I didn’t always trust new restaurants that I had never eaten at before.

As the restaurant came into view, my mouth almost fell open. This wasn’t some little café that I would go to. Dax was going all out for today’s lunch.

He sure liked to show off his wealth. I almost wished he had told me where we were going when I asked. Dax knew better than to bring me somewhere out of my comfort zone.

This restaurant was large and had elegant cursive in gold letters for the sign that said the name.

After Dax and I arrived, I hesitated to get out of the car. He must have sensed my nervousness and said, “Don’t worry about other people. You have me around with you this time.”

“I’ll try not to, but this really isn’t my kind of place.”

Dax gave a comforting look to me and said, “Don’t worry. All of the employees here are so polite. You have nothing to be stressed about.”

That made me feel a little better at hearing that they were better mannered here. Though, I was sure anyone who was rude to me would have to answer to Dax. For some reason, he seemed to be on my side.

After we got out, Dax gave to his keys to a valet who went to park his car.

As we got inside, I knew it was definitely an expensive place. There were extravagant table decorations and fresh flowers placed as centerpieces on every table. Even the waiters and waitresses had formal uniforms with gold nametags.

A lot of the customers were wearing formal dresses and suits. No one was wearing anything casual. All of these people looked so wealthy.

What had I agreed to this lunch again? I hadn’t even dressed up enough for the day. My dress was a more casual choice than I had picked out before. It wasn’t nearly as nice as the one I had been wearing at the party.

People were already giving me judgmental looks as we passed by other tables. Dax seemed so calm and fit right in with everyone else there. I was the only person who didn’t belong there.

I hoped this wouldn’t be like the store had been. No way was I leaving in tears a second time. I wouldn’t let people see me cry again. One time had already been too much.

Dax surprised me and pulled out my chair for me. I sat down, and he even pushed it in for me.

The waiter came and handed us our menus.

He told us, “Today’s lunch specials include orange basil salmon and mushroom chicken with a Chardonnay sauce. Please feel free to let me know if you need anything.”

“We will be sure to do that. Thank you,” Dax told him.

Then he asked for our drink orders, “What would you like to drink sir?”

“I’d like a glass of the Dom Pérignon.”

He turned towards me next and asked, “What would you like, miss?”

“I’ll have a water.”

I chose water, since that was the best option being pregnant. I thought this was the most responsible choice, as much as I would have loved to have wine.

Our waiter wrote down the orders and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes to get your food orders.”

Dax nodded in acknowledgement. The waiter walked off and went to another table.

When we were alone again, he looked at me with a fascination I had never seen before.

“What are some interests of yours Danica?”

“I like to write poetry and occasionally sing. Sometimes I watch horrible soap operas.”

Dax laughed and said, “I never pictured you for a soap opera kind of woman.”

“It’s not all the time. Only when I’m bored.” I asked, “What do you like to do outside the office?”

Before he could answer, the waiter came and got our orders. I decided to have a lobster tail, since I had always wanted to try it.

After he left, Dax replied, “I like to work out and go swimming recreationally.” He added, “Don’t laugh but I occasionally play a video game.”

I ended up laughing, because I couldn’t picture him doing something like that. It seemed so unlike his personality.

“Sorry but it’s too funny to picture you being a gamer.”

“It helps me relieve stress. I don’t play for hours.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

Dax got a serious look and said, “Would you tell me more about your life? I’d like to know more about you.”

It caught me off guard for a second, but then I gained my composure back.

I cleared my throat and said, “It’s not happy. When I was really young, my dad was killed by a drunk driver. My mom had received the news in the middle of the night.” I felt tears start to form and paused.

Dax waited until I was ready to continue and said, “Just tell me more when you’re ready. Take your time.”

I was touched that he was being so empathetic to me and wasn’t rushing me to talk more.

In a couple minutes, I said, “That wasn’t the only tragic event that happened. My mom died when I was fifteen from cancer. It made me grow up a lot faster than other people and made me look out for my sister a lot more. We got put into a terrible foster home, and the following year I started working to help take care of my sister.”

Dax’s face softened and he said, “I am so sorry that happened to you. That must have been such a hard life to have. You lost both of your parents so early on and had to take care of your sister. I wish you wouldn’t have had to go through those hardships so young.”

My voice broke and I said, “Thank you. That means so much.”

After our food came, we continued to talk, and I felt myself opening up to Dax a lot more. There was something different about him that I liked during lunch. He showed me a new side of himself I didn’t know was there.

I was glad that he proved to be more than the man I had met many weeks ago. There was still hope of a good man underneath that cold exterior.

When lunch was over, Dax paid the bill and got up ready to leave.

I told him, “I have to use the restroom before we go.”

“That’s fine. I'll get the keys from the valet and wait for you.”

He headed out towards the exit while I made my way to the bathroom.

Shortly after I walked in, a woman I didn’t know came over to me. She rudely stated, “I never expected Dax’s newest fling to be someone like you. You aren't even that pretty.”

“Excuse me?”

“You aren’t dating him?”

“No. We were just having a casual lunch.”

"You should know Dax has never been serious with any woman. He certainly wouldn't be serious with someone like you.”

The woman walked away before I could respond. I was so foolish to have let my guard down.

My heart felt as if a knife had been twisted in it and hot tears filled my eyes.