Living Alone Together - Chapter Thirteen
Two separate lives are lived side by side.
Chapter Thirteen.
After watching Aislinn walk into the restaurant, William headed for it, too.
Unsure of how she'd take the news, his nerves began to act up.
He found himself scared that she might throw a fit. But she wasn't like that - was she?
He had to know that she hadn't fully given up on the idea of finding the right one. That's why he sent her the bouquet.
He caught a glimpse of her being seated in the secluded corner of the restaurant. William waved at the hostess to tell her he knew where his seat was.
In the corner of her eye she could see someone walk up to her table. Throughout her whole bus ride, she wondered why on Earth she would give this guy a second chance. She didn't know why, but felt missing out on this would be a big mistake. It didn't matter if he wasn't the man of her dreams, she told herself; this was all for experience. Aislinn slowly lifted her face to see who he was.
Her ready smile fell off her face as she was face to face with William's.
"What are you doing here?"
"I asked you here," he said as he took off his coat and draped it on the back of his chair.
"No you didn't," she tried to calmly figure out what was going on.
Taking his seat, he leaned across the table and said, "I sent you the flowers. I am Colin."
She slapped her hand on the table.
"What kind of stupid game are you playing, William Drake?"
"Actually, it's William Colin Drake."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Are you having a laugh, William?!" She asked haughtily.
Aislinn felt humiliated and most of all tricked. And by William no less, the person she felt the most secure with.
"Ace, here me out. I'm not laughing at y-"
"Is this why you had a hearty laugh earlier in the office?! This is all a joke to you?"
"No, it's not! Believe it or not I was amused at your eraser," he smiled a little remembering the tiny thing.
She shook her head.
Tears started to fall.
"Go have your laugh William at whatever gets you off. I'm going home."
"Ace... will you listen to me? Please?"
She got up to leave, but his hand shot out and caught her wrist.
She looked down at his frowning face. Impatiently waiting for him to let go, she tapped her foot. He stood up, shaking off her irritation.
"Ace, just one question. Would you have gone out with me if I had asked you out tonight?"
She stopped tapping.
Her heart stopped beating.
Blood felt like it stopped flowing to her brain.
Her breath was caught in her chest.
The fingers that held her wrist now were mixed in with hers.
Her tears flowed freely, now.
She leaned into the arm that he held out to comfort her.
After that, she stood back from him, shook her head and answered.
"No, because you're my boss."
"I could easily fire you."
"No, because this could all just be your good deed. Giving into pity because of what you know happened these past few days."
"I could have easily bought you chocolate and balloons to make you happy."
"No, because I need you to protect me. Who will protect me if you hurt me?"
"I could assure you that I would never hurt you."
"Too late, William."
"It's not," he exclaimed tugging her hand.
Her heart ached.
The man of her dreams was finally there on a date with her and she could do nothing but try to tear it all apart.
Give in, her heart told her.
Just this one time.
A cough sounded behind them.
"Ma'am. Sir. Will you be staying or leaving?"
"We're..." he looked into Aislin's eyes for approval.
Aislinn gave a small nod.
"We're staying," he smiled to the waitress.
He lead her over to her seat, giving her hand a firm squeeze before letting go and sitting in his own.
"Let's just get through dinner, yes?"
William reached over the table to wipe off the excess tears Aislinn had shed and she smiled shyly as he did so.
"So... Colin's your middle name, huh?" she raised an eyebrow, giving into the turn of events.
He smiled, winked at her and suggested a few dishes for her to choose from.
After watching Aislinn walk into the restaurant, William headed for it, too.
Unsure of how she'd take the news, his nerves began to act up.
He found himself scared that she might throw a fit. But she wasn't like that - was she?
He had to know that she hadn't fully given up on the idea of finding the right one. That's why he sent her the bouquet.
He caught a glimpse of her being seated in the secluded corner of the restaurant. William waved at the hostess to tell her he knew where his seat was.
In the corner of her eye she could see someone walk up to her table. Throughout her whole bus ride, she wondered why on Earth she would give this guy a second chance. She didn't know why, but felt missing out on this would be a big mistake. It didn't matter if he wasn't the man of her dreams, she told herself; this was all for experience. Aislinn slowly lifted her face to see who he was.
Her ready smile fell off her face as she was face to face with William's.
"What are you doing here?"
"I asked you here," he said as he took off his coat and draped it on the back of his chair.
"No you didn't," she tried to calmly figure out what was going on.
Taking his seat, he leaned across the table and said, "I sent you the flowers. I am Colin."
She slapped her hand on the table.
"What kind of stupid game are you playing, William Drake?"
"Actually, it's William Colin Drake."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Are you having a laugh, William?!" She asked haughtily.
Aislinn felt humiliated and most of all tricked. And by William no less, the person she felt the most secure with.
"Ace, here me out. I'm not laughing at y-"
"Is this why you had a hearty laugh earlier in the office?! This is all a joke to you?"
"No, it's not! Believe it or not I was amused at your eraser," he smiled a little remembering the tiny thing.
She shook her head.
Tears started to fall.
"Go have your laugh William at whatever gets you off. I'm going home."
"Ace... will you listen to me? Please?"
She got up to leave, but his hand shot out and caught her wrist.
She looked down at his frowning face. Impatiently waiting for him to let go, she tapped her foot. He stood up, shaking off her irritation.
"Ace, just one question. Would you have gone out with me if I had asked you out tonight?"
She stopped tapping.
Her heart stopped beating.
Blood felt like it stopped flowing to her brain.
Her breath was caught in her chest.
The fingers that held her wrist now were mixed in with hers.
Her tears flowed freely, now.
She leaned into the arm that he held out to comfort her.
After that, she stood back from him, shook her head and answered.
"No, because you're my boss."
"I could easily fire you."
"No, because this could all just be your good deed. Giving into pity because of what you know happened these past few days."
"I could have easily bought you chocolate and balloons to make you happy."
"No, because I need you to protect me. Who will protect me if you hurt me?"
"I could assure you that I would never hurt you."
"Too late, William."
"It's not," he exclaimed tugging her hand.
Her heart ached.
The man of her dreams was finally there on a date with her and she could do nothing but try to tear it all apart.
Give in, her heart told her.
Just this one time.
A cough sounded behind them.
"Ma'am. Sir. Will you be staying or leaving?"
"We're..." he looked into Aislin's eyes for approval.
Aislinn gave a small nod.
"We're staying," he smiled to the waitress.
He lead her over to her seat, giving her hand a firm squeeze before letting go and sitting in his own.
"Let's just get through dinner, yes?"
William reached over the table to wipe off the excess tears Aislinn had shed and she smiled shyly as he did so.
"So... Colin's your middle name, huh?" she raised an eyebrow, giving into the turn of events.
He smiled, winked at her and suggested a few dishes for her to choose from.
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