5
When they were seated Charlene felt uncomfortable right away. This wasn’t her type of place at all. She didn’t want to worry if she was using the correct fork or ordering something that sounded good and found out it was snails or something like that. She couldn’t help it. Fancy places like this were expensive and their meals…small.
Definitely not Mama’s Place.
“Is there something special you’re hoping to see on the menu?” Seth asked her.
A steak bomb sounds great.“Something…simple.” What she meant was normal, but didn’t want to sound as though she didn’t appreciate his choice of restaurant.
“You don’t strike me as the salad type of woman,” he stated.
She blinked. No he didn’t. Charlene put the menu down and said, “I’m sure I didn’t hear you correctly.” Anyone else would’ve picked up on their slip and corrected it. Not Seth.
“I said that you don’t seem like someone who enjoys salads.”
She rolled her eyes. “I heard you the first time.”
“Then I’m right,” he stated.
“Yes you are,” she said reluctantly. If this was how he spoke to a woman out on a date, she got why he was single. Work all the time and definitely didn’t waste time turning on the charm. “So what would you suggest?”
He looked over the menu one more time before placing it down. “That we leave.”
“Excuse me? I thought we were going to have lunch.”
Seth nodded. “We are. Just not here.” He got up, tossed a fifty dollar bill on the table, then extended his hand to her.
Charlene looked at his hand then to his eyes. “Seth, what’s going on?”
“I made a mistake,” he stated. “I’ll explain in the car.”
That was fair. Better then telling her it was none of her business. Charlene took his hand, and let him escort her to the door. The hostess came over and asked, “Is everything okay Mr. Lawson?”
“Yes, it was fine. I just remembered something and we cannot stay.”
The hostess nodded. “Enjoy your day Mr. Lawson.”
“Thank you,” he said, holding the door for Charlene.
She stepped back out into the cold and only then did she turn back to Seth. “What did you forget?” she asked.
“What you enjoy,” he said, waving for the valet to bring his car.
There were a lot of things she liked but most of them she doubted he knew anything about. Some, unfortunately, he’d never know either, since he could barely stand her.
“That doesn’t provide much to go on,” she said.
“Then I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” Seth said, holding open the passenger door for her.
She slipped inside and she said jokingly, “Is this your way of getting out of letting me talk during lunch?”
As he pulled onto the road he replied, “Funny, because the only time you were quiet was in the restaurant.”
That was true. “Oh, so what you’re saying is you missed hearing my voice,” she teased.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but it did bring something to my attention.”
“And what was that?” she asked.