Chapter 8

San Francisco (1 week later)

"Hey, Ella, do you have time for lunch with me?" Lana's voice sounded hurried as she called me.

"Yeah, where?" I asked while typing something on my office computer. I glanced at the computer clock briefly; it was still half-past ten.

"Dine&Wine? My boss gave me a voucher as a bonus, and I haven't used it yet."

"Okay, let's meet there directly?"

"Yeps... See you, Ell!" Lana's cheerful voice made me smile.

"Bye, Lana," I replied before stopping my typing.

Until now, I haven't told Lana the name of the man who saved me in Manhattan. And Lana didn't push me, although I knew she was half-dying of curiosity.

After that night, the next day a massive investigation took place. Mr. Shaw hired an audit team to do it, and Mrs. Lynch informed me that my job was done, and I could return. The next afternoon, I was back in Manhattan. No goodbyes and no explanations.

His words in the car that night echoed in my head.

Well, it seems he doesn't need me anymore. Besides, how could someone like Nicholas Shaw be interested in me?

But I couldn't deceive myself; disappointment haunted me for the past week, followed by anger at myself. Angry for letting myself think he liked me.

But he kissed me!

I sighed, trying to erase the memory of that kiss. And he kissed me twice...

"Ells?" an annoying voice interrupted my reverie. I looked up to see Oliver, smiling broadly, his chestnut hair, usually slightly long, now neatly trimmed.

"Yes?" I asked curtly.

"Do you have time this afternoon?" his wide smile still on his face.

"For what?"

"Lunch with me?"

"I have a lunch appointment with Lana," I replied with a flat tone.

"Oh." His smile faded a bit. "Well, then, how about tomorrow?"

What does he want, actually? I looked at him a bit annoyed and nodded. "Yeah... tomorrow."

"Okay, don't forget tomorrow, Ells."

I watched him walk back to his desk. After returning from San Francisco, Oliver became a bit strange. He started talking to me more and smiled broadly whenever he saw me. I couldn't avoid him even though I wanted to because he was my coworker. I pushed thoughts of Oliver aside and got back to work.

Dine&Wine was a 4-star restaurant with two branches in San Francisco, and the one we visited was the newest branch. A massive wine cabinet was mounted on one of the restaurant's walls, various wine brands filled its shelves, ranging from two to eighty years old. Lana was reading the menu book, and today her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. Lana was the type of person who always looked perfect no matter what they wore.

We ordered two glasses of Merlot and today's special dish after Lana couldn't decide what she wanted.

"I'm thinking of changing jobs..." Lana said suddenly.

"What?"

"Moving... maybe next year. I'm starting to get a little bored," she answered, taking a sip of her wine.

"And what will you do?" I asked. Lana was a bit impulsive, wanting something like this now and then forgetting her wishes after some time. So I didn't take it too seriously.

"I don't know... travel the world, perhaps." She shrugged.

I laughed at her answer. "I'll join you."

"No... I want to do it alone. Maybe my first destination is Africa. Or the Middle East. Definitely far from here, Ell. Plus, you won't like it."

I felt my face smile when Lana rolled her eyes. "Okay, but you have to visit me."

"Maybe," she replied with a smile, lifting her shoulders. But there was something odd in her smile. Just as I was about to ask her what was wrong, Lana pointed behind me.

"Oh! Derek is here too." She murmured, waving behind me. I glanced behind me for a moment, and my heart felt like it slid into my throat when I saw someone I least wanted to meet right now.

He had just entered through the door with two other people. I quickly averted my gaze before he caught my eyes, but it was too late. Those dark blue eyes saw me too.

"Oh, damn," I muttered while looking at my full wine glass. Damn, damn, damn.

"What's wrong?" Lana furrowed her eyebrows.

He's here. What is he doing in San Francisco?! I hope he mistook me, or at least, pretended not to recognize me.

"Ells?" a baritone voice calling my name made my stomach feel like it was filled with butterflies. Traitorous butterflies.

I turned half of my body backward and put on a pretense of surprise. "Mr. Shaw..."

He was wearing a black suit with a matching shirt, no tie. The top two buttons of his shirt were open. At a closer distance, I noticed his jaw was slightly darkened by the beginnings of a beard, unlike usual. My hand itched to touch his jaw.

Stop your stupid thoughts, Ella!

Mr. Shaw walked to the side of my table, so I didn't need to turn my body again. When I looked at Lana, the expression on her face made me feel a bit guilty. She looked at Mr. Shaw with a surprised look, and after a few moments, she looked at me accusingly.

"I didn't know I would meet you here." He replied courteously to Lana before turning his gaze back to me.

"Are you working on a case in San Francisco?" I asked with a formal tone. Mr. Shaw furrowed his brow slightly upon hearing my question.

"No, I'm just visiting a friend. Miss Heather, I haven't thanked you for what you did. We caught the embezzler."

Oh, really? And you're thanking me a week later? Too late, Shaw.

I forced a smile, "It was my job, Mr. Shaw. No need to thank me. Ah, Mr. Shaw, this is Alayna Morrel. Lana, this is Mr. Nicholas Shaw." I introduced them both.

"Morrel..." he murmured quietly. "Are you related to Christopher Morrel?"

"My father," Lana replied with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Shaw." She added, looking at me with a slightly accusing glance when she mentioned 'Mr. Shaw'.

"We met when I audited his company," I explained to her.

"Miss Heather, what if I invite you to dinner as my way of thanking you? Do you have time?" he asked, inserting both of his hands into his trouser pockets, his Rolex peeking slightly from under his jacket sleeve.

Uh-oh.

"Err..."

"Great. Then I can invite Daniel to dinner at the apartment." Lana suddenly interrupted.

Daniel?

I looked at her with a questioning look. As far as I knew, Lana didn't have an acquaintance named Daniel. Lana returned my gaze with her broad smile, and then I understood. She was trying to get me to accept Mr. Shaw's invitation.

"Miss Heather?"

I looked back at Mr. Shaw, "Of course, where, Sir?" I asked with a more formal tone than before. He pulled the corners of his mouth down slightly; his intense blue eyes locked onto mine.

"I'll pick you up at 7. Can you write down your address?" he asked before handing me his business card.

I wrote my address on the back of his business card and handed it to him. His fingers touched mine as he took the card, and the traitorous butterflies in my stomach began to spin again.

"See you tonight, Miss Heather." He didn't break eye contact until I nodded. Then, he looked at Lana, smiling, "Miss Morrel." Mr. Shaw glanced at me once more before walking back to his table.

"Whoa! He really..." Lana looked at Mr. Shaw and took a sip of her wine. "So when were you planning to tell me, Ella?" her eyes turned accusing again.

"He's just my client's boss, Lana."

"Oh, really..." she muttered with annoyance in her tone.

I was saved by our food arriving. Lana waited for the waitress to leave before continuing, "Nicholas Shaw seems to see you as more than just an auditor."

Her statement almost made me choke on the asparagus I was eating. "He already has a partner."

"What?"

"I met his girlfriend when we had lunch in Manhattan," I answered with a shrug.

"Lunch?" Lana's voice suddenly became suspicious. "Is the man you talked about at that time Nicholas Shaw?"

"Lana, he's just my client's boss," I mumbled, taking a sip of my wine.

"Ella, did Nicholas Shaw, the man who saved you, kiss you?" Lana stared at me with an interrogative expression. Damn, I can't avoid this.