Chapter Eleven: An Absurd Invitation

Evelyn's POV

The silence stretched longer than it should have. Leonard’s voice on the other end of the line had caught me completely off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless.

“Evelyn? Are you still there?” His deep tone was calm but held a trace of concern.

I finally found my voice. “Yes, yes, I’m here. Um, how are you, Leonard? How… how did you get my number?”

He chuckled softly, the sound warm and unhurried. “Let’s just say it wasn’t difficult. You’re quite an important person now at the company. Your contact information isn’t exactly classified.”

I let out a small laugh, though I felt a tinge of embarrassment. “Well, I suppose that’s fair. But still, this is unexpected.”

“Unexpected, yes, but not unwelcome, I hope?”

“No, not at all,” I said quickly, surprising even myself with the honesty in my tone.

I had barely started to relax into the conversation when I heard the unmistakable rumble of my father’s car pulling into the driveway. I sat up, glancing at the clock. He was home earlier than usual.

“Hold on for a second,” I told Leonard, muting the call as I heard the front door open and close. Moments later, my father appeared at the doorway of the living room, looking tired but still carrying his usual air of authority.

“Good evening, Evelyn,” he greeted, stepping into the room.

“Hi, Dad,” I replied, setting my phone down.

He gave me a once-over, probably assessing if I’d eaten or rested enough, as he often did. “How was your day?”

“It was fine,” I said quickly, not wanting to delve into the details. The last thing I needed was to worry him about my near-accident or anything else.

He nodded, accepting my vague response. “Good. I wanted to let you know we have a business trip coming up. It’s in three days, so get ready. You’ll need to prepare a presentation for one of the sessions.”

I blinked in surprise but nodded. “Got it. I’ll start working on it tomorrow.”

“Good. Rest well, then. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Dad,” I replied as he walked out of the room.

I picked up the phone again and unmuted the call. “Sorry about that,” I said to Leonard, already feeling my nerves settle as his voice greeted me again.

The conversation flowed easily from there, starting with casual comments about the day. We talked briefly about the lunch earlier and Dana’s sudden interruption. I avoided bringing up the awkwardness I’d felt afterward, not wanting to ruin the light mood.

At some point, I decided to share my evening ordeal. “Actually, something happened on my way home,” I began, the memory of the near-accident still fresh in my mind.

“What happened?” His voice immediately sharpened with concern.

“I got into a small… well, incident with another car. Nothing serious,” I added quickly, not wanting him to worry. “The driver was more annoyed than hurt. It was just his headlamp that got busted, but I was distracted, and it could’ve been worse.”

Leonard was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was firm. “You need to be more careful, Evelyn. I don’t like the sound of that.”

I sighed. “I know. It’s just been a long day, and my mind was all over the place. But I’m fine now.”

“I’d rather it didn’t happen again,” he said, the seriousness in his tone surprising me.

“Well, I’ll do my best,” I replied, trying to keep the conversation light.

“No, I mean it,” he said, cutting through my attempt at humor. “I’d like to help. You could hire a driver, or better yet, I could drive you home every day.”

I blinked, stunned into silence for the second time that evening. Was he serious?

“Leonard, that’s… kind of you, but surely you’re joking,” I said, laughing nervously.

He didn’t laugh.

“Do I sound like I’m joking?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

The weight of his words hung in the air, and my heart skipped a beat. “Leonard, you have your own life and responsibilities. How would you even manage that?”

He let out a soft chuckle, this time sounding more amused. “I’d find a way. Or better yet, we could make it simpler—dinner every evening, and I’ll drive you home after. That way, I’d ensure you’re safe and well-fed.”

“Dinner?” I echoed, my voice rising slightly.

“Why not?” he replied casually, as though it were the most natural suggestion in the world.

I didn’t know what to say. The idea seemed absurd, yet there was something about the way he said it that made me pause. Was he genuinely concerned, or was there more to his offer?

“Well, that’s… quite the proposition,” I managed, trying to sound neutral.

He laughed lightly. “You don’t have to answer now. Just think about it.”

The conversation stretched on, drifting to other topics as the minutes turned into hours. Leonard was easy to talk to, his calm demeanor putting me at ease. The topics ranged from work to travel, and even a bit about family.

It wasn’t until my eyelids began to grow heavy that I realized how late it was. “Leonard, I think I should head to bed,” I said, stifling a yawn.

“Of course,” he replied smoothly. “It’s been a long day for you. Get some rest.”

“Thanks. And… thanks for calling,” I said softly, surprised at how genuine I sounded.

“Goodnight, Evelyn,” he said, his voice warm and lingering.

“Goodnight, Leonard.”

I hung up the phone and sat there for a moment, staring blankly at the TV screen. The show I’d been watching earlier had long ended, replaced by some late-night infomercial I had no interest in. With a sigh, I turned off the TV and stood up, stretching my stiff limbs.

As I made my way to my room, my thoughts wandered back to Leonard’s words. Dinner every evening? Driving me home? It was absurd… wasn’t it? And yet, a small part of me couldn’t help but feel intrigued by the offer.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. The last thing I needed was more complications in my life. But as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his voice replayed in my mind. The concern, the humor, the sincerity—it was all there, and it left me feeling more confused than ever.

Sleep eventually claimed me, but not before I whispered a silent prayer. The next day had to be blessed.