Unexpected Dinner Date

Susan

I’d barely taken a sip of my tea when Meera barged into my apartment, a whirlwind of energy as usual.

“Your lock is practically useless,” she declared, tossing her bag onto the couch.

“Hello to you too,” I said, rolling my eyes.

She grinned unapologetically. “What’s the point of a spare key if I don’t abuse it?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but a knock at the door interrupted me.

“I’ll get it,” Meera said, already halfway there.

“No, wait...”

Too late. The door swung open, and there stood Elliot Prescott, looking maddeningly composed in a charcoal suit that screamed money and power.

Meera froze for half a second before her lips curved into a grin. “Well, well, what do we have here?”

I shot her a look that clearly said, Don’t you dare.

“Mr. Prescott,” I said, stepping in before Meera could make things worse. “What are you doing here?”

“Good evening, Ms. Hart,” he replied smoothly, his eyes flicking between me and Meera, who was now watching us like it was her favorite drama. “May I come in?”

Meera didn’t wait for my answer. “Of course! Come in, Mr. Prescott.” She stepped aside, gesturing like he was royalty.

I gave her a death glare as Elliot walked in, his gaze sweeping over my modest apartment.

“This is unexpected,” I said, crossing my arms and trying to ignore how small the space felt with him in it.

Elliot turned to me, his expression unreadable. “I wanted to extend a dinner invitation for this Friday. In person.”

Meera perked up, her eyes practically sparkling. “Dinner? How romantic.”

“Meera,” I hissed, but she ignored me entirely.

“Thank you for the invitation,” I said tightly. “But...”

“She’ll be there,” Meera cut in, smiling sweetly at Elliot.

“Meera!” I snapped, my voice a mix of panic and frustration.

“What? It’s not every day a man in a suit comes knocking at your door for dinner. You’d be crazy to say no.”

Elliot’s lips twitched, like he was trying not to smile. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Ms. Meera.”

“Oh, please, just Meera.” She waved him off. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure she’s ready. What time should she expect you?”

“Seven,” Elliot said, his gaze locking on mine.

“Perfect,” Meera said, clapping her hands together like this was her victory.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Meera, I swear...”

“Swear all you want, Susan,” she said, dragging me toward the kitchen under the pretense of getting more tea. “But you’re going. And you’re going to wear something nice.”

“I didn’t agree to this,” I hissed, glaring at her.

“You didn’t have to,” she whispered back. “He’s clearly into you. And you? You’re still hung up on him, even if you won’t admit it.”

“That’s not...” I started, but the look she gave me shut me up.

When we walked back to the living room, Elliot was still there, looking completely at ease.

“I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Before I could protest, Meera stepped in front of me. “She’ll be ready.”

Elliot nodded, his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he turned and headed for the door.

Once he was gone, I rounded on Meera. “What the hell was that?”

“That,” she said, plopping onto the couch, “was me doing you a favor. You’re welcome.”

I threw a pillow at her, but she just laughed.

This dinner was going to be a disaster. I could feel it already.

***

Elliot

Standing outside Susan’s apartment door, I adjusted my tie for what must have been the tenth time. I wasn’t nervous...I didn’t get nervous. But something about this felt... different.

I’d planned to have my assistant deliver the invitation to her office, just like last time, but that didn’t sit right with me. Not after the tension between us lately. If I wanted her to come, I had to make the effort myself.

When the door opened, the last thing I expected was to come face-to-face with her friend. Meera.

“Oh,” she said, her eyes lighting up like she’d just unwrapped a present. “Mr. Prescott. This is a surprise.”

“Evening,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral.

Before I could explain myself, Susan appeared behind her, her expression shifting from confusion to mild annoyance.

“Mr. Prescott,” she said, crossing her arms. “What brings you here?”

There was something amusing about how quickly her demeanor changed when I showed up unannounced.

“I came to invite you to dinner this Friday,” I said simply.

Her eyebrows shot up. “Dinner?”

“Yes. Dinner,” I repeated, fighting back a smirk.

Susan opened her mouth to respond, but Meera beat her to it.

“She’d love to,” Meera interjected, stepping aside to let me in.

I walked into the cozy apartment, noticing how the space felt so… Susan. Warm, inviting, and a little chaotic in a charming way.

Susan, however, looked less than welcoming. “Meera, I didn’t say...”

“Oh, come on,” Meera cut her off, flashing me a conspiratorial smile. “It’s not every day a man like this comes knocking. You can’t possibly say no.”

I bit back a chuckle. Susan looked ready to strangle her friend, which, under different circumstances, would’ve been entertaining to watch.

“Seven,” I said, meeting Susan’s gaze. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Her lips parted, probably to argue, but Meera clapped her hands together and said, “Perfect! She’ll be ready.”

Susan shot her an incredulous look. “Meera!”

I let my eyes linger on Susan for a moment, noting the way her jaw tightened in frustration, her cheeks flushed in what I hoped wasn’t just anger.

“Thank you, Ms. Meera,” I said, nodding politely to her friend.

“Please, just Meera,” she replied with a grin. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure she doesn’t bail.”

I allowed myself a small smile. “I appreciate that.”

As I turned to leave, I couldn’t resist one last glance at Susan. She looked torn...frustrated, yes, but there was something else in her eyes.

This was going to be interesting.

When I reached the car, I leaned back against the seat, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I didn’t know what it was about her, but she had a way of getting under my skin.

And now, with dinner on Friday, I’d have the perfect opportunity to see just how far I could push her.

A part of me knew it was risky. But when it came to Susan, I wasn’t interested in playing it safe.