Chapter 5 –  Beat For Frank

(Lexi’s POV)

I imagined a small eating place, but when we arrived, it was a fine dining restaurant, and I immediately recognized the two Michelin stars. I almost couldn’t enter the door because if it was one of Frank’s pranks, I have no money to pay for his lavish choice.

It was not a date, but he led me to the far corner of the dining area, and the waiter came in a hurry to get our order as soon as we sat.

“The usual, Ivan,” he said, smiling at him.

He nodded and left us.

I didn’t see the ‘usual’ menu, not even the menu card. If only I had known this was his plan, I should have just lied about having food allergies, like eating any kind of food gave me allergies.

“This is not a date, right?” My eyes were wide as I looked at Frank, sitting across from me.

He shook his head. “If this is a date, I will not bring you here and let my brother torture me twenty-four hours.”

I made a quick look at the restaurant and leaned my head forward. “You own this restaurant?”

He shook his head. “My brother owns this restaurant.”

“It’s the same,” I whispered.

He shook his head again. “My family is a lawyer by profession, but my brother’s dream is to become a chef, but -”

“He didn’t become a chef?” I cut in.

Frank chuckled. “You’re smart.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked at the ceiling, trying to absorb what he said. “Are you a lawyer?”

“Nope. I wasn’t like my brother, a good son. I ran away from home after high school, worked as one of the Mars’ drivers, and studied business from the scholarship they offered,” he explained.

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked in a hushed tone.

He smiled amusingly at me. “Why are you whispering?”

Denying it, I shook my head. “I’m not,” I said in a low voice and cleared my throat when I realized I was still whispering.

“To be honest and direct to the point are the things I learned from working with Sky for a long time. I don’t want to confuse you,” he explained again, but I didn’t understand his point.

The waiter came in with our food, and I swallowed hard when I saw the carbonara with toast; only their toast looked yummy because of the anchovy fillets and tomatoes on top of it.

“Are you sure you don’t have a food allergy? That one is a crab carbonara,” he said anxiously.

“I told you, I don’t. Why are you so anxious about it? Even if I have, I won’t tell you because this is my first time in this kind of restaurant, and second, I have forgotten what expensive food tasted like.”

“Angela has allergies to seafood,” he answered, half-smiling as if remembering something funny.

I picked up the fork, and as my tongue tasted the food, I closed my eyes and moaned. I blushed when I saw Frank staring at me when I opened my eyes.

“This is delicious,” I said, licking my lips and stopping myself from crying.

“Good,” he smiled and ate his pasta. “We must hurry, though, because I don’t want Catherine to give me a beating for spending too much time on my lunch break.”

“Frank,” I called him after a few minutes of silence. “You said you worked as a driver and studied at the same time. Why didn’t you leave after your graduation? Why work for the Mars?”

“I love the family and the perks,” he answered. “Sky’s like a brother to me and Angela-”

“Like a sister, I hope.” I bit my lower lip, not wanting to say it aloud, but I just did.

He laughed, and I blushed again because he looked charming whenever Frank smiled or laughed.

“Yes,” he answered briefly.

“You have a crush on her!” I said as if trying to catch him.

Frank laughed again. “It wasn’t a secret, Lexi. Even his brother would say it in front of Sky. She’s beautiful and a genius,” he stopped talking. “An angel.”

I pursed my lips, quiet for a few seconds. “I’m jealous.”

“Jealous?” He raised his eyebrows.

I nodded and chewed the food, swallowing it first before talking. “No one has ever said such a thing about me like how you say it.” I smiled at him. “I agree with you; she is an angel.”

“I’m sorry for asking, Lexi, but what made your sister take the money last night?” he asked and looked at me apologetically.

I heaved a sigh. “Our young sister has been sick for two days, but yesterday, we were in dire need of money, hoping to bring Aliyah to the hospital because of high fever.” I lowered my head. “Thank you for what you did to me today. After today, I’d look for money to return what I owe from you.”

Maybe I could find one on the street since I would walk anyway.

“No need. It was returned to me already,” Frank said and smiled as he pushed his phone toward me, showing me the message that a certain amount was transferred to his account.

When my forehead furrowed, he explained how he got his money back.

“Angela paid for it,” he took back his phone and read another message but did not show me who it was.

“Why?” I asked him curiously, but when he said it was Angela who paid for it, she would just probably less it to the salary I would be getting from teaching her kids. Still, it would take more weeks and hours of teaching before I could pay for everything.

“Because that’s who Angela is,” he answered.

“You’re right, Frank. She’s an angel,” I smiled.

“Let’s finish our food because the couple really just had a quick lunch today,” Frank said, sounding like it seldom happened.

“Frank, thank you,” I said, unsure why he was so kind to me. “How can I pay you?”

His forehead creased, and he pressed his lips, thinking for a while. “I really want to know you more, Lexi, but I didn’t want you to go on a date with me because you wanted to pay me.”

“I like you, Frank,” I said truthfully. “But if you’re hoping for something else, I think the date you want would take some time.”

“I was expecting it already.” His lips curved a gentle smile. “I’m a very patient person, Lexi. I will wait.”

If a heart can be taken out of the body, I want to take it out of my chest and shake it until it starts beating for Frank. I want to fall in love with him, but whenever I remember the man who kissed me a while ago, I wish to get a hammer and hit my heart until it forgets Mr. Gorgeous-But-Rude.