conversation and spoke quickly so that Gary wouldn’t be able to butt in. It helped that she was nervous – the rapid chatter came easily.
“I’m so sorry. My best friend is going on labor. I’ve promised her before that I would be there for him – her.” Trying not to be rattled by her almost slip, Liz stood up then said, “Thank you for dinner and sorry again. I’ll see you again soon.”
Liz quickly walked away with her purse in hand, proud of herself for making Gary speechless for once. She walked out but didn’t see Ben around.
“Over here,” Ben called. He was standing under the canopy of a restaurant next door where he was hidden by the shade. He was laughing.
“Oh my gosh, I’m such a bad actress, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t believe me,” Liz muttered, still in disbelief of what she just did. She was even shaking a bit from the adrenaline from the past few minutes.
“You did just fine,” he assured, still laughing.
“Thank you,” she said nervously. “I better go before he finds me here. I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Ben said, his laughter finally over. “I probably ate too much in there. Also, it was that guy who was embarrassing himself, not you.”
Liz laughed. “Okay,” she said.
They quickly walked away; Liz looked back a couple of times to check if Gary has come out – he hasn’t. She wouldn’t be surprised if he finished the food she left behind.
The silly thought made her giggle.
She saw Ben look down at her, grinning.
“How did you come up with that alibi anyway?” Liz asked, laughing.
“Kayla’s good friend is giving birth soon,” Ben explained. “So I thought about her.”
“That’s great quick thinking,” Liz commended.
Ben shrugged.
They walked together quietly for a minute.
“I need my caffeine fix,” Ben suddenly said. “I know a place around the corner. Come on. I’ll buy you coffee.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Liz said. “You’ve helped me more than enough.”
“I just came from a boring meeting,” Ben said. “I think hearing your story on what was going on in there would be quite entertaining.”
“Okay,” Liz found herself say. She did owe him for saving her from that chatterbox of a date. Buying him coffee was the least she can do.
They walked to a café nearby. It wasn’t one of those coffee chains. It was a quaint one that she hasn’t been to before, where they still had servers to get the customers’ orders.
Ben pulled up a chair for her.
“Thank you,” she said, taking her seat. Ben sat down opposite her and passed her one of the menus.
“Let me know if you’ve chosen so I can call for the server,” he said.
“I already know,” she said, after quickly browsing the menu.
“Okay,” he said, waving over a female server, who approached their table quickly. “I’ll have an espresso and –“ He looked at Liz.
“I’ll have the earl grey tea latte,” Liz said.
“Then please add an order of the salmon quiche,” Ben said, to Liz’s surprise.
When the server left, Liz turned to Ben. “You said you were full.”
“It’s not for me,” he said. “It’s for you. You hardly touched your dinner earlier.”
Liz looked at him, touched by his thoughtfulness.
“So will you tell me what you were doing with Mr. Late Night Show host?” he asked.
Liz giggled. Now that she was away from Gary, she was finding it hilarious.
“We must have been interesting to watch, huh?” Liz asked.
Ben chuckled. “So who was that guy?” he asked.
“The son of my friend’s client,” she replied sheepishly. “My friend Brian talked me into it. He said his job was at risk. In hindsight, I’m pretty sure he was exaggerating. That goes to show how gullible I am. Now I’m not sure how I will explain to Brian what happened tonight.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand,” Ben said. “So was it the first time you met him?”
“Of course,” Liz
“I’m so sorry. My best friend is going on labor. I’ve promised her before that I would be there for him – her.” Trying not to be rattled by her almost slip, Liz stood up then said, “Thank you for dinner and sorry again. I’ll see you again soon.”
Liz quickly walked away with her purse in hand, proud of herself for making Gary speechless for once. She walked out but didn’t see Ben around.
“Over here,” Ben called. He was standing under the canopy of a restaurant next door where he was hidden by the shade. He was laughing.
“Oh my gosh, I’m such a bad actress, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t believe me,” Liz muttered, still in disbelief of what she just did. She was even shaking a bit from the adrenaline from the past few minutes.
“You did just fine,” he assured, still laughing.
“Thank you,” she said nervously. “I better go before he finds me here. I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Ben said, his laughter finally over. “I probably ate too much in there. Also, it was that guy who was embarrassing himself, not you.”
Liz laughed. “Okay,” she said.
They quickly walked away; Liz looked back a couple of times to check if Gary has come out – he hasn’t. She wouldn’t be surprised if he finished the food she left behind.
The silly thought made her giggle.
She saw Ben look down at her, grinning.
“How did you come up with that alibi anyway?” Liz asked, laughing.
“Kayla’s good friend is giving birth soon,” Ben explained. “So I thought about her.”
“That’s great quick thinking,” Liz commended.
Ben shrugged.
They walked together quietly for a minute.
“I need my caffeine fix,” Ben suddenly said. “I know a place around the corner. Come on. I’ll buy you coffee.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Liz said. “You’ve helped me more than enough.”
“I just came from a boring meeting,” Ben said. “I think hearing your story on what was going on in there would be quite entertaining.”
“Okay,” Liz found herself say. She did owe him for saving her from that chatterbox of a date. Buying him coffee was the least she can do.
They walked to a café nearby. It wasn’t one of those coffee chains. It was a quaint one that she hasn’t been to before, where they still had servers to get the customers’ orders.
Ben pulled up a chair for her.
“Thank you,” she said, taking her seat. Ben sat down opposite her and passed her one of the menus.
“Let me know if you’ve chosen so I can call for the server,” he said.
“I already know,” she said, after quickly browsing the menu.
“Okay,” he said, waving over a female server, who approached their table quickly. “I’ll have an espresso and –“ He looked at Liz.
“I’ll have the earl grey tea latte,” Liz said.
“Then please add an order of the salmon quiche,” Ben said, to Liz’s surprise.
When the server left, Liz turned to Ben. “You said you were full.”
“It’s not for me,” he said. “It’s for you. You hardly touched your dinner earlier.”
Liz looked at him, touched by his thoughtfulness.
“So will you tell me what you were doing with Mr. Late Night Show host?” he asked.
Liz giggled. Now that she was away from Gary, she was finding it hilarious.
“We must have been interesting to watch, huh?” Liz asked.
Ben chuckled. “So who was that guy?” he asked.
“The son of my friend’s client,” she replied sheepishly. “My friend Brian talked me into it. He said his job was at risk. In hindsight, I’m pretty sure he was exaggerating. That goes to show how gullible I am. Now I’m not sure how I will explain to Brian what happened tonight.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand,” Ben said. “So was it the first time you met him?”
“Of course,” Liz
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