Chapter 2: A Positive Sign
999 Words
Beatrice Romilly walked away from the table with her notepad in hand, still smiling to herself.
As she moved gracefully between the tables, greeting customers and taking orders, she couldn't help replaying the conversation she had just had with Henry Blackwood.
The man certainly had confidence.
Most customers either avoided eye contact or politely ordered their meals before returning to their conversations.
Henry had asked for her telephone number within minutes of meeting her.
The memory made her shake her head in amusement.
"Unbelievable," she murmured quietly to herself.
Yet despite her words, a small smile lingered on her lips.
---
At the table by the window, Henry watched her walk away.
Rupert immediately noticed.
Of course he did.
The older man had spent Henry's entire life observing his son.
Very little escaped his attention.
Especially not this.
Rupert slowly lowered his coffee cup.
"She's gone, you know."
Henry blinked.
"What?"
"The waitress."
Henry frowned.
"What about her?"
Rupert pointed towards the centre of the restaurant.
"The woman you've been staring at for the last thirty seconds."
Henry looked offended.
"I wasn't staring."
"You absolutely were."
"I was observing."
Rupert laughed.
"Is that what we're calling it now?"
Henry ignored him.
---
His eyes drifted back towards Beatrice.
She was speaking with an elderly couple seated near the far wall.
The warm smile she gave them was exactly the same one she had given him.
Genuine.
Effortless.
Kind.
There was nothing forced about it.
Nothing artificial.
And somehow that fascinated him.
Many people smiled because they wanted something.
Business partners smiled during negotiations.
Investors smiled before making demands.
Journalists smiled before asking difficult questions.
But Beatrice's smile felt different.
It seemed natural.
As though kindness came easily to her.
The thought surprised him.
Even more surprising was how interested he was.
---
Rupert watched his son carefully.
Then a grin slowly appeared on his face.
"Oh, this is serious."
Henry looked up.
"What is?"
"You like her."
Henry scoffed.
"I've known her for three minutes."
"Four minutes now."
"That doesn't mean anything."
Rupert nodded thoughtfully.
"Of course."
"It doesn't."
"Naturally."
Henry narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you agreeing with me like that?"
Rupert chuckled.
"No reason."
"There is definitely a reason."
Rupert leaned back comfortably.
"The last time you looked this interested in someone was..."
He paused.
Actually thinking.
Then he frowned.
"I honestly can't remember."
Henry groaned.
"That's dramatic."
"It's true."
Rupert pointed towards Beatrice.
"You've barely spoken to her and you've forgotten our entire business discussion."
"I have not."
"Really?"
Henry nodded confidently.
Rupert folded his arms.
"Fine. What were we discussing before she arrived?"
Henry opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Rupert waited.
Several seconds passed.
Henry sighed.
"Expansion."
"Expansion of what?"
A longer pause followed.
Rupert burst out laughing.
---
Henry rubbed a hand across his face.
"Fine."
"Fine?"
"Maybe I got slightly distracted."
"Slightly?"
Rupert laughed harder.
"She walked over and you forgot your own name."
"I did not."
"You practically did."
Henry couldn't help smiling.
Unfortunately, Rupert wasn't entirely wrong.
The moment Beatrice had approached the table, everything else had faded into the background.
And that wasn't normal.
At least not for him.
---
Across the room, Beatrice continued working.
She moved quickly and efficiently between tables, balancing trays with ease.
Several customers greeted her warmly.
She seemed to know many of them by name.
Henry found himself noticing little details.
The way she laughed when someone told a joke.
The way she listened attentively when people spoke.
The way she never appeared rushed, despite the restaurant becoming increasingly busy.
She made everyone feel important.
And somehow that impressed him more than her appearance.
Though her appearance remained exceptionally impressive.
---
Rupert followed Henry's gaze.
"You realise she's working."
"I know."
"You're watching her work."
"I know."
Rupert shook his head.
"This is new."
Henry glanced at him.
"What is?"
"You've dated actresses, models, executives, lawyers—"
"Please stop listing them."
"I'm making a point."
Henry sighed.
Rupert smiled.
"My point is that you've never shown this much interest in someone before even learning her surname."
Henry looked back towards Beatrice.
"Maybe she's interesting."
Rupert raised an eyebrow.
"You've spoken to her for less than five minutes."
"That's enough time to know some things."
"Such as?"
Henry thought for a moment.
Then smiled.
"She's funny."
Rupert looked surprised.
"Funny?"
"She didn't take me seriously."
"Most people don't."
Henry ignored him.
"And she wasn't impressed."
Rupert considered that.
Then slowly nodded.
"Now that might actually explain it."
---
The restaurant continued growing busier.
Sunlight streamed through the windows as customers arrived one after another.
Yet despite the activity around him, Henry's attention kept returning to one person.
Every few minutes he found himself looking for Beatrice without even realising it.
And every time he spotted her, he felt oddly pleased.
The feeling made no sense.
Which was exactly why it bothered him.
---
Eventually, Beatrice emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of food.
The moment Henry noticed her approaching, he instinctively sat up straighter.
Rupert saw it happen.
And immediately started laughing.
"What now?"
"Nothing."
"You just fixed your tie."
"No, I didn't."
"You absolutely did."
Henry looked down.
His hand was still touching his tie.
Rupert laughed even harder.
"This is priceless."
Henry shook his head.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
"At this moment, I do."
Rupert grinned.
"Good."
---
As Beatrice drew closer, her eyes met Henry's.
For a brief moment, she smiled.
Not the professional smile she gave every customer.
A slightly different one.
A warmer one.
Almost as though she remembered their earlier conversation.
Henry smiled back immediately.
The exchange lasted only a second.
But it was enough.
Rupert noticed everything.
And when Beatrice disappeared into the kitchen once more, he leaned forward.
"Well?"
Henry tried to appear casual.
"Well what?"
Rupert smiled knowingly.
"That looked like a positive sign."
Despite himself, Henry smiled.
And for the first time that morning, he found himself hoping Rupert was right.
- Writer
