Chapter Fifteen
1291 Words
His World
By seven on Friday evening, Amara had changed her earrings twice and refused to admit that either decision had anything to do with Tobe.
She stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, smoothing one hand over the deep wine-coloured dress she had finally chosen.
Elegant.
Simple.
Not trying too hard.
At least that was the story she was telling herself.
Her phone buzzed.
Tobe.
I’m outside.
Amara checked the time.
Seven fifty-eight.
Two minutes early.
I’m becoming less offensive.
Debatable.
Come downstairs.
There he was.
Tobe was waiting beside the car in a black suit with no tie.
For once, Amara understood why people became quiet when he entered rooms.
His gaze found her immediately.
Then stayed there.
“You’re staring again.”
“I know.”
“No improvement at all.”
“I wasn’t trying to improve that.”
Her smile betrayed her.
Tobe opened the passenger door.
“You look beautiful.”
The words were simple.
He had said them before.
They still worked.
“Thank you.”
She got in.
The foundation dinner was being held at a hotel on Victoria Island.
By the time they arrived, the entrance was busy with polished cars, photographers near the backdrop and people who looked as though networking had been written into their DNA.
Tobe came around and opened Amara’s door.
She stepped out and looked towards the entrance.
“This is your natural habitat?”
“Unfortunately.”
“You look comfortable.”
“I’m very good at pretending.”
Amara glanced at him.
That answer surprised her.
Tobe offered his hand.
She took it.
Inside, she saw him differently.
People knew him.
Not casually.
They crossed rooms to greet him.
Older businessmen shook his hand with respect. Younger executives listened when he spoke. A woman from the foundation board thanked him for funding a skills programme Amara had never heard him mention.
Tobe accepted every compliment as though it had been addressed to somebody standing behind him.
Amara leaned closer.
“You donated to a training programme and never told me?”
“You didn’t ask.”
“That is becoming a very annoying answer.”
“It remains accurate.”
She smiled.
Then a man Tobe introduced as Mr Hassan looked at Amara.
“And this is?”
Tobe did not hesitate.
“Amara Nwosu. My girlfriend.”
Amara’s heartbeat forgot itself for half a second.
Girlfriend.
They had agreed they were dating.
She knew what that meant.
Still, hearing Tobe say it so easily to someone else did something warm and ridiculous to her chest.
Mr Hassan smiled.
“So this is the woman.”
Tobe’s eyes narrowed.
“What woman?”
The older man laughed.
“I value my life too much to answer that.”
Amara looked at Tobe.
“Interesting.”
“Ignore him.”
“Absolutely not.”
She was still enjoying his discomfort when a woman approached.
Tall, poised and striking in a dark blue gown, she carried herself with the kind of confidence that came from never needing to ask whether she belonged in a room.
“Tobe Okafor.”
Tobe turned.
His expression changed with recognition.
“Lara.”
The woman smiled and hugged him briefly.
Not intimately.
But comfortably.
Very comfortably.
Amara noticed.
Of course she did.
“You vanished after the Abuja deal,” Lara said.
“I went back to Lagos.”
“That is not a defence.”
“It is geographically accurate.”
Lara laughed.
Then her attention shifted to Amara.
Tobe’s hand settled lightly at Amara’s back.
“Lara Adeniyi, Amara Nwosu.”
Recognition appeared on Lara’s face.
“The fashion founder?”
Amara smiled.
“That sounds suspiciously like I’m in a file somewhere.”
“Only a good one. I saw the forum feature.”
“Thank you.”
Lara looked between them.
Then smiled slowly.
“Well. This is new.”
Tobe said nothing.
Amara did not need him to.
His hand was still at her back.
Lara was easy to like.
That was inconvenient.
She was intelligent, warm and clearly successful. She and Tobe shared people, places and stories Amara did not know.
At one point, Lara mentioned Singapore, and Tobe reminded her of a meeting where she had threatened to walk out over a ridiculous valuation.
They both laughed.
Amara smiled too.
She simply did not enjoy how naturally the laughter came.
Ten minutes later, when Lara moved away to greet someone else, Tobe looked at Amara.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
His eyebrows lifted.
Amara sighed.
“Do not use my own behaviour against me.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“Your face has.”
His mouth curved.
“You’re quiet.”
“I’m observing your habitat.”
“And?”
“Very educational.”
“Amara.”
She took a sip of water.
“Who is Lara?”
There.
Tobe studied her for a second.
“A friend. We’ve worked together on several investments.”
“Just a friend?”
His eyes sharpened.
Then, annoyingly, he looked pleased.
“Are you jealous?”
“Don’t enjoy this.”
“I’m trying not to.”
“You’re failing.”
“Badly.”
Amara gave him a look.
Tobe’s amusement softened.
“Lara and I have never dated.”
“I didn’t ask that.”
“You were about to.”
She hated that he was right.
“People have assumed things over the years,” he continued. “We’re both single, we work well together, and apparently society dislikes unused possibilities.”
Amara’s mouth twitched.
“That sounds familiar.”
He understood immediately.
“Kene.”
“Exactly.”
Tobe nodded.
No defensiveness.
No unnecessary explanation.
Just honesty.
He took her hand.
“For the record, I came here with you.”
Amara looked at him.
“Very persuasive evidence.”
“I introduced you as my girlfriend.”
That warmth returned.
“I noticed.”
“Good.”
“One word. Full speech.”
He smiled.
Later, during dinner, Tobe was called to the stage with several other donors.
Amara watched him from their table.
He looked exactly like the man she had first assumed he was.
Controlled.
Powerful.
Completely at home in expensive rooms.
But now she knew about tiny first offices.
Bad chicken.
Six a.m. runs.
Flowers with four-word cards.
And a man who opened her car door simply because he wanted to.
The public version of Tobe no longer intimidated her.
She liked knowing the private one.
When the evening ended, Tobe opened her car door and waited until she was inside before walking around to the driver’s side.
On the drive home, Amara looked at him.
“So.”
“So.”
“Girlfriend?”
He glanced at her.
“Problem?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Say it again.”
Tobe’s mouth curved.
“Absolutely not.”
Amara laughed.
“Coward.”
“You heard me the first time.”
“I did.”
She looked out at the Lagos lights, smiling.
At her house, Tobe came around to open her door.
Amara stepped out and caught the front of his jacket before he could move away.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“That word again.”
She kissed him.
Quickly at first.
Then not quickly at all.
When she pulled back, Tobe looked at her with the expression she was beginning to enjoy far too much.
“Goodnight,” she said.
“That’s it?”
“Apparently once tonight is enough.”
He stared at her.
Amara smiled sweetly and walked towards the house.
Behind her, Tobe laughed.
She did not turn around.
She already knew he was watching.
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