Signed, Sealed... Stuck

CHAPTER FOUR Rafael.

She’s not going to tell me.

“I’m telling you, just move on. She doesn’t feel the same way you feel about her.” I throw a glare at Matthias as I throw back the shot he’d placed in front of me a second ago. My entire body buzzes and I wonder if it’s a good thing to drink this much before seeing my best friend, the woman I was trying to convince to see me as a serious love interest. That is, if she could finally tell me that James had been a cheating swine.

“She’s not going to say anything because she knows I’ll point out how right I’d been about the kind of person her ex was.”

“I think you’re the horrible person.” Matthias slurs, sliding his empty shot glass across the counter. “And I think Ophelia is aware of how horrid you are, so she stays away.”

His head flops forward, like he’s been knocked out cold. “You’re too drunk to be lurid.”

Realizing that our short evening out has now come to an end, I lead Matthias out to his waiting car and ensure that his driver remembers to keep Matthias out of his stepbrother’s path. The man nods, looking so somber that I’m tempted to laugh for a minute.

The drive to the restaurant I’d picked is short and I sit in my car for a minute, watching the entrance for Ophelia’s arrival. She arrives soon, in a cab, and as soon as she lets the valet assist in taking off her coat, my breath hitches as my gaze locks on her. And what she’s wearing.

That has to mean something, right? A woman doesn’t just show up to see someone in a leather tube dress that stops mid-thigh. Except maybe, if that someone is her best friend, who she trusts and feels comfortable with.

I groan and bang my head against my steering wheel, cursing at myself for still harbouring a huge crush on my best friend after so many years. It isn’t until I look up and watch Ophelia walking towards my car that I register the sound of my horn. I immediately take my hand off the wheel and shut my engine off, sheepishly stepping down from the car. Ophelia smiles wide when she sees me, giving me a brief hug.

“And I thought I was the late one.”

“Oh, you were. I’ve been sitting here for the past ten minutes, just so you can preserve your dignity.” The timing is true, but she doesn’t have to know or believe that.

“Yeah, right,” She scoffs, before taking my arm and pulling me along with a, “Come on.”

The hostess leads us to our table and I scoff when I see that she’s given us a window view, a couple sitting on the other side as the wind blows furiously through their hair.

“What? You thought to beggar me tonight and expected me to go down without a fight. You truly don’t know me anymore, Rafe.”

“Yeah? And who’s fault is that?” I pull out her seat and watch as she settles in, chuckling lightly. A waiter comes and waits till we’re both seated, before giving us a few seconds to peruse the menu and pick our poison for the night.

“Vodka? Really, Rafael?” Ophelia's nose is scrunched in displeasure as she hands her menu to the waiter, reciting her order following mine.

“What?”

“You think I didn’t smell the alcohol on you as we walked in? I’d love for you to be sober while we talk on the business at hand.”

“So proper.” I scold, tearing off a piece baguette placed in a small basket in front of us and flicking it at her. She scowls at it hits her on her chest, carefully picking it off so no crumb would slide down her dress.

“Seriously, Rafael. There’s this proposition from work that I really think you’ll be on board with.” My brow tilts at that, surprised that she actually has a work thing to discuss with me. She’s not usually the one running point of interference at her work place. “And before you ask why I’m the one speaking to you now, among other assistants, I just got promoted – sort of, and part of my new job involves scouting or rather, recruiting tech firms for our newly established financial technology internship.”

She pauses to take a deep breath. “Please, consider it and let me keep my job, because I lied. Your company is the only one my firm wants.” She slaps a binder on the table, rattling the condiment vials placed on top.

While this is something I never do – accept favours from friends when it’s meant to be strictly business, Ophelia's company is well known in the financial world and I was curious to know about this internship program they had just opened.

“Tell me about it.”

And she does. We talk about work throughout dinner, barely glancing up as the waiters deliver our food, as they clear the table, even as Ophelia unconsciously slides her card into the bill tab. I have to lift her arms into her coat as she keeps chattering away, convincing me to key into something she’s already sold to me.

“I'll tell you what, Fee. My people would look into it and I’ll get back to you.” The cab she'd ordered while we were inside is idling at the valet spot and I walk with her, pulling the door open for her.

“It's a good thing, Rafael. Promise me you’ll really consider it?”

“I will. Now, get in.” Her chuckle is light and giddy as she steps closer to give me a hug. My lips brush her cheeks as I give her a kiss goodbye and just as she’s turning to say something to me, my lips have barely left her skin and I feel hers brush mine softly. She freezes, staring at me without pulling away and like the intoxicated maniac that I am, I press my lips firmly into hers, hoping I haven’t shot our friendship to hell.