Scarlet scars

Chapter 17: Scarlet Cherry Cake

"Cally, welcome to The Fuera de casa Restaurant" he said, pointing to the huge doors which I thought were a gateway to a carnival or a fair. I chuckled at my foolishness.

"Why are you laughing? " he asked, smiling at me.

"I thought you brought me to a fair" I laughed.

"so fuera de casa. What does it mean? Wait.. Lemme guess, Italian?" He smiled and raised his brows a bit "French? Portuguese? .... " he laughed, shaking his head no

"wait don't tell me.. Mhm. ..I know, spanish!" I said stroking my chin. He nodded at last and I felt good.

"It means The outdoors, I thought of this idea because I loved eating out, like on picnics with family... So I thought it would be a great theme for a restaurant.. Allow me" he held out his hand for me to take. Did he just tell me he owns this whole establishment? Did I get that correctly.

"You own this?" I asked searching his face

"Yes. This is one of the businesses that I started from scratch " he said pulling me in as I wasn't moving on my own, still in shock. Handsome billionaire indeed!.

" let's get us food. I'm starving " he said and pulled me in. To say that I was mesmerised would be an understatement.

I was mind blown. The interior was perfect, it was huge!, beautiful and it really fit the description of outdoors. It was built in such a way that, it was one establishment but it looked like different families at some park having picnics.

There were different booth-like gazebos decorated with flowers and there were certain spots that had tables in the open sky. There were booth-like gazebos that were closed off with windows that you couldn't see the inside. It looked like a paradise and it was packed with families, couples, teenagers and all.

I looked up to find him looking at me as though allowing me to be mind blown in peace. The food smelled great too that my stomach growled. I Hoped he didn't hear that because it would've been embarrassing.

"I heard it" he said pulling me towards a gazeboo.

"What?" I asked

"Your stomach " he leaned in and whispered in my ear. I felt heat rush up to my cheeks and I looked left and right. Any where but him.

"Let's eat" he said as we entered a booth and let me say this. The table was piled up with food that my mouth watered and I went straight to take a seat without waiting for him. he chuckled in amusement and took his seat too.

"Some of these recipes where specially discovered by me and I want you to try them" he said. I ate most of the things he pointed out and they all tasted amazing that I couldn't stop myself from liking all of them. I know right, I just love good food.

We talked about everything, I mostly asked him about his life abroad, how he'd been and how it was when he took over his dad's company. He's dad had a wine company but under Jerald, it grew to have many branches in different countries. He had established restaurants and hotels all over the world on his own. Stores too. I wished I was as useful as he was in my life, but then thinking about it, I don't think I could have handled it so well.

He told me about how he once tried dating a girl named Barbara. I felt a pang of jealousy as he told me about it, I don't know why. He said they are now best friends as they both saw that it didn't work between both of them. Jealous again, I mean, I'm supposed to be his only female best friend. Or was I overreacting?

He showed me her photo and damn! She was pretty. She was a blond with a great figure and blue eyes. For some reason I found myself comparing my looks to hers. And the results were in her favour.

He gave me a dessert that had a reddish and pinkish marble cream on top. the down part was cakey but with a deep red colour. It had cherries on top too. I love cherries. And cake, and cream. I smiled preparing to take a bite, it looked scrumptious.

"This one is the Scarlet Cherry cake" he said eyeing me as I took a spoonful into my mouth. It was sweet, a bit soury and tasted like nothing I've tasted before. The taste blended so well and I savoured the taste for a few moments and I looked at him smiling.

"You named it after me" I stated a fact and he nodded looking into my eye's. "It's delicious Jay.. I don't even know what to say .. why? And how?" I was so happy tears were threatening to spill.

"I was working in the kitchen one day, and then I thought of you. Your red hair gave me the inspiration. I mixed chocolate, raspberry, wild berries and Dates to get the sweet-soury taste.. Since you were the inspirition, I thought, why not make it Scarlet red.. The name too" he said eating his own dessert. I don't understand, it's as though I had done a bit of good in some life, that I was getting rewarded like this. I smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand.

"Thank you Jay.." He gently squeezed my hand and smiled back.

"no .. thank you for inspiring me into making a people favourite dessert" he said

"really?" awwr it's actually a people favourite. I feel proud.

"people love it" he said taking a bite out of his own. we ate the dessert in silence but my mind wasn't quiet at all. so I decided to speak up.

"uhm soooo..." I dragged the 'so' grinning wriggling my eyebrows.

"what?.. you know that looks creepy right" he said smiling "go ahead, what do you wanna know?" he set down his fork and looked me in the eyes.

"uhm... soo" I dragged

"oh com'on Cally!.. for real?" he said frustrated.

"uhm.. is there a dessert named after.. uhm.. Barbara for example?" I said searching his face for an answer. he looked at me as if confused at first and then.. he burst out laughing as if I just cracked a good joke. anyway it's a good sign. no 'blondie vinegar cake' . see what I did there? if you don't then my bad. But one thing is, I wasn't jealous okay. just curious.

"don't worry.. I didn't come up with one okay.. no need to get jealous" he said after his laughing episode.

"I'm not jealous.. who said I was?" I said shrugging my shoulders and looking anywhere but his face.

"I was just curious" I said, more to myself than to him.

"okay okay Brave. I'll take your word for it" he said raising his hands in mock surrender with an 'I know what is' crooked smile plastered on his face. that was the perfect moment to knock it off his terribly handsome face. but oh well, he just fed me so I'll let it slide.

After we were done, he got up from his seat and came to my side. He helped me up and led me out. We were walking towards the car when he pulled me to him and hugged me. And when I said pulled, I meant the not so gentle pull. I hit my head on his broad chest and I wasn't able to see anything. What's up with him is he getting emotional? We were just talking about the restaurant. Nothing sentimental.

"Hey..." I tried to sound supportive " What's wrong?" I patted his back.

"Shhhh" I tried to move my head but his strength was too much for me.

"Could you at least let me breath?" I muffled in his chest.

"Sorry" he said loosening his hold a bit but he didn't let go. "There's a reporter behind those bushes" he said and then it dawned on me. He's famous and who wouldn't want to take a picture of the handsome bachelor. But it wouldn't be good for him if I'm seen with him. It wouldn't be good for me too. I'd be in a lot of trouble. I felt happy that he was protecting me. Or was he doing it for himself? Whatever it was, I felt safe.