wanting to draw closer to Ariel.
She ached to be near him. To ask him what was happening between the two of them.
Harden your heart.
She needed to do things differently.
Ariel Cunningham would no longer be allowed to toy with her emotions.
Inside the elevator, January smiled.
Finally, she’d shown Ariel what it was like to feel the sting of rejection.
Chapter Eighteen
January walked two steps behind Scotty. She was uncertain if going to the restaurant with him was the right thing to do.
Why am I questioning myself?
Ariel hadn’t made much of a move since the incident at his home, yet he offered her a promotion and hinted that they might have a chance at a relationship.
They’d almost reached the revolving doors to the exit when Dominic came in from outside, holding a brown Chipotle bag in his hand.
"Hey, how's it going?” His blond hair was shorter. January thought the haircut looked good on him. This was the first time she’d seen him all day.
“Good.”
“Heading out to lunch?” Dominic looked at both January and Scotty.
"Yep,” Scotty answered. “We’re going to the Flamingo on L Street.”
Dominic’s eyes opened wide. "I’ve heard lots of good things about the steak and lobster at that place. Kind of pricey though.”
January felt uncomfortable. Dominic broke an unspoken rule — you don’t talk about how expensive something is when speaking with the rich.
"The food’s expensive but it’s well worth it," Scotty smiled.
Dominic looked at January and arched an eyebrow. "Well, I hope you enjoy lunch. See you later."
The ride to Flamingo was short.
Once inside the restaurant, they received quick service. Scotty seemed like a regular because they’d been ushered to the table by the hostess after she’d asked if he’d wanted to sit at his usual corner spot. The table was solid wood and the chairs had comfortable armrest. January’s stomach was grumbling by the time she and Scotty sat down at the table. She scanned through the menu. Sure enough, the acclaimed steak and lobster were present. However, January craved a cheeseburger and fries, which was also on the menu at a whopping $50.
She chuckled and shook her head. “$50 for a cheeseburger?”
“That’s what you want?”
She nodded.
“Okay, then that’s what you’ll get.” Scotty leaned in. “And believe me it’s worth the price. Once you bite into it, you’ll never crave a four dollar cheeseburger again.”
“Oh really?”
Scotty unbuttoned his jacket and nodded. “Trust me.”
Trust me ?
But January wasn’t sure she could. Maybe he was worse than Ariel .
"Would you like some wine?” Scotty smiled.
"Sure."
“You hesitated.”
January explained, “I don’t usually drink, so . . .”
Scotty rested one hand over the other. “Oh, I get it.” He took his hands off the table and leaned forward. “Don't tell me that I’m a negative influence on you already. I wouldn’t want to give you any bad habits, even though they’re my pleasure.”
He was a player, January decided then. Scotty seemed playful, boyish, yet charming at the same time. He could disarm many women.
But he wasn’t Ariel.
And if both men were gold, they were different karats.
“I wouldn't say you’re influencing me,” January said, “Sometimes it’s just nice to drink a glass of wine and relax a bit.”
Scotty nodded.
The waiter returned and Scotty ordered two glasses of wine. January then ordered her cheeseburger and fries.
“I'll have what the lady’s having.”
The waiter took their orders and then retreated to the kitchen.
"I'm looking forward to this great cheeseburger.” January made a face, teasing Scotty.
He smiled and removed his jacket. “Oh, it lives up to its reputation. You’ll see.”
He was an attractive man, but he was completely different from Ariel—more jovial and less intense. January sat back and took him in. Scotty definitely had sex appeal in a less refined way in comparison to
She ached to be near him. To ask him what was happening between the two of them.
Harden your heart.
She needed to do things differently.
Ariel Cunningham would no longer be allowed to toy with her emotions.
Inside the elevator, January smiled.
Finally, she’d shown Ariel what it was like to feel the sting of rejection.
Chapter Eighteen
January walked two steps behind Scotty. She was uncertain if going to the restaurant with him was the right thing to do.
Why am I questioning myself?
Ariel hadn’t made much of a move since the incident at his home, yet he offered her a promotion and hinted that they might have a chance at a relationship.
They’d almost reached the revolving doors to the exit when Dominic came in from outside, holding a brown Chipotle bag in his hand.
"Hey, how's it going?” His blond hair was shorter. January thought the haircut looked good on him. This was the first time she’d seen him all day.
“Good.”
“Heading out to lunch?” Dominic looked at both January and Scotty.
"Yep,” Scotty answered. “We’re going to the Flamingo on L Street.”
Dominic’s eyes opened wide. "I’ve heard lots of good things about the steak and lobster at that place. Kind of pricey though.”
January felt uncomfortable. Dominic broke an unspoken rule — you don’t talk about how expensive something is when speaking with the rich.
"The food’s expensive but it’s well worth it," Scotty smiled.
Dominic looked at January and arched an eyebrow. "Well, I hope you enjoy lunch. See you later."
The ride to Flamingo was short.
Once inside the restaurant, they received quick service. Scotty seemed like a regular because they’d been ushered to the table by the hostess after she’d asked if he’d wanted to sit at his usual corner spot. The table was solid wood and the chairs had comfortable armrest. January’s stomach was grumbling by the time she and Scotty sat down at the table. She scanned through the menu. Sure enough, the acclaimed steak and lobster were present. However, January craved a cheeseburger and fries, which was also on the menu at a whopping $50.
She chuckled and shook her head. “$50 for a cheeseburger?”
“That’s what you want?”
She nodded.
“Okay, then that’s what you’ll get.” Scotty leaned in. “And believe me it’s worth the price. Once you bite into it, you’ll never crave a four dollar cheeseburger again.”
“Oh really?”
Scotty unbuttoned his jacket and nodded. “Trust me.”
Trust me ?
But January wasn’t sure she could. Maybe he was worse than Ariel .
"Would you like some wine?” Scotty smiled.
"Sure."
“You hesitated.”
January explained, “I don’t usually drink, so . . .”
Scotty rested one hand over the other. “Oh, I get it.” He took his hands off the table and leaned forward. “Don't tell me that I’m a negative influence on you already. I wouldn’t want to give you any bad habits, even though they’re my pleasure.”
He was a player, January decided then. Scotty seemed playful, boyish, yet charming at the same time. He could disarm many women.
But he wasn’t Ariel.
And if both men were gold, they were different karats.
“I wouldn't say you’re influencing me,” January said, “Sometimes it’s just nice to drink a glass of wine and relax a bit.”
Scotty nodded.
The waiter returned and Scotty ordered two glasses of wine. January then ordered her cheeseburger and fries.
“I'll have what the lady’s having.”
The waiter took their orders and then retreated to the kitchen.
"I'm looking forward to this great cheeseburger.” January made a face, teasing Scotty.
He smiled and removed his jacket. “Oh, it lives up to its reputation. You’ll see.”
He was an attractive man, but he was completely different from Ariel—more jovial and less intense. January sat back and took him in. Scotty definitely had sex appeal in a less refined way in comparison to
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