Lena slid into the seat groaning and put her head into her hands, "I don't want this Shelly. I don't want a distraction or something to take my mind of things. I'm fine."
"You're not." she stated bluntly, "You’re a mess. You’ve detached yourself from anything even remotely resembling a relationship."
"That's not true," Lena said biting into her sandwich. Then mumbling around it she continued, "I have a relationship with you."
Shelly smiled chewing her granola bar, "That's true, but only because I make you be nice to me but even I won’t have sex with you Lena. Come on when was the last time you had a man in your bed?"
Lena grimaced, it’d been a long time and even then, it’d been in his bed and she’d snuck out the moment he’d rolled off and fallen asleep. "Three years and two months."
"Holy shit!" Shelly gasped loud enough that other people looked.
"Shut up!" Lena hissed. "What's wrong with you?"
"Jesus Lena. How are you not more of a bitch? I will never know. How do you deal with it?"
"Well I just try to take each day at a time and pray every day there’s a cure." Lena replied, her voice dripping with derision, "It isn't a deadly disease Shelly." she snapped. "Plus there are other ways to ahh... you know."
Shelly grinned then laughed loudly, "Ah Lena just when I think you’re losing your sense of humor."
"Shut it Shelly."
He friend laughed and stuffed the rest of the granola bar in her mouth.
Mason was sitting in his office at the restaurant when Rachel came in with a pile of paper work in her hands.
"I’m assuming that’s for me?"
Smiling she dumped it on the corner of his desk and sat down opposite him. Her black hair was in a high top ponytail today and the red tips swung back and forth freely. Her bright glossy lips stretched into a smile.
"Yep. Receipts and balances from last night boss. You made a killing."
Mason smiled at her as he leaned back in his chair. Rachel had followed in his foot steps and become a Pastry Chef and he’d snatched her up the minute he could get her to stop traveling to globe. She was an amazing artist and that was what she was. A genius with desserts she was fast gaining a reputation as the best in the business. Mason also happened to love making her do menial things, such as chop vegetables to keep her humble, and well because he could.
"We made a killing. You have stakes in this place as well."
Nodding she grinned, looking like a 12 year old instead of 30. She was a free spirit and expressed herself through any means possible, from the food she created to the red tips in her hair. Today she was dressed in black and white checked chef pants and a purple chef jacket Mason had specifically ordered for her.
"So? You going to tell me who you were talking to at the bar last night?"
Mason knew exactly who she was referring to but feigned indifference, "I spoke to a lot of people last night."
"Don't try and be cute with me Mason Langley. The buttoned up suit talking to you while you tried unsuccessfully to charm her."
Mason's mouth dropped open and he blinked at his sister. "How do you know it was unsuccessful?"
"Cause Wendy said the suit called you disgusting."
"Interfering, gossipy women." he mumbled.
"Aww come on Mase. You know you love us."
He raised his left eyebrow and rocked back in his leather chair. "Well Wendy is half right. She doesn't really like me a whole lot at the moment, but I did get her to go on a date with me tonight." he tacked on the end.
"By what, threatening her?"
"No I kind of manipulated her into it." he admitted with a smile tugging the corner of his mouth. Rachel laughed and slapped her palm on her leg.
"Wow, that has to be a first for you right? Usually women throw themselves at your feet."
"It's not quiet that dramatic Rachel."
She tilted her head to the side and looked at him thoughtfully, "Do you forget I had a girl ask me if she could give me her panties to give to you?"
Mason tried, unsuccessfully, not to laugh. "Oh come on that was one time and I think you misjudged her."
"Her panties Mason." she said slowly and loudly, enunciating each syllable, "She couldn't write the name on paper but on the crotch of her panties."
Now he did laugh loudly, "You have to give her credit for creativity."
Rachel screwed her nose up and stood, "No I don't. That's gross." she walked to the door and looked back, "She didn't make it easy for you. I like her already.” then she disappeared out the door. Mason sat in silence and thought, I don't think anything about Lena is going to be easy.
Chapter Four
Lena found herself once again sitting in her car at Exquisite. This time however, she knew Shelly wasn't inside to be her buffer. She ran through different scenarios she could use to leave early. Excuses. Her pager could go off, except she wasn't on call. Or maybe her dog got out, except she didn't own a dog. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped out into the cool air. It wasn't even the fact that it was him she was going to meet. It was the whole situation she couldn't stand. The false conversation they would have over dinner, the awkward silences, the fake interest he’d show. So she could be what? Lucky number thirty-four? Please, she thought looking around, can't something give me a plausible means of escape? When nothing immediately presented itself Lena trudged inside repeating the phrase, the sooner I arrive the sooner I can leave.
Mason was still in his office when Wendy came to the open doorway grinning. “Guess who just walked in?”
Mason dropped the pen and leaned back stretching his long arms over his head, “I'm going to go out on a limb and guess my date.”
“Yep.” Wendy said popping the P. “And she looks miserable.”
“Now why do you say that like you're enjoying it?” Mason asked as he stood straightening the desk a little. Wendy leaned her shoulder against the frame and crossed a leg in front of the other. “Because I’ve never seen a date of yours turn up in a pants suit ensemble looking as though she just swallowed a lemon.” Whistling low between her lips she tacked on. “Boy she really doesn't want to go on a date with you huh?”
Mason came around the desk and walked right up to her. “I'll have you know,” he paused watching her tilt her head, then he grinned full blown, “You’re exactly right. She's probably out there looking for the fire escape.”
Wendy laughed and rolled her eyes, “Then why’d you ask her out?”
Walking past her to the entrance he answered, “I have no idea.”
Lena saw him the minute he stepped out from behind the huge frosted glass doors at the far end of the restaurant. She remained at the front by the hostess stand, glued to the wall,
as he started to make his way toward her. Tonight he was dressed in the same black slacks, however he had a white buttoned down shirt over them. The sleeves were rolled up mid arm and his watch glimmered as he walked under the lights. His long legs seemed to eat up the distance and before she knew it he was sanding in front of her.
“Ah the lovely Lena.” he said as he moved around the hostess stand. Lena watched as two of the women who’d been sitting in the waiting area looked up at him and stopped their conversations. She couldn't believe she was standing there preparing to voluntarily eat dinner with him. What on earth had possessed her to do this again? Then he smiled down at her and his damn dimples appeared. Sneaky, she thought knowing he had just answered her question for her. Oh well, no need to be anything other than what she’d been from the start and with that self reminder Lena grimaced a little.