The Single Mother

Chapter 9- Talla Knight: Rich Table Dinner

"I'm not dreaming am I?" Phoenix muttered to me. As he glanced over his shoulder back at the waitress he continued, "my best friend has had heaps of first dates here and he never said they supply the first beverage."

How had he not known that The Rich Table gave out free drinks? I had known that and I've only heard it from rumors fluttering around at work. What if he had he never been on a date here before? What if I was his first date at this amazing restaurant?

Just thinking about that made my core tighten and my cheeks flush a shade of pink. I needed to snap out of it. He's the son of the rich and well-known lawyer family and I'm the forgotten daughter that was disgraced from those rankings.

"Did you know that this placed served free drinks on a first date?" Phoenix asked, his emerald green eyes shining with wonder.

I shook my head, and surprised myself when the words that came from my mouth didn't portray the nerves I felt on the inside. "I've heard a rumor thanks to work. But I can't say that I knew from a firsthand experience."

I noticed that Phoenix's eyes softened at my words, and the butterflies fluttered around my stomach once again. I knew myself well enough to know that I needed to say something just to make sure that my nerves wouldn't screw me over.

"H-have you never been on a date here before?" I timidly asked, embarrassed by the fact that my voice had broken slightly. I mentally slapped myself that the smooth confidence I had before had disappeared within seconds.

I wished I had Phoenix's confidence. If he were in my shoes, I bet he wouldn't have stumbled on his words. Upon this, I also reckon he would have the confidence to just admit to his newly engaged fiancée that he has a little toddler, of whom the Father is unknown, and that he was disowned from his family because of said toddler.

Phoenix had just taken a sip of his drink when I asked my question, so it was no surprise when majority of it was spat out onto the crisp, white tablecloth and down his clean, baby blue dress shirt. His eyes had also widened, which hinted that my question was just as much as a shocker to him as it was for me.

"I'm so sorry." I cried out, reaching for my napkin to give to him. "That was rude of me-" I began but was cut off.

"No. No. It's alright." Phoenix reassured, and placed his hand over mine, probably to stop me from dabbing at his shirt. "I'll be honest with you. I haven't been on a date since before I started my studies under my Dad's wing. It's just been difficult for me I guess."

The last part of that sentence was sending my curiosity into overboard, and I felt compelled to ask more about why he stopped dating but just figured it wasn't in my place to do so.

I was too sheepish to half-heartedly apologize for whatever cause Phoenix to stop dating, and I also felt like it wasn't in my place to do so considering I knew nothing about him. Instead I stared intently at the diluted pink stain on the table until both of us were sitting in an uncomfortable silence that was only broken when the waitress came back.

"Well this date looks to be going amazingly." The sarcasm that dripped off the waitress words were distinguishable. "Are you two ready to order or do you need more time?" She already had her notepad and pen in her hand, but when I glanced up, I realized that she wasn't looking at both Phoenix and I but just at Phoenix.

"Oh... yeah. I think my lovely date and I were ready to order now." Phoenix smiled back at her, oblivious to the bitchy tone that was used. "Could I please start with another one of the Rich Table special cocktail and then have a Caesar Salad with no anchovies."

Anything for you Sugar." The waitress smirked, while scribbling down his order. Her voice had almost gone up an octave. When she turned to me, the heat from her gaze felt like a thousand suns. "And what can I get you?"

"Oh! I, uhm... I'll just have what he's having." I nodded towards Phoenix, but my answer didn't satisfy the waitress' needs.

"So you want a Caesar Salad with a refill of our special cocktail? You know we have a large menu right? And an even bigger drinks menu." The tone she was using was almost condescending and it was beginning to humiliate me.

This date, if you could call it that, was going terribly.

"I think Miss Knight ordered the same thing I did. So why are you patronizing her for that?" A quick glance at Phoenix showed that his brilliant green eyes were no longer showing that kindness and instead resembled the hard exterior on an emerald gemstone.

"I'm sorry for putting this bluntly Sir, but I don't think your date is attracted to you. I've been watching the both of you and she seems rude and bored out of her mind. You should be with someone like-" The waitress' rant was interrupted from the strong and determined voice that resounded within Phoenix. It was the same resonance that I heard on the night that I signed the contract.

"How. Dare. You. Do you know who you're dealing with?" The waitress humored him and shook her head no. "I am Phoenix King, successor to Jackson King, the founder of King Enterprises. Your boss will hear about this incident and lets pray to God they don't get sued because of your behaviour."

The waitress said no more and hurried off to place our orders. If I was at work, I wouldn't look a customer in the eyes after that experience, however I thought tonight was different because when I glimpsed at Phoenix again, his eyes were already on my face intently searching, as if he would find the words he wanted to say written there.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." He breathed, a weak smile pressing his lips. "Anyway, I know that the only reason you came tonight was because I suggested we go over the contract. And I was reading a section that said you had to move in with me and was wondering if you needed help doing so. That way we could get to know each other."

I could feel the heat coming to my cheeks, not out of embarrassment but out of shame that Phoenix would see the hobbit hole I call a home. And if Mum and Dad couldn't babysit for a day he'd realise I had a daughter and break off the engagement.

"Oh..."