The door opened, and a young woman walked in. She was wearing the same uniform as the hostess and carried in her hands a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Hi, there. My name is Miranda, and I’ll be your waitress this evening.”
She placed the bottle of wine on the table and went about the fancy way of opening it, which was all just a show in Aubrey's eyes. She knew it was their job and didn’t want to judge, but it always seemed unnecessary to do unless they were a sommelier.
Miranda handed Elijah a quarter of a glass of wine for him to taste and try, which he did without so much as flinching. He nodded his approval, and the server poured Aubrey a glass as well and topped his off.
“Did you have time to look at the menu, or would you like to know our specials today? We only serve three entrees, or a four-course meal handpicked and made by our chef.”
“Tell Julio I’d like to stick to his four-course meal. We’ll both have that,” Elijah said without looking away from Aubrey.
The server lowered and grabbed the menus off the dark grey wooden table. “Do you need anything else?”
“That’ll be all.”
The interaction happened so fast Aubrey couldn’t get a word in. She waited until the server left, and then glared at Elijah. “I didn’t even get to find out what’s in the chef’s four-course meal.”
Elijah laughed. “I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“What if I’m allergic to something?”
“Should’ve said so when I invited you to dinner. Pretty sure that’s what people with actual allergies do so that they don’t end up going to a restaurant that causes them issues.”
Aubrey scoffed. “Right. Because most restaurants only serve one kind of food.”
“So are you admitting that you don’t actually have an allergy?” he asked, leaning in closer to her. His eyes glimmered in the low lighting, and she couldn’t help but be entranced.
Aubrey chuckled and shook her head, leaning forward to match his posture. They were almost as close as they had been that first day in the office when he had made her so uncomfortable by bringing up the incident in the lobby. This time, though, she didn’t feel uncomfortable. “Fine. You got me. I don’t have an allergy.”
Elijah fell back dramatically and grabbed his heart with his hand. “Oh, thank god. I don’t think I could deal with having to explain to Shannon why you didn’t come into work tomorrow.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. He was pleasantly different once he was in a more relaxed situation. It was something she wasn’t expecting.
“So, what made you join Glamour Girls?” he asked.
Aubrey sighed and relaxed back on her side of the table. “I was fresh out of college, and it was a job. I didn’t expect to start working there so quickly, either. I just wanted to get some experience that would help me get started in my career. I didn’t expect to continue working there for as long as I have, but I really like it.”
He took a sip of his wine. “I guess no one expects to work for an online subscription box company. Even if it does come with beauty products and silk nightgowns.”
Aubrey lifted her glass towards him. “I will say that getting products for free is definitely a perk of the job that I don’t mind having.”
“Would you subscribe to Glamour Girl if you didn’t work for them?”
She tilted her head at him. Was he using her as a test subject for how his business was going? That question only solidified the idea that he was the owner. Only someone who owned the business would ask her that. “I think I would. I actually enjoy a lot of the products we have. Even the nightgowns.”
“If that’s the case, then,” he said and gave her a sly smile, “why didn’t you mention your excitement in your presentation? I really think it would have gotten the point across that our collaborations are something to look forward to.”
She brought the wine glass to her lips. “I don’t like to mix business with pleasure.”
Elijah placed down his wine glass. “I think you might see some benefit in it.”
“I’m not so—”
The door opened. She fell back to reality as her heart leaped at the sound. Aubrey lowered her eyes and grabbed at the fabric of her summer dress. The sound of her heartbeat resonated in her ears as her face flushed red. It hadn’t dawned until then that she’d been flirting with her boss.
The server placed two small bowls onto the table along with some butter and bread. “Light appetizer before we begin our first course. This is a lobster bisque soup with onion and clam. Please let me know if you need anything else.”
Aubrey took another sip of wine, and for the first time, she wanted to thank the server for lingering. It brought her back where she needed to be. Which was not flirting with her gorgeous, dark-haired boss.
After they had eaten, Aubrey brought the glass to her lips and finished the last of her wine. She pushed both the glass and the empty plate away from her. Her stomach felt extended as she placed her hand on it and pulled at the fabric of her dress. “I’m so full. I literally cannot eat or drink anymore.”
“Did you enjoy it?” Elijah asked and used a napkin to wipe at his mouth.
“Yes, I did, actually. I’m a little surprised I could only eat three courses, though. Do you know what the last course was supposed to be?”
“Not a clue. I hope you don’t feel sick.”
Aubrey pushed her long red hair behind her ear. If anything, she could feel her cheeks burning with the alcohol. There must have been at least three bottles of wine drank between both of them. After all of the food, she was able to sober a little, but she couldn’t help but stare at his lips while they spoke. He definitely had a model-like quality to him. Usually, she didn’t go for men that were overly groomed or pretty. He, however, had a rugged quality to the way he appeared. Even that night where he should have worn a suit, he arrived in a black sweater and dark wash jeans. It made her feel as though she’d dressed appropriately.
“I’m okay. Really.”
A soft expression formed on his face, and he placed the napkin on the table in between them. “Well, let’s go. I’ll get you a ride home.”
Her eyes widened, and she sat up in her chair. “Oh, it’s okay. Really. I’ll just take an Uber.”
“I have a car service on standby anytime I need it. So, don’t worry. I wouldn’t drive you home myself after a few bottles of wine.”
She chuckled. “I know. It’s just that it’s late, and I don’t want to waste any more of your time.”
“Waste? And how do you think you wasted my time?”
Aubrey bit her lip, realizing she was buzzed. She always spoke too much when she was drinking. “It’s nothing. It’s just that we didn’t get too much work done tonight. I think it’s mainly because of me.”
“I took you out for dinner, not only to work but to get to know you, Aubrey. Don’t worry so much.”
Hearing her name from his lips caused a fire in her stomach to grow. Aubrey cleared her throat and took her leather jacket off the back of her chair. She didn’t know if it was his gorgeousness, the relaxed vibe of the night, or the several glasses of wine, but she was in danger of saying or doing something stupid.