Chapter 25

Jesse

Jesse racked her mind, wondering how she should react to his slight deception. A part of her was highly annoyed, and another part of her was flattered that this was a date after all. She was still incredibly nervous, and she was aggravated that her emotions were clouding her ability to make a rational decision about this situation.

“Jess?” Hal said again, and Jesse looked back over at him. She was torn between giving him a smile and slapping him in the face.

The longer she looked at him, though, the more she realized that she had no desire to slap him at all. She could see in his eyes that he was struggling with his own emotions. She could tell that he had deceived her for reasons of his own nervousness, as ridiculous as that seemed. He was a celebrity. He could easily have anyone he wanted. Asking her on a date shouldn’t have been a problem for him.

Jesse could also clearly see that he was truly worried that she would ask to go home. She could tell that he genuinely wanted her there and that he would be disappointed if she asked to go back home for the night. His gold green eyes looked at her expectantly, and she knew that she would have to give him an answer in short order.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, her voice barely a mumble.

“It’s okay?” Hal asked, raising his eyebrows hopefully. Jesse had to admit that she was more than a little thrilled that her response could have such an effect on him.

Jesse nodded, and she was rewarded with a wide, bright smile.

“Thanks, Jess,” he said softly, once again taking up her hand in his own. “Again, I’m really sorry. But I really think you’ll have a good time tonight.”

“Okay,” Jesse said, giving him a small smile and then turning to look back out the window of the car. She couldn’t help feeling slightly oppressed by the silence that lingered in the car after she had made her decision and watched the city pass by as they all headed toward their destination.

Jesse could feel herself becoming increasingly eager as they went along. She wondered what Hal’s building looked like and how the evening was going to progress. She wondered if he had set up this whole event for her, but then quickly dismissed the thought. It wouldn’t do her any good if she started believing that his every move was centered on her.

Soon, though, she did not have to wonder, as they pulled into an underground parking garage. It was dark, and Adam had to flip on the headlights so that he could see. As they went on, though, lights began to brighten the underground space, and Jesse nearly gasped aloud as she saw the rows and rows of luxury vehicles that were parked in the expanse of the garage.

“Do you like them?” Hal asked from beside her. She looked over at him and saw a boyish delight in his eyes as he glanced between her and the cars outside the window.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jesse admitted, giving Hal a smile before turning to look at them.

“Those are some of my favorites,” Hal said, pointing to a particular row.

Jesse had to admit that the brands were ones she didn’t even begin to recognize.

“I don’t know much about cars,” Jesse said softly, suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed. Hal laughed and gently patted her hand in his.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s not very useful knowledge, to tell you the truth.”

Jesse looked at him again and saw that he was giving her a gentle smile. She felt her insides nearly melt at the expression on his face. She could hardly believe the way he could make her feel with a single look.

Adam drove further through the garage, and they parked in a space near to what Jesse suspected was an elevator. Adam and Hal got out of the car, and both moved around to the other side to open the doors for Jesse and Maria. Hal smiled at Jesse as he opened her door, and she felt herself blush. For some reason, she couldn’t keep from reacting that way.

She allowed him to help her out of the car and to lead her over toward the doors. Just as Jesse thought, they slid open, and the small group moved in. There was plenty of space, and the ride was easy as the elevator began to take them to the floor of their choice.

Again, Jesse felt her nerves gathering up, and she released a pent up breath. The other occupants of the elevator turned to look at her, raising their eyebrows at her noise. Again, Jesse blushed furiously.

“You alright?” Hal asked her, a smirk hanging at the edges of his mouth.

“Yeah, sorry,” Jesse said with a laugh, shaking her head.

“It’s fine,” Hal said. “Just try to relax and have a good time, alright?”

Jesse nodded and took a deep breath. She reminded herself that she had her phone, and that she could always give Tony and Mark a call if anything went south, and that she had her debit card so that she could call a cab if she needed to. Additionally, she was glad that Maria was there. She didn’t know her at all, but even so, she felt more comfortable having a woman around.

The elevator opened, and Jesse was awed by the sight of what it opened up to. It was a nice foyer, much like one to be found in the entrance of a large home. It led into a small sitting area, and then into a hallway.

“This way,” Hal said to her as he led her down the hallway, and then to the right, into a large dining area that led into a large kitchen, with a breakfast bar separating the two.

On the table in the dining room, a meal was already set out and prepared for them. The smell, delicious and savory, wafted into Jesse’s nostrils, and she felt her mouth beginning to water. It was a simple meal of baked chicken over quinoa and a side of steamed carrots with red bell pepper. They each had wine and water glasses as well. Hal led her to her seat and pulled out her chair. It was all Jesse could do to keep from delving into her dish right there and then.

She did manage to control herself at least long enough for the other people to take their seats. Maria sat in front of her, and Hal sat down beside her, with Adam diagonal to her. As everyone took their seats, Hal poured each of them a glass of wine. Hal took his seat last, and Jesse watched as he looked around at everyone with a broad smile.

“Well,” he said, clapping his hands together. “No point in wasting any more time! Let’s eat!”

As eager as Jesse was to taste the food, she was hesitant, and she waited for everyone else to take up their silverware and take their first bites before she finally decided to cut into her chicken. Just as it had smelled, it was delicious and juicy. Jesse loved chicken, and this was probably some of the best she had ever had in her life.

The vegetables and the quinoa were every bit as good, and even when Jesse was contemplating setting aside the rest, she couldn’t seem to stop eating. She gradually sipped at her wine and finally felt herself relaxing as she enjoyed her meal. By the time she was finished, she felt very satisfied but not overly full. She nursed her wine and sipped at it occasionally.