Eric
As we entered Bella Nocte, I expected Elia to be a bit enthusiastic, but she just smiled as we sat down at our table.
“This is one of the top restaurants in the country.” I smile at her, but her mood doesn’t change. Of course, I know that she doesn’t care about fancy restaurants.
But she told me once that she wanted to taste real Tiramisu, and I told her that I would have to take her to have the best. That’s at Bella Nocte.
“Order for me,” she says as we're given our menus, waving it away as if the sight of it was too much to bear.
Did I miss something? I know that she liked when I ordered for her at Thai Palace, when Elia wasn’t sure what she wanted. Now it just seems like she’s sure that she doesn’t want to be here.
I remember her talking in the car about something weird going on with her coworkers, but the way she’s sitting in front of me, pushing food around her plate, tells me maybe I should’ve offered more support and insight into the issue. I don’t know what I could say, though.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
“What?”
I roll my eyes. “Elia, it’s like eating with one of your customers in the bookstore.”
“No one’s ever in there.” She seems utterly confused by my little joke.
“Exactly!”
She gives me a sheepish smile, then looks down with a sigh.
Elia is not her usual self. Not the vivacious, lively girl that I’m falling for. She’s so withdrawn right now and I want to help.
“What’s wrong? It would be easier if you just told me.” I give her my undivided attention as I push my chair back and cross my arms. Maybe I was too harsh in the car, and I should’ve told her to wait until we got here. I don’t know. Fuck! This whole thing is new to me. Dating. Being a boyfriend. At times it’s so fucking easy, and at other times, it’s so fucking complicated and a constant guessing game.
She chews thoughtfully on her lips, and I wait. I feel as if new diners are coming in and eating and leaving in the time that it’s taking her to spit it out. I just don’t want to push her. But I’m losing patience because I hate that Elia is so wound up. I just want her to feel happy again.
“I wanted to bring this up with you,” she says slowly. “I’m just not sure how to say it…” she trails off, nibbling her lip. Finally, her eyes meet mine on a sigh. “It’s about work.”
Elia wants to talk about the store again, when before tonight, she’s been talking about going for another job. But by the time she finds one, she’ll be the proud new owner of the same store, but without a creepy boss.
“What about work?”
“Well, it’s about us. No one has said anything,” she says timidly. “More like in how they act, you know? I can't say I know what they’re thinking, but I doubt it’s anything good. I just don’t understand why Becca ran off like that today and before you came in, she was going on about why Ryan left the store like that. He left her a note. He never called, and his phone was switched off.”
I immediately switch off the moment she mentions his name. I can tell it’s bothering her. So, I ask the magic question, “What do you think should happen from now on? Is there something I need to do?”Apart from not punching her boss into the next season. I can’t think of anything that I’ve done wrong to date.
She shrugs, and I can see that this conversation’s on the road to nowhere. So, I crack a little joke, “After I buy the store, I could fire them all. Would that make it easier?”
“Please take this seriously, Eric.” She picks up some salad and then puts it back down. “I’m not really in the mood to eat right now.”
She frowns and then crosses her arms.
“I don’t get it. Lunch time you were all happy, and now we’re out, and you’re acting as if this is the last place that you want to be. Maybe I should just ask for the check.”
I’m about to lift up my arm to signal for the bill to get out of here.
“Great, now I’ve ruined dinner.”
I lift up my hands in surrender. “No, you haven’t. I’m sorry. Forget I said anything and we’ll go..”
I move closer to her and whisper, “But I love spending time with you.”
I cup her face, and her eyes beam. “I love being with you. And most of all I love you. I’m not going to apologize for that. Never.”
“Oh, Eric, I love you, too!”
She wraps her arms around me, and the realization of my words start to hit home. Did I just tell her that I love her? To make matters worse, she didn’t hesitate in saying the same thing back. We just started dating, at this rate I’m not only going to be buying her a business that she loves, but a home too with me in it.
Now, surprising her is starting to seem like less and less of a good idea. I need her to meet my daughter.
I’m building this whole life for us, dropping an “I love you” when it distracts her most, and I almost feel skeevy.
You know I’m buying her the bookstore to make her happy, right? I mean, don’t you think I can make it long enough to close the deal before Elia loses her mind at work?