“I’m sure you’ve had a lot of women to cook for,” I say, winking at him.
“Mmm…..I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he responds, grinning. “Don’t believe everything you’ve heard about me.”
“Oh? So there’s no truth to the rumors?” I ask, playfully.
“Well……maybe a bit of truth. But just a bit,” he says teasingly, turning back to the stove. I laugh and take a sip of the orange juice.
“I’ve ordered some fresh clothes for you. Antonio should be bringing those shortly,” he says.
“Oh, thank you.” This man thinks of everything. It’s something I’m not used to. The boys back home would just toss me one of their shirts and call it a day. “That’s very kind of you to think of that.”
“Of course. You should always be taken care of, in all ways,” Alex says, matter-of-factly.
A knock on the door and Alex hurries to answer it. He returns a few moments later with a bag from Harrods department store. “I’ll just put this in the bedroom,” he says.
Returning, we sit down to eat breakfast. I dig in, ravenous. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I started eating. The food is delicious, the flavors popping in my mouth.
“Hungry?” Alex asks, watching me devour the breakfast.
“I guess I worked up an appetite,” I reply, taking a bite of bacon.
Alex laughs. “It appears that you have,” he says. “How do you like living in London?”
“I love it. The history, culture, the people…..it’s so different from the States. I feel so lucky to be here.”
“And I feel lucky that you’re here as well.” He takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. “And not just personally, but also professionally. You have been a tremendous asset with the Cosmo hotel development. I want you to know that.” I hear the sincerity in his voice.
“Thank you, Alex. That means a lot to me.” We gaze at each other briefly, a look passing between us.
I clear my throat, take a sip of juice. “There’s something I’m curious about – I never see you in the same car twice. Just something I’ve noticed.”
Alex chuckles, “Yes, I change cars pretty often.” He smiles, shrugging his shoulders. “What can I say? I love cars, always have. So when I had the opportunity to invest in a major luxury car rental company came along, I took it.”
“So, because you’re a shareholder of the company, you’re allowed to rent their cars whenever you’d like?”
Alex nods, “That’s right. I’m a very good customer.”
“Well, a different car every week sounds like fun,” I say, smiling. Hmm. I can’t put my finger on it, but I get the feeling there’s more to this story than he’s telling me.
Alex changes the subject, wanting to know more about my background. I tell him about all about Dalton, Georgia, my parents and two older brothers. He listens intently, making comments at times.
“And what about you, Alex. Have you always lived in London?”
“Oh, I’ve lived here and there. But, mostly in London,” he replies, vaguely.
“What about your family?”
“Both of my parents are deceased, and I’m an only child.” I nod, waiting for more. He says nothing else.
“I heard you were in the military before you started the real-estate business,” I say, wondering how much more I should ask. He obviously doesn’t feel comfortable talking about himself.
Back off. Let him tell you what he wants, and leave the rest alone.
“Yes, you heard correctly,” he responds, measuring his words. “I was in the military, then retired after ten years. Afterwards, I founded McCall Enterprises.” He pushes his plate to the side, and looks at my empty plate. “Can I get you anything els
e?” he asks.
“No, thank you. It was delicious.” I smile sweetly, and decide to leave the questions alone. Best not to push it.