“Look. I’d love to stay and make fun of you some more.” Tilly handed a ticket to the valet standing at a small wooden podium who instantly took off running. “But one pathetic date at a time. No worries, though, Lucas. I don’t want your money.” She pointed to my Ferrari that was parked right in front of the restaurant. I was suddenly embarrassed it was there. That had never happened before. “I never did. I only wanted you. But now I don’t even want that.”
A cranberry-colored Lexus pulled up where we were standing. Tilly stomped around to the driver's seat, handed the valet a tip and climbed in. She couldn't get out of there fast enough. With screeching tires, she pulled into traffic and sped out of sight.
The valet stood staring at me.
Without thinking I went into the restaurant but as I looked around I suddenly didn’t feel very hungry.
“Can I help you?” The hostess chirped.
She was a beautiful girl. Up until ten minutes ago, I would not have thought twice about seducing her and bringing her back to my apartment to fuck and then toss out as soon as the sun came up, if not sooner. But not now.
Like I had said there was a shift in the air.
“The woman who just left?” I approached her hoping that my good looks were enough to get her to help me. “Did she have a reservation? Would you happen to have her number on it?”
“Even if I did I couldn’t give it out. I’d get fired for that.”
"Are you sure you couldn't help me out?" I reached into my pocket and pulled out two hundred dollars. I was feeling especially generous.
“I don’t know. You could be a stalker or a lunatic or something. To be honest she didn’t look too happy to see you. Poor thing. Such a pretty girl who seems to have terrible luck with guys.”
“Why would you say that?”
“She was sneaking out on the guy at the bar.” She jerked her head to the left. “White shirt and tie.”
“Did she say why?”
“She didn’t have to. The guy came in loaded to the gills. I can only imagine what he was saying to her.”
“I really could use your help.”
“I don’t think so.”
I slyly took her hand and slipped the two hundred dollar bills into her palm.
“I’m not a stalker. My name is Lucas. I own…I mean, I work for Cambridge Logistics. I can promise you that the last thing I want to do is hurt that girl. I’ve done that enough. I muttered shamefully.
The hostess looked around then leaned forward.
"I can't give you her number. But she dropped her business card into the bowl." She nodded toward the giant fishbowl with business cards in it to win a lunch or free cocktails or something. I gave the girl a wink, peeked over the top and saw the name Telula Grant on the card lying on top.
Without hesitation, I reached in and pulled out the business card and read it.
Senior Associate Attorney. The Gray & Stein Law Firm.
“Thank you.” I think it was the first time I ever said thank you in my whole life. The hostess smiled.
“You’re welcome. Good luck.” The hostess smirked.
Before I could leave the guy in the white shirt and tie came up to the hostess station. He was good looking but not nearly good enough for Telula.
“Hey, did you see a woman with short brown hair and a tight skirt, big boobs walk past here?”
“Yes. She asked me to tell you she left.”
“What?”
“She left.”