The End Game(18+)

Chapter 2

2

Derrick came to pick Denise up around 1:30pm  as promised. When he knocked on the door to her office, she was organizing the files in her cabinet to update the years. The last time she'd taken them out had been a year earlier, pulling kids files who had graduated the program.

Derrick entered her office upon reply, greeting her with a kiss. Denise smiled up at him. "Ready to go?" He inquired.

She glanced into warm brown eyes. "Yeah, just let me get my wallet."

He shook his head, putting a brown hand over hers, "Let me get it."

"No, I have the money, I can take care of things myself." She stated, going for her desk drawer.

Derrick stopped her. "Why don't you let me do it?"

Denise sighed, Derrick and she had been friends for almost a year now, and he was pressing for her to go out with him. He did it so subtlety, that she, for the most part was never annoyed. Glancing into sincere brown eyes, she felt sympathy for the look of admiration in them.

She hated that she couldn't return his feelings. He was such a nice guy it was unbelievable. She'd told him no, because she'd never wanted him to think there was anything between them but friendship.

Quickly, he backed up this thought, by patting her hand and saying, "I understand we're only friends. I can handle that, Denise. It'll just be lunch between friends. No expectations. No ulterior motive."

Denise exhaled a long thoughtful breath. "Alright, Derrick. Let's go to Lunch."

As they pulled into the Pomatoc Cafe, Denise opened her door and stepped out of his 2000 Mini Cooper. She closed the door behind her as he came and met her around the front entrance of the restaurant.

Derrick grabbed the door for her as she entered the building. "Thank-you," She responded politely.

Derrick smiled, "You're welcome."

As they entered the lobby area, a greeter extended them a welcome, "Table for two I presume?"

Denise nodded, "Yes, please." They followed the waitress as she took them to a section of the restaurant. When they were seated, Denise looked up at him with a cordial smile. "How are things going with you at work?"

He smiled, "Pretty good. Intelligent Corp is thinking about hiring me on permanently." He stated.

Denise nodded, "That's nice. Have you thought any more as to whether you wanted to go for post graduate status?"

Derrick sighed and glanced down at his menu. "Yeah, I think I'll be doing my program online, that way it'll make things easier."

Another smile, and then, "That's good. I hear that's the thing now, going to school online."

Denise watched as he shrugged. "Yeah, it beats being in a classroom any day."

Her eyes went to his hair, dark curly brown hair, a deep mahogany brown complexion, a lightly trimmed mustache and no beard. She remembered that he had deep set brown almost opal colored eyes, and nice eyebrows that at times were drawn to a uni brow. She thought him to be really handsome. He was slightly thin, with a graceful build that was perfect for his five foot eleven inch frame.

Sighing, she glanced back down at her menu.

"I didn't know you guys were here." The tone of Quinton's voice brought Denise's head up from her choices.