Don't Give Up On Me - Unedited

Chapter 5

Lunchtime. 1 hour to hit the salon and the shops. I so don't have enough time. Just as I get up to leave, I felt his presence behind me.

"Would you care to join me for lunch?" He asks his face expressionless.

"I'm sorry Mr Hunter, but I cant." His eyes flashed a little disappointment. "It's not that I don't want to but I was planning to squeeze a trip to the salon in and as much shopping as possible."

"Mr Jackson!" Why is he calling him for?

"Yes Mr Hunter?" Jackson asks a bit miffed.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to borrow your assistant for a couple of hours? Just to finish the work we started yesterday and then she's all yours."

"Certainly Mr Hunter, take all the time you need."

"Thank you." Hunter replies quite smugly as Jackson walks off.

He then turns to face me. "Now you can join me for lunch and then take all the time you need for whatever it is you do need."

"If you weren't my boss I'd probably kiss you." I blurted. God why did I have to say that. I could feel the temperature rise in my face, even my ears were getting the blush. "I-I'm sorry. I just meant I'm grateful for the extra time."

"Can't say I wouldn't enjoy it."

"Erm" I said squirming inder his penetrating gaze.

"Pasta!" He shouted while chuckling, breaking the awkward atmosphere surrounding us.

"Excuse me?" I ask warily.

"Let's go for some pasta for lunch I know this restaurant, it's a few blocks away but worth the trip. They make a very nice pasta. Do you eat pasta?" He asks uncertainly.

"It's actually my favourite food. The main food group in my diet at that."

He grins, "great lets go."

We enter the Italian restaurant and I'm immediately thrown away at the expense of the place. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, crystal glasses on the table, crisp cream linen table cloths with matching napkins with a gold swirl shaped napkin ring around it. A rectangular shaped vase with three stunning fully bloomed fresh roses, red, white, red. Even the wooden walls and the place screams intimate and romantic but yet I feel out of place sitting here at lunchtime with my boss.

"Mr Hunter! How nice to see you again. It's been a while." A slim man approaches our table showing a huge smile with crooked teeth. He's tall, with jet black hair, around 40 and sporting a very ridiculous looking uni-brow.

"It's has indeed been a while." Hunter replies.

"How are you? And who is this lucky lady? The better half?" He asks quite amused.

I chuckle and before Hunter can answer I reply "Hello, I'm Charley and I'm actually an assistant at Hunter Enterprises."

"Hmm you work for him?"

"I do....." I trail off hoping he'll fill in the gap with his name.

"My apologise Charley, I'm Antonio, but you can call me Slim Tony."

"Usually the cliche is Fat Tony." I say laughing.

"Not afraid to say what you think, I like that. Definitely a keeper Mr Hunter." He says while winking.

"He's just my boss" I say in a sing song voice. While Mr Hunter gives me a look I just can't decipher.

<3

After the lunch I make my way to the salon. Thinking about our conversations. I found out he's 29, has two sisters, Leanne is 25 and a bit of a party animal with a bit of a temper on her. Rachel is 22 and is studying Journalim is America. He has one brother Paul who's 27 and apparently a ladies man who's a teacher like my own brother. We found lots of interesting facts about each other his favourite colour is grey, boring! He loves animals and is a big believer in supporting charities. That definitely surprised me. He must have a big heart. His parents divorced when he was 15 and his mom moved to London but he stayed in Belfast with his dad to continue studying before gaining a scholarship and studying in America.