The CEO and Her Driver

Chapter 13

"You're right." He took another long sip. "That is quite a personal question. And everyone's life story is long—"

"Tate," I interrupted. But he barreled on.

"—I mean how far back do you even go when you start a life story anyway?"

"Tate," I said again, my voice clipped.

"Do you start at birth? Obviously, everyone is born. So you should probably skip ahead to a life event right?"

"Tate," I said, voice rising above the music as the same song began again. I was pretty sure the jukebox had been stuck on the same song since we arrived.

"So best to get a rain check on that. It will only take me five minutes to consume all three plates she is gonna bring out so—"

"TATE," I said louder, trying to stop his monologue of ridiculousness."

"—A shorter topic may be best. Favorite movie maybe?"

"OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE TATE! DID SUSAN ASK YOU OUT?!?"

And as if the universe hated me, which I was starting to think it did, the music fell silent, the song ending for a full beat, letting everyone hear my question at full, blare level volume before the music started up again. Several heads turned to stare at me as I took a long awkward sip of my beer, trying to pretend that I hadn't just screamed at Tate. Great job Allie. Very smooth way to ask. And totally not psycho looking... at all.

Tate took another long slow swig of his beer, unphased by my loud outburst. Then placing it back down on the table, he wiped his mouth and looked up at me. "She did."

I waited for more, but he didn't seem to get the message as I gave him a pointed expression, making it insanely obvious that it wasn't enough information. "And?" I asked, forcing my voice back to normal decibels.

"And?" Tate asked tilting his head to the side, his face serious.

"Are you going to fill in the blanks for me?" I asked.

"Why do you care?" he asked, a slow smile spreading across his face. 

It sent my face blushing wildy, which only got worse when Hal suddenly came back, dropping off my fish and chips, and Tate's food, sending us both into silence again with my blush as the center piece for the table. I hate these terribly timed pauses!

But the pause gave me a moment to think. To formulate an answer. To collect myself. Why do I care?

It was a fair question and every attempt at an answer made me sound terrible. The real answer came blaring into my brain, full force. Because I'm a disaster human that finds you attractive. And I don't want to date you because I don't date but I also don't want you to date anyone else either because I am terrible...

Hal left and I pounced on an answer as fast as possible, determined to slap that amused grin off Tate's face. "I care because she's my employee and I want to know if she's going to be giggling like an idiot when she gets back to work. I don't think I can take both of you in a giggly mess of lovey yuckness."

Tate raised a brow. "Okay... a lot to unpack there. But first... 'lovey yuckness?" He started in on his buffalo wings.

I shrugged before shoving several fries into my mouth. "Yesshh," I said past a mouth full.

"I think you mean lovey-doveyness."

"Same thing. Just try to keep your love-sick giggling to a minimum." I drank the rest of my pint in a single long gulp and waved Hal over for a second one. I probably should have stopped talking, but I didn't like how much he was enjoying my irritation.