Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

73. Alone time

Grace sat at the bar, gently swirling her dirty martini— a lipgloss smudge on the rim of her glass.

Feeling a hand grace her shoulder, she looked over it, a subtle smirk danced on her lips at the sight of the man infront of her.

"You here alone?" He asked inquisitively, shoving his hands into the pocket of his black slacks, his eyes narrowing some as he subtly looked her up and down.

Grace twisted her lips to the side with a small shrug. "Depends," She said, picking up her glass with one hand, holding the toothpick yielding a single olive with the other and taking a sip.

The man licked over his pearly white teeth, doing a small nod as he took a seat at the bar of the three Michelin star restaurant beside her. Her heart began to flutter nervously as she attempted to keep her cool, while the man's eyes bore intensely into the side of her face as she tried her hardest to seem unbothered by his presence.

Women.

"What are you drinking?" He asked, adjusting the tie of his black on black suit while instinctively surveying the restaurant— checking his surroundings.

"Martini— dirty," Grace answered, grabbing the olive garnish from her glass and slowly dragging it off the toothpick with her teeth, eating the briny fruit.

The man let out a small chuckle, licking over his lips as he watched her chew the fruit— her sex appeal so subtle yet effortless. He waved the bartender down, ordering himself the same before training his hooded eyes back on her. 

She delicately traced her collar bone with the tips of her fingers as she looked around the restaurant seemingly bored; a fresh coat of gel polish on her nails— Funny Bunny by OPI, her signature color.

Soft, girly, and classy— her personality in a polish.

"You seeing anybody?" The man asked after a moment, picking up his glass and taking a sip of the olive spiked vodka cocktail, watching as a small smirk formed on her lips as she eyed him.

"No," Grace answered simply making Joseph immediately kiss his teeth.

"Fuck you mean no?" He scoffed, furrowing his bushy brows.

Grace quickly covered her mouth to keep from laughing and accidentally spitting her drink on him. "Joseph we're supposed to be role playing and acting like we don't know each other," She whined.

One of Grace's many random ideas, but that's what kept their relationship spicy.

"I'm not doing this no more, this shit is stupid— I'm still gone fuck you anyway," Joseph grumbled, taking another sip of his drink as he looked around the restaurant and checked his surroundings again— a paranoid habit of his.

And ever since getting shot again it only got worse.

Grace huffed, rolling her eyes playfully as she swirled her half empty glass. She and Joseph were on a much needed date night without the kids. Richard volunteered to watch the kids while they went out for the night and got some alone time. After getting dressed up and sitting down to eat dinner, they migrated to the bar to finish their night off with drinks.

"Should I call my dad? He hasn't called yet and I'm getting worried," Grace said anxiously, beginning to miss their children.

This was the first time she'd been away from either of them and the first time she's been without Cataleya for an extended amount of time— they'd been glued to the hip since she was born.