"Why didn't you tell me you guys were an item?" Jacob asked Dorian as we sat down at the table.
"Because they're not supposed to be going out!" Beth chimed with a smile as she sat beside her fiancé.
"Wait, is he the hotshot rich guy?" Jacob pointed with a smirk.
"You called me a hotshot rich guy?" Dorian turned to me with a surprised look.
"What-" I exclaimed in defence, taking my seat beside Dorian.
"Oh no, I did," Beth said with a mischievous smile. "That's my nickname for you. Alena doesn't really care about you being rich. However, I have a question for you."
"Go ahead," Dorian spoke.
"How come we haven't seen you or met you since we moved here?" Beth's question had us all wondering the same thing.
Dorian shrugged his shoulders. "I know for a fact I have been busy."
"Busy?" She repeated, not impressed.
"Beth..." I gently called. I knew once she started with an interrogation, there was no stopping her.
"Doing what?" She pressed on.
"I'm going to be honest with you, Beth. My dad has been quite ill the last couple of years." My heart dropped at his statement. "Even though he has so many employees who are very well managed, and everything is under control with all the department heads... I have been the one covering for him. I've been running the company and have been acting as interim CEO. Does that answer your question?"
I looked at Dorian with sorrow. He hadn't mentioned his father was ill when we had that first meeting. All I could remember was how he said it was his turn; that he would be the youngest CEO.
"I'm so sorry." Beth quickly apologised.
"It's okay," Dorian forgave her. "I get why you asked, and to be honest, I am surprised I didn't meet either of you during that time."
"Well, in your defence, dude, you have been busy!" Jacob said with a reassuring smile. "Maybe this wedding is a vacation for you!"
Dorian placed his hand over his heart. "Aww, you're too kind for treating me."
I couldn't help but smile at his little joke. His eyes turned to me and a small smile returned to his clean-shaven face. Those sky-blue eyes made my heart skip a bit every time. It was a feeling I never wanted to forget.
"You guys have got that whole 'he's so cute and she's so cute' look down," Jacob remarked.
"Yeah..." Beth sighed, taking a menu from the waiter. "It's sickening."
I rolled my eyes before taking hold of the menu that was being handed to me. As I uttered a thank you to the waiter, I looked down at the leather-bound cover and the golden printed lettering. My fingers traced the name of the restaurant and the man I once knew.
Daniel.
We all sat at the table, looking at the menu. Looking through the intensely described food made me realise why I never went to a posh restaurant anymore and why I didn't have food like this anymore. Sous vide, tartare, confit. I never got why they needed such fancy terms. No matter how long it took for the chef to cook and how detailed the description was of each item, all the portions would always turn out to be tiny. They were just enough to feed a bird.
Why did Jacob have to choose this place?
I looked up at Beth and saw the look of mortal terror. She was just as clueless as me about what to order. I closed the menu and placed it on the table.
"You okay?" Dorian asked, noticing me getting up from the table.
"Yeah," I gave him a small smile. "I'm just going to go to the bathroom."
I noticed that Beth had gotten up as well.
"I haven't been in ages. Don't judge!"
Jacob rolled his eyes at his fiancé and looked down at the menu again with a smile.
As the two of us walked towards the door that showed the ladies' sign, I couldn't help but notice something about the restaurant. Like New York's upper class, everything was appropriately decorated. They adorned everything with gold or silver. There were renaissance style statues or decorations where there could be. Walking into the bathroom, they embellished the room with gold. Everything screamed rich.
"Okay... I genuinely need to go, even though I know that both you and I have no idea what the hell to eat," Beth said as she went into one of the dark wooden cubicles.
I turned and looked in the mirror to see my reflection. Straightening my hair, I sighed. I felt down and did not know the reason. I heard the flush of the toilet and saw Beth head out of the cubicle, making her way to the sink. As she washed her hands, she looked into the mirror and saw my face.
"You okay?" She asked in a concerned manner.
I shook my head. Beth turned off the taps and headed to the hand dryers to dry her hands.
"What is it?"
"I think I'm just going to go home and finish the paintings and the setting up the Gallery," I explained. "You go and interrogate Dorian with Jacob and annoy the crap out of him."
"Why?" She asked, filled with concern. "I haven't seen you this nervous since Danny-"
She immediately stopped herself from saying any more.
"It's okay," I told her. "You can say his name."
"It's just..." She sighed, showing great frustration. "This isn't the best place for all of us to come because a) The name. I mean, come on! If you're going to name a restaurant, name it after someone who means a lot. Not you bloody self! Stuck-up-ass-hole-Chef-who-cooks-nothing-but-tiny-portions!"
I let out a small laugh at Beth's attempt to make me feel better.
"Stay!" She said, holding my hands with reassurance. "We've got so much to celebrate!"
I looked at Beth. At first, I was unsure. But I realised how much I wanted to stay for this lunch. I was with the people I cared about. And she was right. We had so much to celebrate.
The both of us walked out of the restroom and headed straight to our table. Both Dorian and Jacob seemed to be laugh at something. Beth raised an eyebrow at me.
"What are you guys laughing about?" I asked, sitting back down in my chair.
"Oh, nothing." Dorian smiled, shaking his head. "Just college memories."
"You guys ready to order?" Jacob asked as he closed his menu and wrapped an arm round Beth. I nodded, whilst Beth was still looking through the menu with mortal terror. She sighed and turned to Jacob.
"Can you just order me something?"
With a smile and a look filled with love, Jacob nodded his head.
"Can you help me?" I asked Dorian.
"Of course," He replied, bringing his menu between us.
Pointing out each of the unique items, Dorian explained which ones would be best flavour wise and which ones would pair perfectly with my glass of scotch.
Once we were all ready to order, the waiter made his way to our table. Having jotted everything in his notepad, he then went off into the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, telling the chef what needed to be fulfilled.
"So..." Beth casually said. "What the hell are we going to do with this wedding?"
*
"So, the date has been decided. 2 months from now, right?" I questioned, typing down what I could on the note's app on my phone.
Jacob, Beth and Dorian all spoke in agreement.
"Flowers, we're going with tulips?"
All three agreed again.
"Colour scheme... We're still working out, but we definitely want a dash and I mean a dash of gold."
They all agreed again.
"Dorian, you're going to get some viewings with some venues?" I asked with a pointed finger.
"Yes, ma'am." He saluted with two fingers "The plaza, Gramercy Terrace and The Wythe Hotel."
"Perfect."
"Hey Alena," Dorian called out.
"Yeah..." I slowly replied, looking up from my phone.
"I think we should give this to the wedding planner."
"We don't have a wedding planner." Beth said in a 'duh,' tone.
"I know someone. They owe me a favour. Don't worry about it."
"Dude," Jacob replied in disbelief. "We can't-"
"It's on me. I'm glad you're happy again. Honestly."
"Dorian..." Beth said, tears filling her eyes. "Are you serious?"
He nodded with a closed smile.
"I feel like a right asshole for earlier," Beth mumbled, holding back the tears. "Okay, he's a keeper, and it's not because he got me a wedding planner!"
I couldn't help but laugh at Beth.
"So, what now?" I asked, looking at the three of them.
"Focus on the gallery, and your big piece!" Jacob raised his glass. "Isn't the opening coming up in a few weeks?"
God, he was right. The grand opening was imminent. All the hard work, all the artists I had been finding, all the pieces I had been collecting... This was it.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the main event has arrived!"
The four of us turned to the mysterious voice that had graced us with their presence. Walking towards us with his arms wide out was a man with jet black locks. Like Jacob and Dorian, he was dressed in his best, wearing a pair of suit trousers, a white dress shirt and his suit jacket on top. His designer glasses rested on the breast pocket of his jacket. His eyes were a haze of green and with flecks of brown.
"So, I'm guessing Dorian is paying?" He joked with a wink.
"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Dorian muttered with a smile.
"Hermano!" Jacob exclaimed, getting out of his chair and giving the stranger a hug. As he sat back down. The strangers' eyes wandered over to Beth and I. I couldn't help but look at Beth with a raised brow.
"Who are these gorgeous ladies?" His words floated.
"No!" Dorian and Jacob yelled in unison.
"Oh, so you guys have made your claim?"
"Claim?" Beth repeated with a harsh, clipped tone. Oh, she did not like this guy. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him.
"You must be Beth," He said, swinging a chair for himself to sit in. "You're the reason this one is settling down again."
I glanced over at Dorian, who was shaking his head and looking down at the contents of his glass. He took a deep breath in and looked up at me.
"Tony," He mouthed.
"Ahh," I mouthed back. Suddenly, Dorian pulled my chair closer towards him. I gasped at the sudden movement. The next thing I knew, his lips were close to my ear and my ear only.
"I'm going to be straight up with you. His hustle is more... promiscuous." He whispered.
"Oh," I whispered back. "Like..."
"You know, audible?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, it's like that, but more..." his finger traced the rim of his whiskey glass. "Sexual."
"Oh," I managed to say, my mouth remaining open in slight shock. His finger lifted my chin up, closing the gap between my lips.
"Yeah..." He whispered, his finger lingering down my neck and my bare collar bone. I couldn't help but swallow hard as Dorian's touch vanished from my skin.
"I've got to say, Dorian, I didn't expect you to have a date. Also, I have to say Jacob, congratulations again!"
"Thanks, man," Jacob graciously nodded.
"Does that mean I'm the Best Man?"
"Fuck no," Dorian bellowed, taking another sip of his drink.
I giggled at Dorian's remark. I could feel his fingertips from his right-hand glide up my legs. His eyes were now on me, taking in the smile on my lips. My eyes broke away and round to our little table members. Beth couldn't help but hide her smile as she looked at me and Dorian. She bounced her brows, excited that I was now with someone. Jacob looked as if he was ignoring us. His hand was entwined with Beth's, ready to see what Tony had to say next.
"You look familiar," Tony remarked with a pointed finger at me.
"Do I?" My heart raced.
"Yeah..." He slowly spoke. "I apologise for being rude, but I never got your name."
"You never asked." I stated, sitting up in my seat. "And frankly, you never introduced yourself."
"Oof," Dorian murmured with a feigned expression. "She got you there, man."
"I'm sorry," Tony said, unbuttoning his jacket. "I'm Antonio Vargaz. A beautiful lady like you must have a beautiful name."
"There's a line. Don't cross it," Dorian warned his friend. I could feel a smile play on my lips. Who knew he had that protective side?
"Alena Richards," I responded to Tony's statement.
"And what exactly are you doing with my good friend?" He asked, tilting his head to Dorian. "Last time I checked, Dorian was single. Unless... you're putting an end to his dry spell."
"Right, shut up!" Dorian exclaimed.
"Dry spell?" Beth echoed before taking another sip of her white wine. "I thought you... never mind."
She turned back to Tony with a pointed finger.
"FYI, she's my best friend and my maid of honour."
"Well, you know what they say about the maid of honour." Tony continued.
"Say another word, Tony, and I swear I will punch that pretty little face of yours so hard you can't speak for the next month. And we all know; you need your voice for your job." Dorian cautioned.
"You are really protective of her, aren't you?" Tony carried on teasing. His hazy green eyes turned to me. "You must be something, Alena Richards. Unless Dorian is paying a lot for something else."
I could see Dorian straighten up. Resting my hand on his thigh, I took the last few drops of my cool drink before turning to Tony.
"I guess I must be," I calmly said. "I mean, I own a gallery. I run classes for little kids and workshops for the retired folks. I make commission pieces for clients who pay a lot of money for my art. It just so happens I'm making a piece for the Bradleys. Dorian's company is paying me to work on the piece. But Dorian is not paying me for anything else."
"So, he's your client," Tony smiled. "I was not expecting that."
"Can I ask you something?" I carried on.
"Sure," Tony leant back in his chair.
"Do you always introduce yourself like an asshole?"
I could hear Jacob coughing up his drink. I could feel Dorian's fingers slide into my hand, squeezing it enough to show his gratitude. Tony shook his head and chuckled.
"Wow." Tony straightened up. "And yes, I do act like an asshole with people I don't know. These are my friends. They're more like my brothers, so of course, I'm going to be asking questions. Especially with the amount of women who have wanted something from my good friend."
"Okay," I nodded, taking in his answer. I glanced over at Beth, who was now watching him with a raised brow.
"So, when is the wedding going to be?" Tony asked, now changing the subject. "Because if it's in the next 6 months... I'm not going to be there."
"What?" Jacob and Dorian exclaimed in unison. I looked at Tony in disbelief. This had to be a joke, right?
"Let's just say I'm very booked."
"Booked?" Dorian questioned.
"So, you can't even take one day off?" Jacob asked. "Dude!"
"Trust me, I want to, but... I'm moving to L.A. I got headhunted by a new up-and-coming company."
"Wow," I said. "Congratulations?"
Tony chuckled. "Thanks. It's a good thing. I'm going to be making a lot more and doing the thing I love to do."
"Which is?" Beth asked, clueless.
"Ask your soon to be husband." Tony replied with a wink.
Beth could help but look at Jacob with a questioning look. I tried to hide the smile on my lips, knowing what job he was already talking about.
"Are you still going to drop by?" Dorian asked. "I mean, you've lived in New York your entire life."
"We'll see. But call me if there's any big news. We're still brothers at the end of the day. I don't want to miss anything."
"Yeah, we are. And we definitely will stay in touch." Dorian said, signalling the waiter for a refill of all our drinks. "You never know... In a year's time, we might be the aunts and uncles of Jacob and Beth's little one."
"Hopefully not that soon!" Beth laughed.
"Oh my gosh," Jacob laughed. "Uncle Rhianna and Tio Tony!"
All of us laughed as the waiter finished refilling our drinks.
"Salud!" Jacob raised his glass. One by one, the rest of us followed.
"So... what shall we do tonight?" Tony continued with a cheeky smile.
"I think that's my cue to leave." I said, after swallowing a sip of my drink.
"Wait, why?" Tony lifted his hands in disbelief. "Alena, we have only just met! I've got to know more about you somehow."
"Well, you can know more about me from Beth and Jacob. I've got a gallery to run and a lot of paintings to finish."
"I'll walk you out," Dorian whispered in my ear.
"Are you sure?" I whispered back. "You can stay."
"I've got to go as well." Dorian said to the rest of the group. "I've got a busy day tomorrow."
"Boo!" Tony frowned, blowing a raspberry. "I bet you the engaged couple are going to leave me as well!"
"Oh, hell no," Jacob said, swallowing all the scotch from his glass. He turned to Beth with a devious smile. "Baby. this is gonna be a night you never want to forget."
"Oh, lord help me." Beth rolled her eyes.
Grabbing my things, I said goodbye to everyone else. Dorian talked to the waiter and handed him his card for the meal to be paid for.
"Do you always pay?" I asked him as soon as the waiter was out of earshot.
"Only on special occasions." He said with a wink. As soon as the waiter came back with his card. Dorian guided me to the entrance we had come through earlier. As we went past the bar and the other tables. I noticed it had gotten busier. The classy and the newly rich were ready to celebrate and enjoy their own festivities.
Once we were outside, I pointed in the direction my car was.
Dorian's hand rested on the bottom of my back, holding me close by as we both walked away from the restaurant.
"So... Dry spell?" I teased, looking up at him. I could see the annoyed expression on his face. He looked up at the streaky orange sunset skies, letting out a huff.
"How long has this dry spell been going on for?" I continued.
"Two years," Dorian answered, looking back down at me. "I'm guessing you heard about me sleeping around. Why does everyone think I sleep around?"
"Two years..." I repeated. Two years ago, everything had changed for me. I lost the one person I thought I would ever love. I wondered what had changed for Dorian two years ago.
"When was the last time you had been with someone?" He asked.
"Two years as well," I answered honestly.
"So, there's been no one?" He asked, with a surprised look.
I shook my head.
"Not even a one-night stand or date?"
Again, I shook my head.
"So are you putting an end to this dry-"
I could feel his lips crash onto mine, cutting the question I was about to ask. Standing on my toes, I leant into his lips, returning his kiss. His fingers curled round the back of my neck. As his other hand pulled me in by the waist, I could feel his tongue glided over my bottom lip, teasing me, making me want more. I couldn't help but grip his hands. With him, I wanted more. I wanted this feeling – the ones I had abandoned long ago. The ones that resurfaced, and I didn't want to let go.
Introducing Tony! Wait until next year... hopefully! 🤞🏽
To all those who don't know, I have recently become a writer on Radish. I am honestly loving it and I'm really happy.
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Chapter Sixteen will be updated on Wattpad Wednesday 20th July!
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