Hola mis amigos hermosos (hello my beautiful friends)! I hope you're all amazing. I kind of had to rush this because I was so tired and I still have some work to do so I'm sorry if it isn't so great. Thanks for all the votes and comments on the previous chapter. Please continue to vote and comment. Thank youuu. Have a lovely day/night (wherever you are).
Adios!
P.S End of the date will be the next chapter.
PPS, any mistakes, please tell me.
CHAPTER 18
MAXINE’S POV
The ride to the restaurant had been comfortable. None of the awkward silence, that usually occurred when people didn’t know what to say, happened. We simply talked about how he got his car and why he liked it. I wasn’t actually a huge car person, but anyone would love the way it looked. According to him, it was his baby. One of the top priorities in his life. I laughed at that. Men and their cars. Unbelieveable.
‘Have I told you how amazing you look tonight?’ he asked as the waiter sat us down at a seat at the back of the restaurant.
I blushed slightly and nodded.
John had reserved a place for us at a posh Italian restaurant called The Italian Kitchen and to say it was off the hook would have been an understatement. The place was decorated with a beautiful chandelier in the middle of the room and nicely spread tables that were each littered with red roses were everywhere. It was clear that this restaurant was for dates. Intimate dates. I smiled to myself as I thought about that. John didn’t plan on being subtle at all.
I sat down and smiled as John sat down opposite me. I guess I would be smiling a lot for the rest of this date with the way things were going so far.
‘Here are your menus.’ The waiter said as he placed a set of menus on our table. ‘Once you decide what you are ready to eat, please simply raise your hand slightly and I will be over within a second.’
I smiled a thank you to him and opened the menu. Everything sounded so upscale. The only thing that I recognised there was Tagliatelle and pizza so I ordered some Tagliatelle as pizza sounded a little too casual. Plus, I hadn’t had Tagliatelle in quite some time; I wondered how well the restaurant would make it.
‘Have you decided already?’ john asked.
‘Yes. You?’
‘Yes. Would you like to have a starter first, or do you just want to have the main course straight away?’
I debated whether or not I should have a starter. I was still in the process of deciding when John said:
‘Actually, let’s have a starter. I want to spend as much time with you today as possible.’
I smiled inwardly and simply chose a chicken Caesar salad.
‘Are you always this corny?’ I asked when the waiter had taken down both our orders for the starter and for the main.
‘I guess you’ll have to stick around to find out won’t you?’ he questioned with a wagging of one eyebrow.
I laughed. I was right, John didn’t plan on being subtle at all.
‘So, tell me about you.’ John said once I finished laughing.
‘What would you like to know?’
‘Everything and anything.’
I smiled again.
‘Well my name is Maxine Rivers.’
‘How old are you?’ John questioned.
‘I’m twenty-seven. I’ll be twenty eight on the 8th of May. You?
‘I’m thirty two. I just celebrated my birthday about two months ago.’
‘Wow, you’re old.’ I smiled
John was by far the oldest guy I had ever dated. I usually went for guys who were still in their twenties. The oldest guy that I had ever dated had been only three years older than me, so yes, John was out of usual comfort zone.
‘I wouldn’t say I was old. Simply more experienced than a young woman like you. Where are you originally from.’
‘Well my mum is originally from South Africa, but my dad is from Portugal so I’m a little mixture of the two.’
‘Wow. That’s a really nice mix. It really explains why you’re so beautiful as well.
I looked down to my table and blushed slightly. This guy was just showering me with compliments that I wasn’t used to and it was making my skin break out in goosebumps.
‘Any siblings?’ He asked.
‘Yes. I have a big sister; Caroline and she currently lives in Canada with her husband. They’re expecting their first child soon.’ I smiled.
‘I take it you like kids then with the way you’re smiling.’
‘Yes I love kids. But I’m also excited because this is my first time of being an aunt. And I can’t wait. I plan to go over there once Lynnie is close to her due date. She might need my help.’
‘How nice of you.’ He smiled slightly. I noticed that his smile didn’t really reach his eyes as much as the other smiles had and it had me wondering about my family.
I took a forkful of the salad and moaned at the taste. Normally, salads tasted quite plain my mouth due to the fact that I was unused to them, but this one was made fantastically.
‘Like it?’ John smiled at me.
‘I didn’t know salads could taste so good’ I said surprised.
‘You sound so surprised.’
‘Yes because I have never tasted a salad this good. I honestly had already concluded that most salads were just going to taste plain for the rest of my life.’ I said, forking another mouthful into my open mouth.
John laughed at my eagerness and rolled my eyes at him until he began laughing at me again.
‘So tell more about you?’ I asked when our we had finished our starters.
‘Where should I start?’
‘Family maybe?’ I asked.
‘Well my family is a little complicated. Are you sure you want to hear about them?’ he asked me unsurely.
I nodded but added: ‘But it’s up to you if you want to tell me about them or not.’
‘Well I have my parents obviously. And I have two sisters and a brother. But I don’t talk to my brother. In fact, I believe I haven’t spoken to him for about five years. And my sisters, both live in America. Katrina lives in North Carolina and Leigh-Anne lives in California.’
‘Can I ask why you don’t talk to your brother? Or is that too close to home?’ I asked gently.
‘That’s too depressing a story for our first date. I’ll tell you a few dates down the line.’ He smiled.
I laughed at that.
‘Do you promise?’
He nodded.
‘What makes you think that I’m actually going to go on more dates with you?’ I questioned him.
‘Because you’re going to enjoy this one so much, you’re going to want to spend more time with me.’ He smiled widely.
I laughed out loud at his reply. This guy had a big ego I could see.
‘I think your ego just reached Birmingham.’
He laughed.
‘I’m not over-confident. I’m just sure of myself and there’s no way I’m letting you go that easily’ he said taking my hand in his and stroking the base of my hand.
I bit my lip and looked down.
‘Have I told you how utterly sexy you are?’ he asked looking me full in the eyes with a look of hunger in his eyes causing me to feel the need to jump across the table at him and kiss him senseless.
‘Stop it John.’
He let go of my hand slightly as the waiter took away our plates and replaced them with our main courses.
I took my first forkful of my tagliatelle and moaned. The taste was spectacular! How did they make such amazing food in this place.
‘Another great dish?’ John laughed at my look of pleasure.
‘You know so.’
‘I’m glad you like it.’ He said.
I sighed and for the first time rejoiced at the fact that I had broken my rule. Maybe I had made the right choice after all.