You know just how to make
My heart beat faster
Emotional earthquake
Bring on disaster
-Starving, Hailee Steinfield, Zedd
39| Evelyn
Mason stood there wearing a black tux, a thin blue tie hung from his neck. His hair was gelled back from his forehead and there was a small scar on the side. Mason had flowers in his hand, white roses.
White Roses. Flowers. This is a date!!
The inner part of Evelyn gave an excited squeal when on the outside, Evelyn couldn't take his eyes off him. She had never seen him wearing anything formal, and god he looked good.
Mason was saying something to dad when he spotted Evelyn and his lips were parted. He turned into a statue. He swept his eyes over Evelyn and she felt a rush of electricity going through her. When they locked eyes, the rest of the world vanished. Something clicked right in place.
"Do I need to take a picture?" Dad asked pulling Evelyn out of her daze. She blushed and looked down. Mason cleared his throat.
"Wait here, kiddos." He said and vanished to his room.
Evelyn stood there awkwardly. She glanced at Mason who waved at her. "Hey."
"Hey," Evelyn said and smiled.
"For you," Mason said getting inside and giving the flowers. Evelyn's heart swelled and she took the flowers flushing furiously.
Evelyn could heard Mason sigh deeply. "I wonder if we ever be able to reach there, if I kept looking at you."
Evelyn pressed her lips together. When she looked at Mason, Mason was still staring at her. He took a step forward and wanted to say something when Dad entered the room with a camera. Mason stepped back.
"Okay, now stand close and say cheese!" Dad said. Evelyn smiled.
"Dad, this is not prom!" Evelyn complained.
"This is for freezing time and keeping the memories alive," Dad said smiling.
Mason stood beside Evelyn, placing his hands in the small of her back. She stood close and smiled. Dad took the photo.
"Hmm, looks good. Let me take a few more shots!" Dad said.
"Dad!" Evelyn squealed. She looked up at Mason and whispered, "Don't mind him."
"Nah, I am actually enjoying this," Mason said flashing her a perfect smile. Evelyn was sure she was looking like a love struck fool.
"There you go. What do they call it these days, uh, candid," Dad said.
The photos looked good to be honest. Dad was really happy to take them as well.
"So can we take off now, we might get late, it's an hour and a half drive," Mason said. He nodded at dad. Together they left the house.
In front of their house, stood a Mercedes Benz, which surprised Evelyn.
"You actually got yourself a decent car," Evelyn said looking at him.
"I try," Mason said and winked. Evelyn rolled his eyes. When they reached the car, Mason opened the car door for her. Evelyn said, "Gentleman much?"
"I'm always a gentleman, Evelyn." He said pushing up his collars. Another roll of eyes from Evelyn was all he got.
Mason told Evelyn a few things about the restaurant and its setups. It was the first night open and all tables were reserved. Many important people had gotten invitation, including many food bloggers and editors. Evelyn had a feeling the restaurant is posh.
"Why else would you think I will dress up like this?" Mason said snickering. "My legs are itching."
"So are mines," Evelyn said and loosened up the straps of her heels and settled down comfortably. She was up for a nap.
"Are you really gonna do this to me?" Mason pouted.
"Yup." Evelyn said.
"Fine, I'm just gonna watch you sleep," He said with a wicked smile on his face.
"Edward Cullen much?" Evelyn said annoyed.
"Who's Edward Cullen?" Mason asked.
"Your long lost twin brother. Now stop talking. You are the one driving," Evelyn said pointing at him.
"Should've gotten us a chauffeur ," Mason shook his head in disappointment.
• • •
"Hey, sleeping beauty," Evelyn opened her eyes and blinked. She was about to wipe her eyes off the sleep, Mason caught her hand.
"You're gonna ruin your make up." Mason said.
"Ugh," Evelyn yawned and got out of the car as Mason took her wrist and walked her inside the restaurant.
Waiters were stood by as they entered. The whole place look grand with round table set around, the floor was carpeted in red.
"This is posh," Evelyn whispered under her breathe.
"Told you so," He was smiling from ear to ear. "I am so happy Mady finally got her dreams come true."
Evelyn squeezed his hands, her cheeks were hurting from smiling too much.
They settled in one of the tables on the side. The other tables were taken by people. They looked all serious and important. Evelyn felt weird among them.
"Are Ethan and the kids here?" She asked as a waiter came by to take Mason's Jacket and her sweater. Another waiter came up to serve wine.
"Yup." Mason said as they cheered and took a taste. It tasted nothing like Evelyn had tasted before.
"It's so good! " Evelyn said smiling.
"I know!" Mason said.
There was a old lady sitting by them in another table. She gave them a look.
"We are the youngest here and I have a feeling they are judging us," Evelyn said leaning forward.
"Hmm," Mason said looking around and Evelyn felt a kick under the table.
"Did you just kick me?" Evelyn said with eyes wide.
"No," Mason made a face. Evelyn wanted to hit him, the little flower vase in the middle of the table looked like a good throwing option.
"Don't even think about it," Mason said with a look, he got kicked right the second.
"So, Stewart, what have you planned for tonight?" Evelyn said setting down the glass, trying to look elegant and important like the rest of the people in the room.
"Uh, Reyes, Just you wait. This is just the beginning." Mason said with an intense look. Evelyn's stomach lurched. "You have no idea what I have planned for you."
Evelyn didn't even blink. Mason stared at her without blinking.
"For now, I intend to fill my stomach with as much food as I can stuff inside my mouth," Mason said with a serious face, after a while.
Evelyn's face faltered and she tried hard to no laugh, "In fact, I am quite hungry, Reyes."
Evelyn could see the look in his eyes, drunken and meaningful, she gulped.
"So am I," She added and Mason leaned forward.
"Aha, you should be," Mason replied, "It is worth the wait."
A waiter came up so their game had to stop. They were given the menu. Looking at it, Evelyn couldn't figure out what to order. She looked up at Mason who was still smiling.
"Look at her name, on top of the menu," Mason said, "I have waited for this for so long."
Evelyn smiled in reply.
After at least five minutes- meanwhile Evelyn was sure Mason had memorized the whole menu- later they were ready to order.
"How about every single dish from the starter," Mason said to the waiter. The waiter looked dumbly at him and so did Evelyn.
"Are you crazy?" Evelyn asked.
"Nope." Mason said to her. "That's our order, thank you," The waiter was gone.
"How are you gonna eat all of this?" Evelyn said.
"You'll see." Mason flashed a smile.
"You're a monster!" Evelyn pointed her index at him.
Mason pulled a face like a monster which Evelyn was pretty sure only to make her laugh. She got another pointy look from the lady.
"I am never going to any public places with you ever again," Evelyn murmured.
"We'll see about that," Mason said and winked, "This is only the beginning."
Evelyn blew air out of her nose.
10 dishes of appetizer, 10 dishes of main courses and 5 dishes of desserts later, Evelyn was pretty sure she couldn't move. She had foods filled till her throat. Mason on the other hand wiped his mouth clear with the napkin and took a sip of his wine.
"How could you do this to me?" Evelyn sat up and she got tired only by that. Although Mason was the one who had eaten the most in the most gentlemanly way. He was a monster with manners.
"That's how you treat a woman," Mason replied, "I am a gentleman, remember?"
"I hate you!" Evelyn said.
The bill arrived when Evelyn was trying hard not to burp out loud. The number did shock her.
"Do you have that much money on you?" Evelyn whispered.
"Of course not," Mason said in a duh tone.
"We have to wash the dishes?" Evelyn asked.
"Nope." He said and got his pen out from his chest pocket. In the bill paper, he drew a smiley face.
"What are you doing?" Evelyn asked in surprise.
"Giving my sign," Mason said and called back the waiter. He took the paper and looked at it.
"Sir, you didn't..." He was cut off by Mason, "Take it to your manager, Ethan Thompson. It will be taken care off."
The waiter didn't look convinced. He walked off anyway.
"Did you just draw a smiley?" Evelyn asked.
"Yeah." Mason said with a evil glint in his eyes. "I am a special guest."
Evelyn shook her head in disappointment, "Are you really gonna feed me for free in our very first date?"
Evelyn put a hand over her mouth. He had, not even for once, said it was a date. But it was, wasn't it?
Mason seemed so interested in his glass of wine, he didn't reply. Evelyn looked around for something else to talk about, though her stomach flipped.
Then she saw the waiters running around with plates with chocolate cake in it.
"Are they giving complementary cake serving?!" Evelyn asked excitedly. Looking at Mady's cakes, Evelyn's stomach knots fled away.
"Maybe," Mason said looking around.
"Where's ours?" Evelyn asked.
Mason waved at the waiter. He asked him about it.
"Sir, the manager told us to not serve complementary serving this table," He said politely.
Mason gave him a look. "That's what you get for eating for free." Evelyn blew air through her nose. She couldn't believe she won't get a piece of that cake.
"I'd like to see your manager then," Mason said standing up.
"Follow me sir," the waiter said. Mason took Evelyn by the hand. Soon they were behind the doors inside the kitchen.
It was so different from outside, chefs were running all around, in white coats. Among them, Mady stood wearing head chef's coat, shooting out orders. There was clinks of knives, cutlery, aromas of different spices all around the kitchen. It was a very different world from outside. Evelyn had never been inside a kitchen of a restaurant this posh.
"What do you think?" Mason was looking down at her, his eyes crinkling from his smile.
"I am loving this!" She said.
Mady spotted them right away. She came around.
"Nobody told me, you guys are here. Take a look," Mady said.
Both Evelyn and Mason got the opportunities to look around, stop at the stations, to taste the foods the chefs were making while Mady talk them through it. If Evelyn didn't drag Mason with her, she was sure he would've finished all the foods in the kitchen as well. By now, Evelyn was pretty sure his stomach was black hole. He consumes everything.
At the end of the kitchen tour, they found Ethan.
Looking at him, Evelyn stiffed out a laugh. She wasn't the only one. Beside her, Mason was trying his best not to laugh out loud. He glanced at Evelyn and finally couldn't suppress it anymore.
"Hey, enough!" Ethan blew air through his nose, "Hrmph!"
Ethan was dressed in the most formal way possible. He was wearing a black jacket with his shirt tucked in, a nice black trouser and shiny black shoes, something he would've never worn. Usually he went by a half buttoned Hawaiian shirt and shorts and sandals, displaying all his tattoos.
"She forced me into this," Ethan pointed at Mady who shoot him a glare.
"You've even gelled your hair, " Mason said pointing at his head while he laughed out loud. Evelyn joined him.
Soon both of them were tackled in the knees by the kids who seemed to have foods all around their mouths. Tim and James tackled Mason while Raine came and hugged Evelyn's knees.
"Hey, Princess," Evelyn said kneeling down.
"Ice Queen!" Raine giggled. Evelyn's smiles got bigger. Raine had chocolate cream smeared all around her mouth.
"Can you get me a tissue?" Evelyn asked Mason who was busy tearing down Tim and James from his body, who were like monkeys trying to climb him up.
"On it!" He said and vanished through one of the doors.
"That aunty over there gave me a chocolate cake," Raine said excitedly pointing to a waitress. She gave a smile.
That reminded Evelyn, she hadn't got her cake yet.
"Ethan?" Evelyn said, "Won't you give me a piece of cake?" She batted her eye lashes.
Mason arrived behind her with tissues which Evelyn used to wipe Raine's mouth. She had some buttercream even in her nose.
"Cake? What is that stuff? Never heard of it." Ethan replied nonchalantly. Evelyn frowned. She looked at Mason who shrugged.
Nobody wanted to give Evelyn a piece of cake. The world was so cruel.
However, the next hour went by chatting with Ethan. While he shared how lucky Mady was that she got the chance to meet the local Michelin star chef and he thought Mady should have a chance. So he sent Mady to a few sponsors and now she had been able to open this restaurant in here. Now, all they needed was the support of the locals.
Raine in the meantime had fallen asleep in Evelyn's arms. Tim and James were groaning that they wanna go home. So Ethan told Mason and Evelyn to take the kids home.
"We will just get them home and start for Fallholt, okay?" Mason said tucking in Tim's seatbelt. Evelyn nodded in reply. Tim had gone shotgun while James, Evelyn and a sleeping Raine were in the backseat. Somewhere along the drive, James motioned at Evelyn.
James whispered, "Have Mason kissed you yet?"
Evelyn almost bit her tongue in surprise. "What?!"
From the drivers's seat Mason sent a look.
"He hadn't. He is such an idiot." James face palmed.
"I can't but agree." Evelyn said looking at James. "I mean, he should've right."
"Well, he's a bit nervous, you know. But he will catch up soon." James said like an adult.
Evelyn sighed. "I can't wait anymore for this 'soon'."
"Don't worry," James patted on Evelyn's shoulder, "I can assure you, he likes you very much."
Evelyn's heart did a double take hearing that. She blushed. James gave her a thumbs up.
"What's happening there?" Mason asked looking at the rear view mirror.
"I am trying to steal your girlfriend," James said winking at Evelyn.
Evelyn laughed out loud. Mason cleared his throat and said nothing.
"She is quite lovely," James said and winked at Evelyn. She awwed.
"Ahem. This isn't right," Mason complained. "Age wise."
"Everything is fair in love and war," Evelyn replied and high-fived James. Mason gave both of them a look.
Evelyn felt the happiness radiate from her. The whole night was surreal, date or not. She hadn't had this much fun in a while.
And she couldn't quite believe she discussed her love life with a ten year old who probably knows better than the jerk aka Mason.
~~~