k about the weird interactions she’d had with the people she’d met so far. The stoic, strange man at the filling station. The ha

some estimated expenses on a stray piece of paper from her car. She left just enou

th a slim briefcase, standing tall and lean as a statue. Sure, maybe he had s

m with her bossy conf

ed, floral, off-the-shoulder number that accentuated her collarbones and neck. She felt dressed a little too casually and flirt

s mouth after he so obviously looked her up and down

, he gently placed his hand on her back to guide her to th

the wall beside them. The table was adorned with a vase of roses, and a

us a dom perignon,” the mayor said a

refused the wine, claiming she wished to keep her wits about her to discuss the contract. Really, though, she didn’t care at all for the taste of w

as this had such fancy resta

ing our best to grow, and to do that we need to at

s

lad. She didn’t have enough of her own money to be so frivolous about food, and her

know I’ll be getting the bill tonight. It’s all on me. I’m the mayor a

went ahead and stuck with the salad even after the mayor tried and trie

rder, Aliyah wanted to get back on tr

mayor said. His smile seemed genuine, rather than cocky like before. But he'd already inter

mouth but Aliyah went on to avoid being interrupted again. “You can imagine my surprise when I arrived at Charleston Manor and it looked different from the pict

g to her intently now, and he g

ncerned about the water damage in a couple of the bathrooms. However, I won’t know the severity of that until I c

roughout her spiel, and he even asked a couple of relevan

waiter refilled their drinks and let them get back to the conversation. Truthfully, Aliyah thought the contrac

h bite, she thought about the steak and baked potato on the mayor’s plate. She sat in silence for a c

your liking?” he aske

ngry it was.” She looked up at the mayor. It may have been the lighting, but hi

you right away! Waiter!” He waved h

ck that he would just shout at the waiter to come over to the table. She was a little embarrassed when t

,” she started, “It’s really not urgent. I was

etails of her order. He left with

hed with a chunk of stea

ame tone her father used to tease Freida

. At the mayor’s levity. At

she aske

“It just seems like the little waiter boy is

ll I did was ask the waiter for another order, and

lly are quite

a simple business discussion during the meal, not flirty banter about my i

jected after her remark. "Yo

ve. We don't have to become friends. We

” the mayor

, and she and the mayor made their way out of the restaurant. They were quiet and civil. The mayor opened the door f

walking Aliyah to her

yah caught a whiff of wine on his breath. Perhaps he wa

out, with his body close to Aliyah’s. She quick

ks were brightening and there was som