Misguided Vows: Chapter 3

It’s been over a month since I’ve seen Maria. After the grand opening of her club, I moved on to a new project for a café in Manchester. I’ve been back in London for two days now and spoiled myself with some well-deserved retail therapy after doing two big back-to-back projects.

Maria’s been busy with the club, but we’ve prioritized meeting up for dinner tonight before I fly out to New York early tomorrow to consult with a new client. When she warned me that her brother would be joining us, I reconsidered our dinner plans until she reluctantly admitted it was because of her brother’s connections that I got my next consultation in New York.

A lingerie company was after a new show floor design, and apparently, her asshole of a brother knows people and suggested my services with raving reviews after I helped his baby sister. As ecstatic as I am by the opportunity to possibly have this contract, it’s also difficult for me to swallow my pride and thank him directly.

I hold a bottle of whiskey in my hand as I walk into the restaurant, reminding myself to play nice. It’s been a month since I met him; perhaps it was a one-off bad impression?

I can see them sitting at a table near the back. The hostess takes me to them, and when they notice me, Will stands to pull out my chair. I offer a tight smile and hand him the bottle, which he seems confused by.

“Whatever is this for, milady?” he asks. And when his striking blue eyes meet mine, I’m already annoyed. No man can be that good looking, have mischief dance in their eyes like stars, and also use a nickname on me that seriously pisses me the fuck off. It’s a turbulent set of feelings he stirs within me that I’d rather not experience.

I push the bottle into his hands, my smile growing wider as I try to force it. “Maria told me you got me the opportunity in New York.”

He takes it, smirking. “Yes. Yes, I did.”

Why do I so badly want to punch his face?

William Walker inexcusably has an air of assholery around him.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” I’m still smiling, and I’m certain he can read between the lines of what I’m actually thinking because his own smile grows wider.

“It’s no problem at all. You may suck when it comes to etiquette, but you do excel in your work at the very least,” he says, purposefully provoking me. I can feel my temple pulse as I don’t so much as bat an eye at his insult, and instead turn to his sister.

Maria pulls me in for a hug. “I’m sorry about him. This is why he will forever be a fuck boy,” she says, locking eyes with her brother.

“I’m surprised people have sex with you,” I can’t help but tack on.

“You’d be surprised by how many women find me quite charming,” he replies.

“Loneliness plays terrible tricks on peoples’ minds. Sometimes an actual personality isn’t required.”

“Is that what bothers you about me, darling, my personality? Or are you certain it’s not other things that rile you?”

“What the fuck is happening right now?” Maria interjects.

Heat scorches my cheeks. I’ve been so entranced in bantering with Will that I completely forgot where I am. Will smirks as I look away from him, trying to rein in my temper.

“Sorry. Let’s sit and eat,” I suggest, internally reprimanding myself. I’d told myself to show gratitude, and within the first two minutes of being in the same room as this insufferable asshole, we’re verbally stripping one another.

“Behave yourself,” Maria chastises her brother as they both sit.

Will is still smug as he places the bottle of whiskey on the table and grabs the bottle of wine already there to pour me a glass. I make no move to touch it. Last thing I want is to be hungover on my flight, even if they are flying me business class. That, and I definitely don’t trust myself around this man after a single drop of liquor hits my lips.

“Anyway, I hope you don’t mind, but I already ordered for us. I come here all the time, and the chef knows me,” Maria gushes as Will rolls his eyes at her.

With the affectionate way she sounds when mentioning the chef, it’s obvious she likes him, and so I can’t help but whisper across the table. “Did you two…” Maybe I missed out on something while I was gone in Manchester.

“No!” Maria snaps.

At the same time, Will says, “Yes.” He swishes the wine in his glass, unimpressed.

Red spreads across Maria’s face. “We’re not having this conversation while you’re here,” she says pointedly to Will, and he looks away as if bored.

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh at the two. I’ve never seen Maria like this. She’s so bubbly and outspoken that it’s fascinating to see her get embarrassed. I also envied those who had siblings. As an only child, I always wished I had one myself.

Two waitresses bring out an array of pastas and pizzas. I almost drool at how good it smells. Yes, please to cheese all day, every day.

“Leon.” Maria perks up as the chef walks out behind the waiters. I try not to smile as he shyly offers the table an awkward introduction.

“I thought I’d come and greet everyone. You must be Alina. Maria’s told me great things about you. And you must be the brother, Will?” he says, extending out his hand.

“Nah, I’m the new guy, and this makes for an awkward date,” Will says, making no move to shake his hand.

“Eww, never say that again.” Maria goes red. “He’s joking. I’m sorry about my brother. How has your night been?” She’s quick to block her brother’s view of Leon.

Leon gives a halfhearted laugh as he retracts his outstretched hand and begins speaking now only to Maria.

Well, this is starting off to be a weird-ass night. I pick up a glass of water and go to take a sip. Before I do, I notice Will staring at me. His hand is lazily hooked around the arm of the chair as he watches me like a predator.

I take a sniff of the water. “Did you do something to my water?” I ask him.

He arches an eyebrow. “Did you want me to do something to it?”

“Depends how much longer I have to sit at the same table as you,” I’m quick to reply.

“How quickly can you eat, then?”

Without even looking at the formidable amount of food, I say deadpan, “Impressively so.” I then take a sip of my water.

“I’d rather see that skillset on my cock.”

I choke on the water and splutter it back into the glass. Tears leak down my cheeks as Leon’s and Maria’s attention snap my way.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” Maria asks, offering me a napkin, but I wave her away.

The asshole sitting across from me is chuckling, and I can’t even get the words out to bite back at him. “I’m okay,” I gasp out. “Just went down the wrong hole.”

“That’s what she said,” Will says quietly under his breath.

“Will!” Maria snaps.

I’m baffled by Will. For a successful man in what I’m assuming to be his thirties, it catches me off guard. And I don’t think it’s because he’s immature, although that’s what he’s showcasing. He has an aura around him that dictates he’s all sophistication and calculation but it’s as if he purposefully doesn’t want to be taken seriously. Or he’s just really good at pissing everyone around him off. I’m leaning especially toward the later.

“Well, I hope you all enjoy your night. I have to head back to the kitchen,” Leon says amid the awkward tension, excusing himself, then adds for Maria, “I’ll send you a text later, okay?”

“I don’t like him,” Will’s quick to announce before Leon’s even left the table. And I wonder if he purposefully put this crude display on to… deter the man from his sister?

I have my hand over my chest as my breathing settles and Maria’s attention snaps to him. “Can you please just start eating and stay quiet? You agreed you’d be on your best behavior tonight.”

“I’m not hungry. I just came for the show,” he says with a slow smile as he brings the wine to his lips, still looking at me.

This motherfucker is winding me up on purpose. Here I thought it was a personal thing. Turns out he’s just an asshole to everyone. Maria looks furious, and so I begin to scoop pasta onto my plate.

“Well, I, for one, am starving,” I defiantly say, then make a point to ignore Will. Surprisingly, he remains quiet from then on and simply watches us. It’s unnerving, but I remind myself how “grateful” I should be since he got me my next gig.

Lucky for me, I’ll never have to see this asshole again after tonight.