Two days after she'd agreed, Eric called her after Kate's take. He was still in Seattle, but he'd told her he booked their dinner at the famous steakhouse near the shooting location for Saturday night. She knew the place so well, having been there several times in the past. It was close to her apartment, and Eric had promised to walk her home for the night before returning to his hotel.
But now as she saw his hardened face, she was doubting more and more about this. More so when Eric's grin slipped, and his jaw clenched as she made her way to their designated table.
Ana forced a smile. "I hope you don't mind, but my friend here is famished and I decided to bring him along."
Eric tensed visibly. Eyeing their guest up and down, no doubt assessing his casual attire—and his arm which was looped with Ana's. "Friend?"
"Yes, you haven't met him? He is the stills photographer. Meet José Rodriguez."
José grinned widely for his credit, seeming unaware of the tension. "Hello, Mr. Miller, nice to meet you. I'm your huge fan."
Ana exhaled a relieve breath when Eric took José's offered hand and shook it after seizing him as if he was a math quiz. His voice was lack of warmth he always exuded for her. "Nice to meet you, too."
Ana didn't want this. "Eric, can we talk for a moment, please?"
He sought for her eyes, thinking something. "Sure."
Ana exhaled discreetly. "Okay, well. José, you can order first, I'll be back in a minute," she said, practically grabbing Eric to the restroom area.
They weaved their way through other diners. Noting a secluded area at the corner, she led Eric there. She shoved him forward, pressing her arms to his biceps, while pinning him to the dark wall. His eyes were wide. Surprised, she thought.
He started to say something but Ana cut him.
"I'm sorry. I really didn't want this date to be a disaster but, you see, José have so much things going on with his private life, and he was wasting away, and I can't let him be like this any longer. And I can't let you down either, so I brought him here. I'm so sorry if this is not the night you thought it would be, but I… I don't want to let anyone down. I'm sorry—I, I…"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Miss Thompson," he eased his hands to cup her face gently. His skin was warm to her icy face. "Take a deep breath now. I don't want you to faint on me."
She marveled at his soothing tone, feeling grateful for his thoughtful gesture. "Okay," she breathed.
"I know you know that I'm not at all happy with this situation concerning our very first date, but you could always make it up for me, right?" he winked playfully.
"Yes, yes," she nodded eagerly. "I'll make it up for you."
"Good. Now, shall we go back to our guest? I still want to get to know you better tonight," he skimmed her arms, grasping her fingers.
"Thank you," Ana hoped she could convey her gratitude with her smile.
She didn't know he could be this gentle, this kind towards her and her impulsiveness. As he guided her to their table, she noticed his hand was resting lightly on the small of her back. It brought back the tingling sensation whenever he was near her.
José was already seated on the added chair. He smiled at them. "Well, I hope I won't be an inconvenient. I told the waiter to come again later as I don't know what you and Annie would like to eat."
Eric helped her to her chair before sitting opposite her. "Annie?"
"Ana and I are childhood friend. We are waaay beyond best friend. Right, Annie?" José placed his arm around her shoulder.
Ana grimaced slightly, witnessing the light from Eric's face faded little by little. "Yes! We are friends! Just friends. José is like my own brother. My annoying," she elbowed José's ribcage, "older brother."
"Ow. Watch that hand, sister," the blunthead pinched her arm.
Ana smiled apologetically at frowning Eric. "I'm sorry, he's always like that."
"Like what? If you think I'm my usual fabulous self, then yeah," José laughed loudly. "Okay, enough with this awkward introduction. Let's dive to the main course."
Just in time, "You all ready to order?" a good-looking waitress with blinding smile asked them exuberantly, handing the menu to Ana and Eric first. Ana noticed that she was making an eye at Eric, but he had his eyes trained only on Ana. Somehow, it pleased her immensely.
José snatched the menu from her. "I'm having a ribeye steak medium, with mashed potatoes, and a glass of stout. And stop staring. Honestly, you'd never get the job done."
"Er, certainly, sir," the waitress pouted.
Ana and Eric smirked at each other before ordering their meal. Ana was handed a wine list, and when she stared dubiously at the variations of it, Eric kindly picked it for her. "We'll be having a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon," he smiled reassuringly to Ana.
"Thank you," she bit her lip unconsciously.
"So," he turned to José, "You're like… Ana's brother?"
José didn't catch the challenging note in his voice. "Yep. We were two peas in the pod in the kindergarten, but life happens and we only reunited again in the college. Good thing our jobs entangled, because this girl would be lonely if not for me."
"Don't flatter yourself, José."
Eric's scowl morphed into a rather relax smile. "I see. I have two siblings myself. An older brother, and a little sister."
José spluttered, "You have an older brother? How old is he? Is he look like you? I bet he's got himself a hot girlfriend, right?"
"Whoa, calm down, tiger," Ana scolded him, although she wanted to know too. More so for knowing Eric better.
The waiter returned with their drinks. José snatched it as well.
"Elliot is three years older than me. That makes him like, twenty-nine or thirty," Eric was clicking something on his smartphone before handing it to José. Ana was leaning closer to see. It was a family photograph of him, and three other people Ana assumed were his parents and Elliot. "It was taken when my sister was away, studying fashion design in Paris. We were all adopted, so I don't think he looks like me."
José whistled, "My God, what a good-looking family you have. Had you not mentioned adoption, I could see you're still related."
Ana nodded. His brother was nothing like him. Eric was leaner and darker haired. She admitted they all looked handsome. And their stature was similar with the older gentleman who had his arm wrapped around a small bright-faced woman. They must be his parents.
"Okay, that's enough." Eric took his phone back, pouting heavily. "Don't look at him too long, Miss Thompson, it hurts my pride. However, you can always look at me," he added playfully.
Ana couldn't help but snicker at him. Seriously, this guy.
"You know, it's the first time I saw you up close. Usually my friend Margo who handled you. But you really are a fine man, Chris. Can I call you Chris?"
Their conversation was cut as their order arrived.
Hm, Ana mused. The smell was delicious. Eric peered at her, his eyes twinkling in delight.
"You can call me Eric or Chris, Mr. Rodriguez," he said, before cutting the meat.
José was busy chewing his steak. "Everyone calls me José. Except Margo. She always called me her soulmate. Speaking of her, I heard from her that people sing you praises. You are a rising star in the set."
"I wouldn't say it like that. Compared to other actors I'm as green as leaves."
"No," Ana exclaimed abruptly. "You may be new, but you are as talented as them. Look at you."
Eric lifted his eyebrows.
"Yes, look at you! Any man with a face like that surely could have any girl he wanted. Right, Annie?"
"Absolutely," she nodded rather enthusiastically.
Eric grinned shyly, trying to cover his growing smile with his glass of wine. Ana noticed it, though, and she couldn't help but feeling something flutter inside her chest.
"Say, you think that, too, Ana?"
Huh, did José say something? "About what?"
"Isn't Eric handsome?"
It took her two seconds to come up with answer. "Oh, totally," she smiled awkwardly, not failing to notice Eric's bashful smile.
"You like handsome man, too, right?" José waggled his eyebrows.
What the hell. What was José implying? This little shit… "Oh, I don't know. I don't think…"
José, as if sensing the blood, banged their table like a drunk-ass he was, half-shouting, "Spill it, girl."
Ana glared at him. "What's it with you?" she gritted her teeth.
"Just tell us. Who's is your type, Annie?" he winked.
Ana bit her lip. José was in for the kill. She knew better than changing the subject, because once this guy sensed she was trying to hide something, he was relentless on having the answer.
Whatever, she would just answer randomly then, "Um, I like dark, mysterious man with deep eyes."
That was the first thing that came up her mind. Dark, mysterious man with deep eyes? God, what was she? A teenager? She shook the nagging feeling in her head. Oh, well. What would go wrong, anyway?
Eric's smile faded.
"Oh, you wench," José chuckled. "I thought for a second you would confess your love for me, when in fact you know I'm batting for the same team," he patted Ana's shoulder, laughing exuberantly.
Ana shook her head in exasperation, "Calm down, José, we're drawing people's attention."
José waved his finger at her, completely ignoring her warning. "Shame on you, girl. I really like Eric here. What d'you think Chris?"
They turned their heads at Eric, who was clenching his jaw. "I can be mysterious, too," he spat.
That got Ana startled. José, too, was suddenly stop laughing.
His dark expression wavered a little as Ana met his eyes. He was quick to avoid her gaze. "Excuse me, I have to go to the restroom."
Ana gaped at him, watching in deep thought at the way he moved around their table and strutted gracefully among the other diners. José was no better than her.
"Oh, wow, wait. What's up with him?"
She frowned, feeling something sunk heavily in her stomach. "I don't know."
"Is he jealous?"
"It can't be…" can it? she mused, completely perplexed.
"Really, you don't know, girl?" José narrowed his eyes, as if remembering something through his drunken fog. "Come to think of it, he really showed his dislike of me the first time we arrived and you told him I would join you for dinner. Was Kate right all this time?"
Ana feigned interest. "What do you mean?"
"Kate swore Eric acted like a lovesick puppy following you around in the set. She said it was a little pathetic, with you ignoring his attention. I thought she was talking rubbish, but noooow," he slurred.
Was he that obvious? Was she? What if other people start speculating? Oh God. To be the center of their gossips was the last thing she wanted.
She gritted her teeth, "Don't look at me like that, okay. I don't want to give him a chance only to find out we are not matched. It would jeopardize everything."
Ana sipped her wine silently, tune out José's babbling. Truth is, it would destroy the world she built for herself, the safe zone she desperately safeguarded. No man would enter her heart easily, and she needed it remain that way, even if it meant she'd be lonely for the rest of her life. It was not the right time though, with her career blossoming and her days filled with everything Kate and work. Later, maybe. But not now.
The sound of chair scrapping the floor made her back to reality that was Eric.
He made his way back with the same gracefulness she witnessed earlier, while staring at her for what felt like an eternity, making her blushed. She could not control her face around him, and like he knew the fact, brought a sincere smile to his lips. "You daydreamed again."
She stuttered, "I tend to, especially after José Rodriguez's incessant speech."
Eric's melodic laugh filled her ears. "You're cute, Ana."
Oh, sweet mother of fuck. Now she was sure, even the sprinkles above could not put out the fire on her face. She felt the steam leaking out from her head. José, help!
"She is! Ana was cuter when she was kid. One day she got upset for some reason and started climbing a tree in the backyard of her home and refused to get down unless her prince come to see her. I was live next door so I saw how our parents and all the neighbors were frantic and scared she was going to fall. She was sulking and crying on the highest branch, mind you!" Oh, God.
"José!" she could not handle anymore embarrassment tonight.
Eric was laughing, though. Insensitive bastard.
"What happened then?"