*
They drove through the night in silent with Aria looking out the window towards the moving scene. She couldn't understand it no matter how hard she tried.
Frank had practically pulled her out of there only for one simple reason.
He couldn't stand the fact that she was finally talking to someone who at least cared about her enough to laugh at her silly comment without pretending about it.
She saw how everyone was throwing small glances at her direction back at the book launch. She bet they also thought there were a couple.
Her feet seemed to be killing her pretty bad due to how long she has been putting on those damn heels he had forced her to wear tonight and for what?_to act as a lady beside someone who only cared for his stupid ego.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. At least their deal for that day was finally over and she was heading home to relax.
Even though he'd promised to explain his relationship with that lady they met at the book launch and also why he thought it was okay to just lie about their relationship as well, Aria could still care less. All she wanted at that moment was to get home and get to bed.
Frank on the other hand seemed to be avoiding any form of conversation with her as he was barely looking at her direction even though they were seating a couple of inches away from each other.
When she finally allowed her eyes to snap open again, she realized they were driving at a different lane and heading to a different direction because it doesn't look like the road that lead to her house.
"Where are we going?" Aria had asked, turning to Frank with a slight frown that was completely lost to the night.
"Some place you will like before going home"
"I will rather be on my way home at this point if you don't mind?"
Frank gave her a quick sideways glance.
"You need to relax a bit alright?. And besides, the night is still too young to run to your apartment don't you think?"
Aria quickly glanced at the dashboard and realized it was a little pass nine'o clock but refused to be swayed still.
She was still determined to talk him out of whatever he could be thinking.
"I have work on Monday so I need to rest as much as I can"
Frank only snort at her reply still looking ahead.
"I'm sure you do but an hour is all it will take so hold on. We are almost there"
He stepped on the gas paddle and continued on their way not saying another single word.
**
They finally arrived at a restaurant that was located at the island. The atmosphere was very cold and windy when they got down from the car.
Aria was welcomed with the touch of cold breeze that caressed her cheeks and causing her to shiver a bit. Her hair was all over the place before she managed to tucked back some strains of stray hairs behind her ears and wrapped her arms tightly around herself to keep warm.
The place was so welcoming and has a vibe that screamed romance as each table was set for two with red little candles seating in between.
She threw a quick glance at him wondering what could have gone through his mind when he decided to bring her there only to realized that, he was watching her as well with that expression she can't quite understand.
Was it admiration or simply his way of unnerving her with his piercing gaze but whatever it was, it lingered not more than a second for her to decipher the emotion behind it.
And before she could say what was at the tip of her tongue, he blurted out.
"This is not a romantic date okay? Just a nice place we can seat and talk about what happened earlier" he told her cockily before holding up a finger to her face and forcing her to swallow back whatever she was about to say to him.
She rolled her eyes at him with a scoff before looking away towards the open sea spread out at a distance.
If she knew they were going to end up at the island, she would have taken her jacket along.
As she continued to stare, Aria realized there was something peaceful about the place that warmed her heart in an unusual way not minding the cold breeze from the sea.
That place was perfect for a romantic dinner date but just like he said._It wasn't a romantic get away. Just a place to chill out so they better get to it so she could head home and never see his face again.
"I was only wondering because you don't strike me as one" Aria finally replied him with a scowl.
Frank only answered with a shrug.
"If you say so! Now come on let get settled, shall we?"
With him leading the way and Aria trailing him from behind, They both walked towards one of the arranged table under the tree and sat down before he waved one of the female waiters over.
"Welcome ma'am, sir" said the waiter as she stood beside their table,ready to take their order.
"A glass of whiskey with ice for me and anything soft for the lady"
"Just water please. I will have a glass of water"
"Okay ma'am. I will be right back"
The waiter took note of their order and went away.
Frank cocked a brow at Aria and said.
"That was a wise decision even though I don't think soda can make you drunk"
She shot him a knowing glare because she understood exactly what he could be implying.
"I'm really thirsty if you must know"
"I'm sure you are" he said chuckling hard at her reply.
The waiter later returned with their order after a few minutes and placed it on their table.
Frank reached over for his glass of whiskey and sip a little, savoring its taste on his buds before swallowing.
He placed it back on the table and leaned back on his chair while Aria on the other hand; almost emptied her bottle of water before replacing the cap.
"You were really that thirsty?"
She answered with a shrug and leaned back against her chair as well with a poker face.
"You know I didn't compliment your outfit earlier. I must say you look ravishing in that dress miss Davis"
"Thanks for the compliment. You don't look bad yourself" Aria had replied trying so hard not to blush or lock eyes with me.
He adjusted on his seat and cleared his throat.
"Thank you. Am quite flattered"
"You know you can just call me Aria right? I really don't mind"
"Let just say am used to regarding you that way" he replied with a shrug.
"Does it make you uncomfortable to just call me by my name? Six years is not six months plus I no longer work for you so you should be able to address me by my name at this point".
A quick thought crossed his mind as his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Do you think six year is enough time to know someone completely?" He asked her.
"Maybe not completely but enough to be comfortable and familiar with them to some extends depending on the kind of relationship though" Aria had answered quite frankly.
He thought about her answer for a moment as he stared at nothing in particular.
When he looked at her again, his eyes was filled with a different kind of emotion as he spoke in a rather small voice.
"I knew her for six years you know? and it still wasn't enough to realize she was going to rip out my heart with a smile"
Aria was sure Frank was no longer talking about her at this point as his eyes were fixed at a distance.
"You are talking about that lady from earlier right?"
Frank answered with a nod. He was probably afraid he might cry if he spoke about her further but he knew he had to. He'd promised to tell her about it so he took another breath and continued.
"We were going to get married you know? It all started when we decided to be on the first name basis and now she has a fiancé and am seating out here and pouring out my heart to you and hoping you see me as a normal human being with emotions and not just an arrogant jerk like everyone else"
Those last statement kind of rang a bell in her ears and made her feel like she has misunderstood that man seating before her for far too long.
"Look, am sorry if I ever made you feel like you are an arrogant jerk even though you are not being one right now. Just know am sorry okay? And besides no one deserves to be treated the way she did you so if it makes you feel any better than am telling you, that you are better off without her"
Frank raised a brow at Aria.
"You think so? Because I think I suck at the game of love so it wasn't her fault. I was played a fool because I was already a fool to begin with"
Aria couldn't help but disagree with his past statement.
"You know? I have known you to be a lot of things but definitely not a fool. I don't know exactly what she did to you but you are better off without her if you ask me" she said with a shrug.
"You think?" He asked her with a raised brow
"All I know is that whatever makes you sad more than being happy is not worth it so yeah, I think so" she said matter of fact.
A considerable amount of silence stretched between them with Frank still deep in his own thought before he turned to her again.
"Is that why you left? Because I was being a pain in the butt?"
She thought about it for a moment trying to really Understand her reason for leaving his company but couldn't arrive at anything other than she wanted to be far from him and to be honest, she hasn't really succeeded or she won't be seating a breath away from him.
"I left because I wanted to grow and not because you were what you said you are" Aria had answered as honestly as she could.
He gave a nod as he reached for his glass again and down it before waving the waiter over.
"I need the whole bottle" She told him as soon as she walked over.
"Okay sir"
Aria only raised a brow at his direction before asking.
"Why do you need a whole bottle of whiskey?"
He gave a careless shrug before replying.
"Sorry Aria but you are not the only thirsty person here"
"Okay!"