She cleaned her plate, groaning softly in satisfaction. The taste of the food had exploded in her mouth on her getting to know it, that she felt she hadn't eaten a good meal in decades.
"Was it that good? From the way you are right now, I know it was good!"
As if remembering she still had an audience, she wiped the corners of her mouth, pushed the trolley forward and faced Travis.
Travis almost flinched when her eyes landed on him once again. Now renewed in vigour and back to being icy.
"You are still here?"
The corners of Travis mouth quirked into a grin. He chuckled and made a comic gesture of looking behind him. The smile drained from his face on coming back to see her stoic face. "Yes," he replied, the ambient mood quickly deteriorating. "That was the plan."
"The plan. You are already coming up with plans."
"What? No..."
She didn't let him finish. "Bravo. The man with the plan."
Travis leaned forward, a finger to his chest. An utterly confused face. "Are you playing with me right now? Because you have to be."
"I look like a child that goes around playing with everything and everyone that cross my way."
Travis peered at her in shock. She never ceased to amaze him.
"Why did you do it?" she asked after a moment.
"What?"
"What was Tuesday all about. The man with the plan, also trying out to be the knight, going about, saving princesses in distress. Is that your day job? You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"
"Is that what the mood change is all about?" he asked, "Tuesday?"
She smiled. But it was not like the one she had given when he made that joke about her eating. It was back to her usual; cold and dead that you want to cover yourself up with a rock. "What do you know about my mood change. You caught me in my weak point and suddenly, you know me. The reverse is the case. What was Tuesday all about?"
"I saw you. You needed help and I helped."
She slammed her fist on the trolley and the plates leapt cluttering. "No I didn't!" Pointed a warning finger, "Don't give me those pity eyes!"
"You were barely holding up," he gritted. "At least admit that!"
"Yes," she said, her voice like evening air air, "I admit it. You made me look weak. Like I'm some fragile doll that some bitch words could hurt. You made me look weak!"
"I made you look weak! Okay, If I hadn't, then do you think you will be here, right now? Do you know what would have happened? I don't, but trust me, nothing good would have come out from that heated scene."
She didn't look impressed. "I should also trust you. Is that part of the plan?"
Travis shook his head, defeat registering. He couldn't register one win. "What the hell are you going on about?"
"My magic didn't completely take over?"
"So is that what this is really about?"
"You still have some control. Its like living with a ticking time bomb."
"So it was all about having control!" Travis roared. "You made me this way."
She gazed in utter contemplation. "My magic failed me."
"Stop. Just stop. You know you can drop this?" Travis whispered as he came close to her side of the bed, real close. "Look at me." She tilted her head up to look at him and he watched her right pupil dilate, the other following suit. "If you tell me you didn't prefer moments ago than this, then I will be out of here."
"I didn't."
Saying nothing, he turned and left. Jovic sighed, laying back on the bed, drawing as much air into her lungs and huffing it out in one breath. The ringing of her phone startling her.
****
"You came."
She sat. "I did."
He smiled. "Again."
"Again."
His smile never left. "If you don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering for us."
She felt a nerve tick but let it go just as quickly. "And what is that?"
William looked back and clapped his hands. A chef walked up to where they sat at the center. There were no other guests, as prior, William had booked the entire restaurant for the night which even without mentioning it, he knew she was aware. Her eyes on entering the restaurant had scanned the place and on seeing only William, dashing as always in his suits sitting at the center, a sort of smile had crossed her face. A smile that screamed admiration.
The chef gave a curt nod. "Mr William."
"Monsieur Serge. What do you have for us?"
Servers placed plates at their fronts, disappearing immediately Without an introduction, Jovic was already stiffing a breath. It had that fish stink.
Chef Serge folded arms behind back and began talking, "vegetables and lettuces encapsulated and served with dried seaweed and fish flakes."
William nodded along like a student already well versed in the topic being discussed by the lecturer.
Their plates were cleared. A big bowl brought before them to which they peered inside. A golden hue matched their stares.
"This is your favorite William," The chef said to which William smiled." He addressed Jovic, "Everytime he is here, he is always going on about making this soup for him, and now, because of him, it is in my chef's special."
"Oh!"
"Yes," Serge chuckled. "This is Soupe de poisson à la rouille. It was prepared with the finest white fish that we cook in our perfected broth."
"Fish again."
Next was a greek salad. And to top of their night, the chef smiled the way again as he personally served Caesar ice cream. William wasn't at lost of words in bestowing the chef compliments.
The chef brushed each of his words with humble replies. "Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it Mr William." He looked at Jovic, "Miss, I'm sure you enjoyed your night here?"
She stretched her lips.
"She doesn't talk much, but expect her to rave about it on our way home."
Serge fired up another rumbling chuckle that always seems to come from deep within his stomach. "Another time then, I will like to hear her review." He bent a little, "You sure don't bring pretty girls like her here."
Both men laughed.
And when their conservation had died out, William stood up, stretched a hand to which Jovic took. He smirked. "We will be going then."
Chef Serge bowed. "Mr William, I thank you again for coming."
William's laugh followed through as the couple bursted out into the night air. William holding her hand tighter as they walked slowly towards her car.
"I like you today. It was like before."
Jovic shook her head. William squeezed her hand and she looked up to his waiting gaze, "What do you mean?"
His mouth squeezed, "On our last date, you were acting all fiery. Like what happened to my sweet girl?"
"Your girl," she whispered. She realized that if not because of the disguise that had color afforded her, she would be bleeding red. Her foot bumped into her front tires and she turned, gazing up, "my ride."
He nodded.
She turned to leave but cupping her cheek, he held her in place. "Again," he affirmed.
She glanced down at her clasped hands for a few seconds before glancing back up to his darkened eyes. "Ok."
He took a step forward. She stepped back and gasped when she felt the fern of the car hit her back. He stopped before her, a smile on his lips and a confident gleam to his eyes which she had never seen before. And then, he kissed her.