"My company is doing great, Cole. Thanks for asking." Gavriel answered, he gazed back to Claire and smiled.
"It was a pleasure to meet you." He said lastly before waving and heading to pay.
"God." Cole scoffed before lifting his hands in sign of surronder.
"I am sorry. I hate being interrupted." He apologized to Claire.
"Who was him?" Claire asked with curiosity, she wondered how did that man know about that mysterious woman. She whished she had the courage to ask him more information, Cole seemed so fond whenever he talked about his lover.
She sighed, will she ever be loved that deeply from a man?
She inwardly made a whish, to meet someone who would be as devoted and passionated about her the way Cole was about that mysterious woman.
Something about the way he loved seemed more genuine, even sophisticated as if Cole loved on a deeper higher level.
Cole cleared his voice before answering, "he's a collaborator of mine. I used to annoy him a lot with endless talking about my lovestory a few years ago. If he still remembers my recounting, I may have bored him too much."
"You must have talked about that woman a lot," Claire commented, as she passed the dish to the waiter.
Cole did the same and when the waiter walked away he answered, "Indeed. I did."
The waiter a few minutes later brought a new menu to the table, it was the menu dedicated to desserts.
He let them a couple of minutes to decide and then came back to get the orders.
Claire's phone rang a few times, but she waited for the waiter to leave before answering.
When she heard her boyfriend's voice, the realization came as a wet blank. She didn't even remember to inform him of her absence.
She wasn't even able to speak that soon Brendon screamed through the phone.
"Where the hell are you? I am worried. I couldn't wait to come back home just to find out you are out. are you with Cole aren't you??"
She frowned her forehead, how did he know? She shook her head puzzled.
"Yes, Brendon. I'm with Cole. We went for dinner out I-.."
He interrupted her almost as if he was just waiting for her to confess before yelling once again.
"Why would you hang out for dinner with my brother and not with your boyfriend, Claire? Tell me what is going on?" His voice grew more accusing.
"Cole calm down, nothing is going on. We are just getting along well. You shall be happy that your girlfriend has fun with one of your relatives. Do not freak out and calm down."
Claire heard him take a long deep breath, silence followed as he exhaled and inhaled for a bit.
"Can I join you?" He asked when he calmed down.
Claire immediately gazed at Cole and opened her mouth to ask him but then she realized she didn't need to ask. Brendon was her boyfriend and she wasn't supposed to ask someone else if he could join.
"Yes sure. I'll text you the address."
She sighed and hung off.
"I-I'm sorry, he was mad and I had to tell him…"
"It's fine." Cole smiled. "I get it."
When the dessert had been brought to the table they told the waiter that a new guest would soon arrive so Cole ordered a dessert for him as well.
"I heard my brother yelling. What bothered him that much?" Cole asked.
Claire shrugged, cutting the tip of the cake's slice.
"I don't know, maybe the fact that I was with you. He is a very jealous man."
"I see. And what about you? Are you jealous?" Cole asked. He didn't even touch the cake, it was like that wasn't his main interest when he was with her.
Claire shook her head slowly, as she enjoyed that delicious chocolate cake.
"I am not. Not at all."
At that answer, Cole had to bite his upper lip not to laugh. Maybe that answer awakened in him an old memory that reminded him that she was lying.
"Are you a jealous man instead?" Claire tilted her head to the side, her gaze fell on his lips. Then up to his hair, cascading on her forehead gently, emphasizing his dark deep eyes.
She took a deep breath, to assimilate all his charm that bewitched her from the very first minute they met.