When Mason Kent arrives at the luxurious restaurant Alycia Reese texted him a few hours ago, he does not even have a second to waste. The moment he gets out of his car, he quickly hands the key to one of the workers there and follows the waiter who leads him to the private room Alycia reserved.
Standing before the door, the Colonel spares a second for himself and takes a deep breath.
It turns out that he is more nervous than he expected!
Once he feels that he has succeeded in calming his nerves, he reaches for the doorknob and finally enters the room.
Inside the private room, which might even be too large for just two people to eat, Alycia Reese, sitting in one of the two chairs, immediately grabs all of Mason Kent's attention, like always.
Her beautiful long light brown hair, her mesmerizing hazel eyes, her soft expression as she scrolls her phone... this sight makes Mason Kent think of one thing.
'She is still the same.'
"Mr. Kent." Alycia Reese quickly rises from her seat when she notices the Colonel quietly standing a few steps away. She was so absorbed in her phone that she did not even notice him entering!
"I am sorry for making you wait, Miss Reese," Mason Kent promptly apologizes as he walks forward. "I know you are a busy person."
Alycia Reese glances at her wristwatch and then shifts her gaze back to the Colonel with a little smile. "It's 7 p.m. right now. The exact time we agreed on," she clarifies and they both sit down. They briefly make their orders and once the waiter leaves, the chat continues.
"I am glad to hear you say that," Mason remarks on Alycia's words from earlier and adds, "It would be bad if I were late."
Hearing him out, Alycia Reese is quietly staring at him as if she were surprised and it makes Mason wonder if something was wrong.
Why is she looking at him like that?
Maybe the lady finally notices his expression, she briefly turns away and then looks at him again as she says, "I'm sorry for that. I was just taken aback by one thing."
Mason Kent slightly raises a brow. "And what could this one thing be?" He asks, sounding quite curious.
Alycia Reese hesitates for a moment before she eventually says, "Your voice." She flashes a small smile as she explains, "I hope you don't get me wrong, Mr. Kent. Your voice is soft and quiet; I mean, the husky type. It's my first time hearing it in person and... I was just a bit surprised by it because it is quite contrasting to your appearance." She pauses but quickly adds, "Not in a bad way."
When a few seconds pass in silence, it seems like the two are exchanging their role from earlier. While Mason quietly stares at Alycia, the latter is wondering what is going on in his mind. Then finally, she hears his voice after what feels like hours.
"Do you know me, Miss Reese?"
What kind of question is that? Alycia Reese is feeling perplexed.
Pondering for a moment, she confusedly responds to him by saying, "I have seen you a couple of times in those military gatherings. Besides..." She pauses as if she were hesitating but eventually continues, "We went to the same school."
As she is observing his reaction, she does not miss the way his eyes flicker and she quickly adds, "You might not remember me back then as you were too popular and we were not in the same grade, but for anyone who went to Gilden High around the same time as me, there was no way to not know you."
Hearing her out, Mason Kent slowly narrows his eyes and smiles to himself. However, Alycia Reese fails to notice this as she is still busy wondering how she might have sounded to him.
'She remembers me after all.' This thought was what made the Colonel smile to himself secretly but like always, she wouldn't have a clue about it. However...
What she had said triggered something inside Mason Kent, perhaps a desire he always tried his best to suppress due to their complicated situation back then and even now.
"I remember you too," Mason Kent mutters as he shifts his gaze back to Alycia Reese. Carefully examining her expression, he continues, "Back then at school and recently too... I often saw you with Captain Elliot McCall."
He watches as she narrows her eyes and presses her nails against each other. The hint of pain and discomfort her body signs give out... he notices it all. This makes Mason recall what he witnessed the other night.
It seems like it is really over between her and Elliot Mc Call. After all those years... he had never thought that this day would come!
The silence is broken by the sound of the door being opened and the same waiter from earlier walks inside and serves them the dishes they ordered. Then he leaves again right away.
Now that they are alone again, Alycia Reese forces a little smile and looks at Mason Kent. "I never expect you to remember me, Mr. Kent. Maybe because you were mostly quiet during those military gatherings."
He notices the way she tries to avoid 'Elliot McCall talk' but he does not show it. Instead, he flashes a calm smile. "You never talked to me too, Miss Reese," he points out and honestly adds, "That's why I thought you did not know me."
Talking to him? For the past 13 years, Elliot was the only man in her life. She loved and cared for him to the point where it seemed like her life revolved around him. This was what her cousin often joked to her too. So... talking to someone else, especially a man?
She knows that Mason Kent is right. After all, she had never really thought about it and she never cared about it too.
With these thoughts occupying her mind, Alycia quietly eats her food while Mason does the same but spares her a glance once in a while.
"May I ask you a question, Mr. Kent?"
It is Alycia who breaks the long silence and Mason nods right away.
"How did you take me home last night?" Alycia Reese finally spills the question that often comes back to bother her and quietly adds, "How did you know where I live?"
Many people would know where the family who owns Reese Corporation lives but she and her mother do not live there. They had been living in a separate mansion even before Alycia was born. Then... how come he knows her address?