It was only the second day of his "sentence", as he thought of it, and already William felt like he might go crazy. His grandmother had set up a number of blind dates for him, and he was required to attend all of them. He was already tired of the whole process, and it had only just begun. The thought of having to go through this for many more weeks to come seemed unbearable. And yet, he had no choice but to comply to his grandmother's wishes.
Not one of his dates had been interesting as they all tried too hard to please him and convince him to accept them. They boasted about their prestigious schools they had attended (as if he cared ) and the number of degrees they had earned (can you imagine?). They also mentioned their family wealth as if marriage were a business transaction. William found it all rather tiring and disingenuous.
He sighed, feeling the weight of his situation. It was his own fault, after all. His grandmother only wanted what was best for him, but marriage was one thing he couldn't give her. He wasn't ready to open his heart to anyone, to let anyone into his life. He had made that decision ten years ago, and it was a punishment of sorts, one that he had imposed on himself. He wondered if he would ever be able to change, if he would ever be able to let someone in. But the thought of it filled him with fear and doubt.
"We're here." Henry announced, snapping William out of his thoughts.
William blinked, the world outside the window suddenly coming into focus. "We're where?" He asked, his voice a little groggy from his daydreaming.
"The Grand Boulevard Restaurant." Henry answered, gesturing to the imposing building they had just pulled up to. "This is your last date for today." He added, his voice matter-of-fact.
William groaned, like a child being forced to do his homework. "I thought we were done with this." He whined.
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget? It's five dates, remember?" He reminded him.
"Ugh, I'm so sick of this." William said, slumping on his seat. "Is there any way to get out of it?"
Henry considered for a moment. "Well, you could just get married." He replied in a light and teasing tone. William glared at him, but he just laughed. "I'm just kidding." He said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, you might as well make the best of it. Who knows, you might meet someone you actually like."
William rolled his eyes. "That's highly unlikely." He spoke. "Besides, I'm not looking for love. I'm perfectly content being single."
Henry only laughed at William's words.
"Can't you just go to this last date for me?" William pleaded. "Please, I'm so tired of all this."
Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, playing a recording of William's grandmother voice. "I want to make this clear, Henry." Her tone stern. "You are not to attend any of William's blind dates on his behalf. He needs to do this himself."
"Why are you playing that recording?" William asked, clearly frustrated.
"I was told to play it anytime you suggest I go to these dates in your place." Henry explained, a sly grin on his face.
William let out a long sigh. "Has anyone ever told you that you're annoying?"
"I'll take that as a compliment." Henry replied, still grinning. "It's part of my job description." He pulled out a tablet and turned it to show William. "Here's a picture of your date." He said, offering it to William. "I got it from Mrs. Deville."
However, William did not reach for the tablet, instead shaking his head. "I don't need to see that." He said, stepping out of the car.
"But…" Henry began, but it was too late.
"I'll see you after the date." William cut in, slamming the car door shut. He then turned and headed into the restaurant, leaving Henry to watch him go.
As William approached the front desk, the receptionist greeted him with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Anderson." She greeted, tapping away at her computer. "You have a reservation, is that right?"
"That's correct." William replied.
She looked into her computer then said. "I'll show you your table."
He nodded, following the receptionist and as they entered the dining room, he saw a lady sitted at the table, her back turned to him. She was dressed in a striking red dress. The fabric of the dress clung to her curves, revealing her slim figure and long legs.
The receptionist gestured for him to go in and left.
William approached the table, convinced that the woman in the red dress was his date. He took a seat across from her, crossing his legs and letting his gaze wander to the large window that looked out onto the city. He didn't look at her, there was no point looking at her since he was not interested in knowing her. He could feel her eyes on him, but he kept his gaze fixed on the cityscape outside.
"I'm very tired, so let's make this quick." He started, his eyes still fixed on the window. "I know my grandmother told you to be on your best behaviour and impress me, but I'm going to be honest - you can't. I'm not interested in getting to know you. I'm sure you understand what I'm saying."
He waited for the woman to respond, but there was only silence. Finally, he turned to look at her, expecting to see her hurt or angry. But instead, he found her looking at him with a knowing smirk. Baffled, he stared at her. She had a sleek bob, a pointed nose, and lips painted a deep red. Her piercing dark eyes made it difficult for him to look away. It wasn't because he was enthralled by her beauty, it was something totally different. There was something about her that drew him in, something he couldn't put his finger on. He sat there, transfixed, as she watched him with an amused expression.
And that moment when she looked him straight in the eye and said. "Let's get married." Her voice clear and confident.
He was left speechless, he was spellbound, mesmerised by her audacity and intrigued by her boldness. And suddenly, he found himself drawn to her.