Olivia was more than happy with the wine from the project team. They had given her two bottles—one was the liqueur they had just sampled, and the other was her favorite mango wine.
"Boss, if we really invest in their company, does that mean they'll be sending us wine every holiday?"
Grace Li chuckled. "Wishful thinking, buddy. You're really reaching for the stars on this one."
"Plenty of project teams do it, though. Even Aiguo sends us goodies every holiday."
"Well, that just means you better stay on top of this project."
"You betcha! I'll be all over it like white on rice."
After Grace Li dropped Olivia off at her place, only she and Aiden Thompson remained in the car.
Aiden grinned and said, "I just stumbled upon this sick private dining spot in the West Village. Wanna swing by and give it a shot?"
"What kind of food do they serve?" Grace asked.
"Chinese. But I heard they put an American spin on some of the dishes."
"Alright, let's check it out."
Aiden plugged the address into her car's GPS, and Grace followed the directions.
The restaurant's exterior blended modern minimalism with subtle Chinese influences—sleek wooden accents, a small water feature, and soft lantern lighting that gave the place a warm, inviting glow. Inside, the open-concept dining area had well-spaced tables, each next to a uniquely designed window overlooking a carefully curated mini-garden. The ambiance was perfect for an intimate dinner or a relaxed conversation with friends.
By the time they arrived, the evening had set in. Each table was softly illuminated by a warm overhead light, just enough to highlight the dishes without being too bright. There were only eight tables in total, and six were already occupied.
As they settled into their seats, Grace looked around, clearly impressed. "This place is off the hook! I'm loving it."
"Glad you dig it," Aiden said with a grin.
Grace glanced at him and asked, "How on earth did you know I'd be into this place?"
Aiden smirked. "Just a gut feeling. Call it my sixth sense."
"And what made you think that?"
He leaned back, thoughtful but sure. "People's preferences show up in the little things. You like a laid-back, peaceful vibe. Clean, sleek aesthetics. This place has your name written all over it."
Grace blinked. She had never consciously noticed her own preference for quiet, minimalist spaces, but thinking back, even when she decorated her apartment, she had leaned toward the same style. It was surprising—Aiden seemed to know her better than she knew herself.
After placing their orders, Grace quietly turned to admire the garden view outside the window. When she shifted her gaze back, she caught Aiden looking at her.
"What are you staring at me for? Cat got your tongue?"
Aiden didn't even try to hide it. "Just because I can't take my eyes off you. You're a knockout."
Blunt. Straight to the point. Grace, on the other hand, wasn't like him—more than three seconds of eye contact with him, and her heart started pounding like she was doing something she shouldn't.
Trying to switch the topic, she asked, "By the way, did Scarlet hit you up today, asking you to chauffeur her home?"
"Nope. I had a drink. Unless she's lost her mind, she wouldn't even ask."
"And if you hadn't had a drink? What was your plan?"
Aiden shrugged, like it was the easiest thing in the world. "Piece of cake. I could pull the 'leg cramp' card, claim I'm seeing double, or say my eyes are killing me."
Grace chuckled. "You've got an arsenal of excuses. You could write a book on it."
"Compared to her, I'm still a rookie in the excuse-making game."
He wasn't wrong. If anyone was a pro at finding excuses, it was Scarlet Harris.
"You do know she's into you, right?"
"Of course. I'm not living under a rock. But I'm just not into her. She's not my cup of tea."
"She's not exactly lacking in qualifications, though."
Aiden propped his chin up with the back of his hand, his gaze turning softer, more serious. "Yeah, but right now, I'm all about Grace Li. Everyone else is just background noise."
A faint blush crept up Grace's cheeks. Looking at him, she couldn't help but notice that effortless mix of confidence and playfulness he carried—like nothing in the world could tie him down. Over the past few days since they made things official, she realized she had been following his lead the whole time.
Dinner stretched on for nearly two hours. Grace loved everything about the place. It had been ages since she'd had dinner in such a peaceful setting, where every little detail felt picture-perfect. She barely even talked through the meal, too busy soaking in the atmosphere.
At nine o'clock, the restaurant was closing, and they finally got up to leave.
As they reached the entrance, Grace suddenly froze. "I totally spaced on paying. What a brain fart."
She was about to turn back when Aiden gently took her hand. "Already took care of it. No sweat."
She recalled that Aiden had placed the order through an app—he must've paid then.
"I should've gotten this one," she said.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, amused. "Why the sudden chivalry? What's the deal?"
"Well…" She couldn't exactly say it was because she made more money than him—that would be brutal. Instead, she said, "Since you just graduated not long ago, I figured I'd pick up the tab this time."
Aiden let out a small laugh. "I've only been out of school a year, but I'm not broke. I can spring for a nice dinner with my girl."
Grace decided to go with it. "Well, thanks for treating me tonight. You're the best."
"Anytime, babe. My pleasure."
Aiden laced his fingers through hers and started walking—not toward the parking lot.
Grace frowned. "Where are we headed? The car's the other way."
"There's a park nearby. Thought we could take a little stroll, enjoy the night air."
"A park? Seriously?"
"Yeah, just a casual walk. It's a rare chance to have you all to myself without any work stress."
She sighed. If it weren't for today's winery visit, she would've been stuck at the office working overtime. "It's the end of the year. Things are bananas at work."
"Which is exactly why we should make the most of this moment. You can't put a price on quality time."
"We've been together all day."
"Yeah, but now it's just you and me. No emails. No meetings. Just us. Whole different ballgame."
Every time Aiden said the word girlfriend, Grace's heart gave a little jolt. The January air was cold, but the warmth of his hand in hers made her forget the chill. It was a reminder—she was in a relationship now. And he was good to her.
She thought to herself, No matter where this goes, this moment is worth it.