Her Survival For Revenge

2

Chapter 2

It was 7:45pm when I told Miss Karen she could retire for the day. She wanted to stay with me till the closing hour but I told her I was going for a date so that she wouldn't be stuck with me. I advised her for the umpteenth time that she should live her life too.

Excited and giggling Miss Karen left the office, wishing me good luck on my date. I went to the restroom in my office to use the mirror and apply some makeup on my face and for the first time since I lost my parents, I allowed my hair to fall on my shoulders.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I kind of look older than my age, I guess the workload was telling on me.

'Since the day after tomorrow is the weekend, I think I need to visit the spa and work on my skin.' I said to my reflection. 'Don't worry soon you will be glowing as you used to in school then. We don't want Lincoln to run away from us do we?' I asked my reflection and I shook my head

“Good, that's what we're talking about, we need to glow up girl, and remind Lincoln that we are the fun girls we used to be back then in school."

I heard my phone ringing and I hurried out of the restroom to go get it. It was Lincoln and I felt my face going red, I took a deep breath and released it before answering the call.

“Hello, Lincoln.” I greeted cheerfully the moment I answered the call.

“Hell Cammy, I called to check if dinner is still on?” He asked.

“Yeah it is, I just closed for the day.” I lied. I've been free since 7pm, I had to cancel some of my work so that I won't look stressed on our date.

“Same here, I'm driving straight to your office now, can you come wait for me at the entrance?”

“Yeah, sure I can," I replied.

“See you in a few minutes." He said, before hanging up the call.

Putting on my heels, I hurried downstairs. Towards the entrance, I met some workers who were still busy with work.

“Good Evening ma'am.” They greeted me, as they saw me.

“Good evening, busy night?" I asked them.

“Yes ma'am." They chorused.

"It's for the meeting tomorrow." One of them answered.

I hate stressing my workers, especially those I see at the office daily. It made me look like I was punishing them or that I was wicked, and I hated that feeling.

“You know what Mr. Phill, send the documents to my email, my home email and I will take a look at it. You should go home, your wife will be missing you already, and go tuck your kids to bed. I'm not talking to Mr. Phill alone, all of you are retired for the day already, go meet people that are expecting you at home, okay?"

“Okay ma'am, thank you.” They chorused and bade me good night.

With little taps to my feet, I whistled out of the building to meet Lincoln standing in front of his car waiting up for me. When he saw me he smiled.

That smile was the reason why my heart flustered and the butterflies in my stomach were flapping their wings.

“Good Evening Miss Camilla, you look gorgeous, hold on did you put makeup on for me?” He asked, teasing me

“Good evening Lincoln, hell no I didn't put on makeup for you, I did it because we were going out and I don't know who I might meet out there. So don't flatter yourself, cause I'm all pretty this evening. You should count yourself lucky, you had a chance to go out with a gorgeous damsel like me." I joked and he laughed.

I walked over to the passengers’ side, entered, sat down, and closed the door.

“Sorry my bad, to be honest, I like you on makeup, there is this glow it adds to your face that makes it unique.” He said buckling his seatbelt while I did the same.

“Are you saying I'm ugly without makeup?” I asked, trying to start a war with him.

“Nope both sides of you are beautiful, I can't seem to choose which one I like best, and don't start a war with me, you know you always end up losing." He winked at me, igniting the engine, and zoomed off.

He was right, I hadn't won an argument with him, he always finds a way of hitting the right mark and always makes me defenseless of the situation, I murmured something to myself which made him laugh.

“Where are we going for dinner?" I asked after so much complaining and whining at what he said earlier.

“I thought you would never ask." He giggled like a child. "We're going to The White Horse. It used to be your favorite then, I don't know if it's still your favorite place." He said, taking a glimpse at me before turning his attention to the road again.

“Yeah, it is, it's still my best place to hang out. You still remember?" I asked.

“Yeah, I'll never forget anything about you." He said, beaming a smile at me.

I heard my heart skip a beat, and I placed my hand to my chest. ‘Slow down heart, we don't want to make it too obvious that we have liked him for a long time.' I warned myself, but how can I resist his charms when all he has been doing to me all night was flirting with me.

I don't know if it was an invitation for me to flirt back. What if I send the wrong signal and end up being a fool? I will be embarrassed for the rest of the night and wished I never said anything to him. That would mean avoiding him for the rest of my life.

‘Calm down Camilla, we won't let him know about this side of us, never.’ I said to myself, adjusting myself on the seat.

“Are you okay?" He asked the moment we got to the parking lot of the restaurant.

“Yeah I'm fine, why do you ask?"

“You seem quiet after I told you that I won't forget some certain things about you. You were lost in thoughts, did I hit a nerve you didn't like?” He asked and I shook my head.

“Not at all, I just remembered how it's been a long time we all went out together. One of these days we should call our friends for a get-together in this place.” I suggested.

I was about to step down from the car when he pulled me back and leaned closer to me. My heart was beating fast, faster than the normal heartbeats. What is he doing? Is he going to kiss me? Why is my heart beating so fast, what is he doing to me? Oh, am I going to survive this night with this tension going on between us?

All these questions kept popping in my head then I felt his hand wiping something off my face, when he was done he sat back comfortably on his seat adjusting his suit and I swallowed hard on my saliva.

“I'm sorry, you got a little stain there, we should get going.” He said, climbing out of the car.

I took a few minutes to calm my racing heart before stepping out of the car and we both walked into the restaurant.

A waitress walked up to us with a smile on her face.

“Good evening sir and ma'am, do you have a reservation, or would you like a table for two?" The waitress asked.

“I made a reservation earlier today," Lincoln replied.

“Name please?” the waitress asked

“Lincoln Aiden."

“Give me a minute." She said as she walked towards a man to ask about something, then she came back with that same smile on her face.

“Please follow me, this way." She said, leading us away from the public place we usually sat to eat with our friends back then.

Soon we were climbing the stairs to the VIP quarters, just a small room with two comfortable seats and a nicely decorated table with flowers and candles on it.

“This looks more like a date than a regular dinner. You should have told me it was a date so I could dress properly." I said, my voice laced with sarcasm.

“Well, you said we should pretend it was a date earlier on.”

“I was teasing you,” I said, hitting him lightly with my elbow.

“Too bad I fell for it, tsk - tsk." He said, shaking his head.

We both sat down on the seats, while the waitress poured us a drink from the bottle of champagne that was on the table.

“What would you like to order?" She asked us

“Cammy why don't you go first.” He said, pointing at the menu list on the table, I picked up the menu as I glanced through it.

“Hmm, I will have the Sirloin chili soup, with fat cheese and strawberry salad," I told the waitress.

“What about appetizers?" She asked.

“Coconut shrimp, that's all,” I replied, giving back the menu to her.

“And you sir?” she asked Lincoln

“I will have the French onion soup, pear and blue cheese salad mixed with the caesar salad and for the appetizers, I will have the amazing white horse chicken crunch. Thank you.” Lincoln said, handing her the menu.

“Your orders will be ready in a few minutes, please be patient and listen to some cool music." She said increasing the volume of the music before exiting the room.

“Wow this is my favorite song, you remembered it!" I exclaimed when she turned the music on.

“Yeah, we used to dance to this non-stop then. You always put it on replay which made everyone complain, including me but I had to endure it." He noted and we both laughed.

“Silly you, thanks for bringing back old memories.” I thanked him and he smiled.

Soon dinner was served alongside the appetizers, we talked as we ate, laughing at old jokes, twenty minutes later we were done with dinner and Lincoln took the tab and brought out his wallet to pay for the bills.

“We should split the bill since it wasn't an actual date,” I said, reaching out for my wallet.

“Don't be silly, I was the one that invited you to dinner. So keep your money, if you want to pay for dinner then invite me to one and I'll come running to you since it's free.” He joked, dropping the money on the table, and we both left the place in the car.

“How will you get to work tomorrow, I think your car is still at the office?" Lincoln asked.

“I hate to say this but it seems I'll have to ask Miss Karen to come pick me up. Meanwhile this morning I was ranting about her not having her own life because of me. I told her to have a life and stop coming to my house in the morning. I keep making a mess of myself." I said, slapping my forehead

“I can come pick you up since it's my fault,” Lincoln suggested.

“It's not your fault silly, we both went to dinner and I was starving. Besides no need, I don't want to divert your attention from your work tomorrow, you are a busy man and we aren't going in the same direction." I said

“I still have unfinished business at your location that I need to finish, so I guess you won't be troubling me. Just call me when you are ready, okay pretty damsel?" He asked.

“Okay if you say so," I answered, finally giving in to him.

I knew if I had said no he would keep insisting, and in the end, I would still agree with him because I would never win against him and he wouldn't allow me to beat him at all.

The drive back to my house was a quiet one. When we got to the front of my house, his car finally came to a halt, we both alighted from the car and he escorted me to the door.

“Thanks for dinner today, I really enjoyed myself and it was nice meeting you up today, after so long," I told him while fumbling with my handbag.

If this was a date, I would have been having my first kiss by now but since it was a friendly dinner I don't think a kiss will ever happen.

“Yeah it was, we should do this again someday, we don't have to wait for ages to see each other." He suggested.

“Yeah we should, text me when you are free and I will create time for you." I smiled, still fumbling with my handbag.

“Yeah good night Camilla, see you tomorrow morning." He said bidding me goodbye as he headed towards his car.

I called him when I remembered that I hadn't given the invitation to my art gallery opening party.

“Yeah." He answered, walking back to me.

"Sorry, I totally forgot about this." I said, checking my bag to bring out the invitation card and handing it over to him.'' Here you go, you are invited and the dress code is white. Good night and drive safely." I waved.

I was about to enter my house when he pulled me back and claimed my lips with his.