Beauty (Fated Encounters) Read Free Page A

her father was anything like him.
    When they arrived on the main
floor and the elevator doors opened, Drake put his hand on the small of Tessa’s
back to lead her out after the others. He felt her stiffen at the touch, but he
took it as a good sign when she didn’t pull away. They didn’t speak as they
made their way out of the building. He guided her toward the restaurant located
on the ground floor of the building next door, and the crowd of people waiting
for tables parted for them as they entered Devine’s.
    The woman standing at the hostess
desk beamed a smile at him as they approached. “Mr. Vidal! I’ll have a table
for you in just a minute.”
    “Is the private room available,
Veronica?”
    Tessa saw the brief glare the
perky young woman cast her way before she smiled at Drake again and told them
to follow her. It was probably her imagination, but Tessa felt as if everyone
in the restaurant was staring at them as they walked toward the back. Several
men tried to hail Drake. He nodded at a few, but ignored the rest, and she
wanted to roll her eyes at his show of arrogance.
    Devine’s was an impressive place.
Tessa had always wanted to eat there, but it was almost impossible to get a
reservation in the well-known steakhouse. The decor was an interesting
combination of dark wood and contemporary embellishments in hues of deep purple
and silver. Votive candles sat in small crystal bowls on the center of white tablecloths,
and every table was full with patrons who seemed to be enjoying their meals.
    They were shown into a small,
private room and a waiter rushed in carrying a large bottle of sparkling water
as soon as the hostess left after she helped them remove their coats. The
waiter poured the water before leaving them alone. Tessa picked up the menu,
then set it down again without looking at it. “I’ve always wanted to come here.
I heard the food is great.”
    “It is.”
    “I bet it is. There’s always a
line of people outside waiting for a table. I suppose with it being right next
door you come here a lot. Of course, you being you, getting a table wouldn’t be
an issue anywhere. And...I’m rambling, aren’t I?” She picked up her glass of
water, gulping half of it down as he watched her with those bright blue eyes of
his. “I didn’t expect...I don’t usually...why are you looking at me like that?”
    One of his brows rose. “Like
what?”
    “Like that,” she said, waving her
glass at him, making the water slosh against the sides. She set the glass back
down before she spilled it, then placed her hands down on the table before sliding
them off again so they were clutched together on her lap.
    “What don’t you usually do,
Tessa?”
    “What? Oh, I’m sorry. I tend to
ramble when I’m nervous, and you make me...”
    “Nervous?” he supplied when her
voice trailed off into silence.
    She nodded, feeling the heat
flooding her cheeks as he kept staring at her. The door to the room was pushed
open again, and the waiter began rattling off the specials for the day. Tessa
picked up the menu again, but she looked at it without really seeing it.
    “Is there anything in particular
you don’t eat?”
    “Wh-what?”
    Drake repeated his question, and
after she shook her head, he placed an order for the chef’s selection steak
sandwich special with truffle fries for both of them. “So,” he said when they
were alone again, “show me what you have planned.”
     Relieved she had something to
do, Tessa pulled the binder out of her bag and set it down on the table. She
took her time explaining each page she had painstakingly prepared last night, highlighting
certain ideas she thought would appeal to him. She barely paused when their
meal was served. The food smelled absolutely divine, but her stomach was so
tied in nervous knots that she could barely choke down a few bites, so she just
focused on continuing her pitch.
    Drake didn’t seem to have a
problem eating, though. He ate his meal until his