Idolatry

After a horrible, tense hour for Win, Merril rose and said she had to go. They had only had entrees so far but with their business discussion concluded there was little reason for the other woman to stay except to be sociable and it was clear she wasn’t interested in being sociable with Win. She hadn’t said one word to her and had done her best to exclude her from the conversation.

Cole got to his feet and put his hand out for Merril to shake. After the briefest contact and a final hard look at Win, the other woman stalked out of the restaurant.

Cole sat back down and said “phew.”

Win didn’t comment. She was waiting for him to find a reason to move away from her.

He didn’t. Looking down at her with a smile he said “thanks Win. Without you I don’t know how I’d have got out of that without being rude and losing her business.”

“No problem” she said, her eyes on the table.

“Right well lets order some food now” he said lifting his hand and signalling to the waiter.

“We don’t have to eat” she said as the waiter made his way over. She didn’t want him to feel he had to stay now.

“You’re not hungry” he said with a frown.

“It doesn’t matter” she said not looking at him. “I can get something at home.”

“I at least owe you a proper meal for putting up with Merril” he said. “Please let me buy you dinner.”

She looked up and met his gaze. Before she could stop it she became lost in his soft eyes.

“Please?” he said when she didn’t respond.

Once again Win couldn’t speak so with a nod of her head she agreed. 

Cole’s smile shone out again and he handed her a menu the waiter had deposited on their table.

Win knew this was just Cole being nice, he was a nice person so she wasn’t going to make the mistake of thinking it was something more.

“Hey is Win your full name or is it short for something?” Cole asked once the waiter had taken their order.

“It’s my full name” she said too quickly and causing him to give her an assessing look.

“It’s not is it?” he teased with a grin.

“It is now” she said “and don’t bother asking anything else because I’m not going to answer any more questions.”

“Why?” he said with a smile.

“I have my reasons. Let’s just leave it at that” she said praying he would leave it alone.

He did. “Okay” he said still smiling “you don’t have to tell me. Everyone has secrets.”

“Even you?” she said too distracted by what secrets he may have to guard her words.

“Why, ‘even me’?” he said with a grin “I’m just like everyone else.”

Win blushed. She had not meant to indicate his near god like stance in her eyes. “I just meant that you seem so open and straight forward” she hurried to say.

His grin widened “I see my carefully manufactured façade works.”

Win gave him a tight smile. She didn’t buy that. No one could manufacture the confidence he exuded.

“But back to our discussion, yes I have my secrets too.”

“Oh” she said but she didn’t ask anything more. If she didn’t want to tell him hers, she couldn’t in good conscience ask about his.