Joan was at Camila's house getting dressed to meet up with Santiago at a fancy restaurant he secluded for them to meet. She had wanted a place where she could easily afford the bills but he insisted and said he was paying anyway so she had nothing to worry about.
“Do you trust your wits about this?” Camila asked as she put the finishing touch to her makeup.
Joan let out a sigh and then shrugged.
“I felt angry and scared that the Relisos would go through with what they said they would and I can’t let them turn our years of hard work to some of their clown factory” she answered.
Camila sat beside her and took her hand in hers.
“You look beautiful” she commented and Joan burst out laughing “My makeup skills are on point too,” she flipped her hair, and Joan rolled her eyes. “I don’t want you doing something you don’t want to do”
“I don’t want to do it but I have no choice, if this is what can get me back to Anderson’s Tech, then I’ll do it… at least I am not doing something nasty” she shrugged.
“Yeah, that is ruled out on our things to do” Camila shook her head.
Joan looked closely at Camila and then asked “Do you feel sketchy about this?”
“No, but if he does anything creepy, hit him with a bottle of wine and run as fast as you can then call me” they chuckled “I have a few friends who can teach a man how to behave properly” she winked.
They both laughed then Joan put her arms around Camila and then rested her head on her shoulder.
“What will I do without you?”
“Nothing” Camila snorted with a laugh.
“I love you,” Joan breathes, thankful that GOD gave her a good friend.
“I know, me too” Camila fake fanned herself and it earned her a bite from Joan. “Ow!” she pushed Joan a bit and glared at her playfully. “I get you dressed, give you advice and what I get is a painful bite on my shoulder,” she rolled her eyes and stood up “Very grateful you are dear”
“It wasn’t that hard” Joan stood too to get into her dress and look at herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. “I love my look”
“You’re gorgeous, why wouldn’t you” Camila bumped her shoulder then turned her around so that she was facing her “Go blind them with your shine” she winked then started to push Joan out of her apartment.
Joan grabbed her phone and purse then let Camila drag her to the front door.
“As much as I would like you around, the second season of Laundry Heist wouldn’t watch itself, so off you go”
“I’ll text you whatever the outcome is”
“Sure, just try not to bathe him with your wine before he starts talking” Camila joked then opened the door.
“That will happen if he deserves it” Joan pointed.
“Text me when it happens, I want full deets” Camila winked then waved Joan one final by before shutting her door. “Finally, some time to myself”
…
The taxi stopped in front of ‘De’Luor L’Amour’ restaurant after about twenty minutes of driving, she wasn’t too familiar with this environment mainly because she never bothered about going on outings or hanging out with some elite friends she knew way back.
Joan looked to her right and then to her left before looking at the front of the restaurant. She felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, she couldn’t explain why she was suddenly nervous. Normally, Joan isn’t one to think about anybody’s opinion about herself, her dress her poise, etc but now that she is meeting Santiago after a while of seeing him, in a good-looking dress, she wonders if he will like it on her.
“No one tells you what is good for you or not” she silently scolded herself for thinking like that as she made her way inside. “You own this, no one can tell you what you can do and what you can’t, don’t bother what anyone says. You always look gorgeous no matter what, don’t let anyone make you think otherwise” she encouraged herself.
Joan held her head up high when she got inside, she was feeling confident about herself and didn’t need the compliments of anyone to feel this good.
‘That’s it girl’ she smirked then stopped scanning when she spotted a man waving her over.
Letting out a sigh, she walked over to him gracefully and let her lips form a smile she hoped would remain till the end of the meeting.
Santiago had been waiting for a while and after about ten minutes, he thought she might have changed his mind and not bothered to come but he encouraged himself to wait for her and not be in haste, it made him more nervous that Daniel hadn’t come yet also.
Daniel had the contract he and Joan would sign for the fake relationship they would be having. He had wanted to inform her that he had a friend coming too but it escaped his mind countlessly so he just thought to leave it be and would inform her when she came.
When it was getting to almost fifteen minutes, he suddenly had the urge to look up and there he saw in a golden knee-length flare gown, who was looking around to spot him.
He was stunned by how she looked, her golden locks were in a high bun with tendrils at both sides of her face. She looked really beautiful and all he could do was stare, he didn’t know for how long he did so he raised his hand up and waved till she saw him and was walking towards him.
When she was already by the table, he stood up and took her hand in his as he helped her with her chair like a gentleman. He couldn’t stop staring at her like she was the only lady in that restaurant and he noted that keeping him waiting was worth it.
“You kept me waiting” he blurts and she rolls her eyes.
“Sorry,” she apologized.
That wasn’t what he wanted to say but he couldn’t help. ‘Tell her she’s beautiful’ he screamed in his mind and what came out of his mouth made him want to smack himself really hard.
“Oh, it’s better if that doesn’t happen again, tardiness is something I don’t tolerate”
Joan looked at him for some seconds then rested her arms on the table “I’m sorry Mr.” she faked a smile and looked away whilst rolling her eyes.
Santiago cleared his throat and prayed that he wouldn’t screw this up.
“It’s okay,” he nodded then picked up one of the menus on the table and handed one to her then took the other one. “I ordered a wine while you were running late,” he said.
“Do you really have to keep saying that? I already apologized” she snapped then she realized where she was and looked around to be sure she didn’t raise her voice.
Santiago felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment then he cleared his throat and muttered a ‘sorry’. He looked through his menu, and when he saw something he wanted, he closed the menu and looked up at her to see that she was frowning when looking at the variety displayed on the menu.
He thought that she looked cute like that, so he took his phone, went to the camera app, and was going to take a picture when she looked up at him and took him by surprise which made him touch the shutter that took a cute picture of her looking up at him.
A frown formed on her face and she looked at his phone and then back at him.
“You took a picture of me” she wasn’t asking.
“Oh, no, I… I… we… I was going to uh…” he found himself stuttering and had to shut himself up, take deep breaths, let them out, and continue talking.
“I wasn’t taking a picture of you”
“You did, the flash,” she narrowed her eyes.
“I wanted to check the time but my hand pressed the flashlight icon instead,” he said.
She was going to argue when she heard her name being called and she looked up to see her longtime friend Daniel Stuart looking surprised to see her seated with his friend.
Joan grinned then stood up to hug the excited-looking Daniel who took her in his arms. “Daniel” she grinned when they stepped back from the hug.
“You look good, as always” he compliments as he looks her over.
“Don’t mock me,” she lightly pushed him and he grinned then hit his friend’s shoulder before shaking it a bit harshly.
“You know Joan?” he asked sitting beside Joan who was feeling happy to see him.
Santiago looked between them with his brows deeply furrowed “You know her? You know each other?” he asked, Daniel nodded his head then took a glance at Joan before it dawned on him.
“No, don’t tell me she is the girl you told me about,” he asked in a slightly raised voice. “I think we should take this meeting outside,” he said then stood up and walked outside.
Joan stood up immediately and ran after him, confused about what was going on.
Santiago sat there for a while and sighed as he told himself how life should be easier, he finished all his wine, stood up, and went outside.