Collide in Plain Sight

Chapter 22

Harlow

Pierce led me around the house to a garage I had never been inside of before, opening the door for me where a sparkly white car that I'm sure cost a fortune was sitting in pristine condition. He opened the door for me and held my hand, helping me to adjust my dress before closing it. He rounded the car and slid in behind the wheel before starting the car. 

"How many miles are on this? One hundred?" I tease him. He chuckles and reaches across the center console to pinch my thigh playfully. 

"No. Two hundred." he shoots back making me tilt my head back to laugh.

He pulls out through the gate, hitting a button to close it before punching the gas. The car revs loud as we peel down the street, him laughing as I hold on to the door handle nervously. He slows down quickly, chuckling as he reaches over to grab my hand. 

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." he says, still grinning. 

"I'm terrified of car accidents." I murmur. He squeezes my hand before lifting it to his mouth and pressing a firm kiss to my palm. 

"I'm sorry, Harlow. I'll go slower." he says, slowing the car down. I breathe a little easier, looking out the window. The snow covered ground glistens in the waning light and I relax into the plush seat, linking our fingers together and resting them on my thigh. 

We drive in companionable quiet for almost an hour. I'm surprised by the location of the mansion, I never would have guessed how easy it is to find based on the out of the way location. It's basically a straight shot from town. Soon the lights from town appear and I start to get excited. I see the grocery store I always used to go to, my favorite park to walk around on nice fall afternoons, my doctors' office and even the hospital I worked at towering high in the distance. Pierce turns away from it though and drives towards the nicer part of town, stopping in front of a restaurant I never would have considered going into before. 

"This place is fancy." I whisper to him. He chuckles and looks over at me as he puts the car in park. 

"Why are you whispering, love?" he asks, whispering back. 

"Just to see if you'd match my vibe." I shrug. He laughs again and leans forward to kiss me before getting out and opening the door for me. 

"You didn't want to use valet?" I ask and he shakes his head. 

"It weirds me out. Strangers being in my car." he says as he holds onto my hand a little tight, liking he's using me for strength. 

"That's alright." I say, giving him a gentle squeeze. "It's a nice night. I like the walk." I add as we walk slowly towards the door. It's a little chilly, but after being stuck in the house for the last couple of months I'll suck in the cold air greedily. We climb the stairs and head towards the hostess stand. She looks up at us and smiles kindly.

"We have a reservation under the name Arnoult." Pierce says. 

"Of course. Follow me." she says, grabbing some menus and showing us to a small table in a closed off section. Pierce pulls out my chair and I sit, eyeing him curiously. 

"What?" he asks. 

"Are we diseased or something?" I ask, motioning towards the empty tables around us. He laughs and shakes his head. 

"No. I just don't like to eat with people right next to me. I thought this would be a nice compromise." he explains. I nod and reach for his hand again, not wanting to stop touching him. 

"It's nice. I like it." I say gently, smiling over at him until he blushes adorably. 

The food is delicious, but I can't help but notice the way Pierce fidgets, seemingly uncomfortable. I've never seen him in a public setting like this and I wonder if this is normal for him. If it's really this difficult for him to be around other people. He goes slightly quiet, answering me when I talk to him but not much else.