Convenience

Part 54

Beatrice folded her arms. She wondered, was that too defensive: The kind of man that would see it as a challenge.

David leaned forward, intended to create a degree of intimacy between them. "Tonight?" Charm. The man had charm down to an art form. "Or tomorrow night?"

Beatrice gulped. "No!" Keep it simple. She needed her brain to start functioning and her heart to stop pounding. Time to get real. Beatrice narrowed her eyes at David and decided to remind him that he had other irons in the fire. "In any case, won't your current girlfriend object to you taking your soon-to-be-ex-wife to dinner?"

David shook his head, his lips quirked. He was tempted to laugh. He didn't have a current girlfriend. In fact it was only just dawning on him that he hadn't been on a date since he'd come back from that first meeting with Beatrice, when he'd asked for a divorce. He hadn't been out on a date in months. He hadn't been interested in going out on a date with anyone, apart from his wife, in months. Five years ago, when they got married, nothing had changed his view of his future. Yet now, he knew that when they met a few weeks ago, that moment, everything changed: Everything, in terms of what he thought about his future.

All humour in the situation vanished. This was serious.

"I'm not seeing anyone at the moment." He told her candidly.

She glared, "And you figured I'd be a good reserve?" David chuckled, humour returned. Her cheeks flamed. "A stand-in?" Beatrice shook her head as she snapped. "No, thanks."

Time to compliment her. "I seriously doubt that anyone would consider you a stand-in." His eyes danced, "You're quite prickly under that veneer of composure, aren't you?"

She snorted and corrected him flatly. "I'd have said I have morals."

David laughed in amusement. He countered instantly. "And having dinner with your husband suggests you don't?" He bridged his fingers and tapped his index fingers against his lips as he waited for her response. She looked flustered. That was a good sign. He was dismantling that wall she had built up around her. It might be slow progress and one brick at a time. But that wall was coming down.

Beatrice knew she was starting to look exasperated. Rather than look at her watch she looked up at the large wall clock a few feet away. She ignored his question. Instead, she questioned solemnly, "Shouldn't we head back to your office?" Time to get this back on to a professional footing. Coward, she told herself.

David glanced at the wall clock. He stated bluntly. "We have time." At least another fifteen minutes. He smiled as he said what Beatrice was thinking, "Never saw you as a coward!"

Enough. She knew he had been toying with her. A bit like a cat plays with a mouse just before it pounces for the kill. She rolled her eyes and allowed her exasperation to show in her voice, "Mr Cardoso, you never saw me at all!" She scrunched up her face as she said bluntly, "So let's just stop all this nonsense and get on with this divorce. Ok?" 

She could see that he was itching to laugh, but had the good sense not to, knowing that if he did, she'd use it as an excuse to walk. Guess he was getting to know her after all! He'd certainly figured out she would use the slightest excuse to leave this table. No wonder the man was a successful businessman. He read people well. He had certainly read her well.

"I guess now is not a good time to tell you I've changed my mind." David decided to up the ante. Time to let his wife know that the rules had changed. She frowned. David said again, with more emphasis, "I've changed my mind." Sheer tenacity. She needed to learn that he was tenacious. He knew she is fiercely independent.

Her shoulders squared, her chin came up, her eyes glinted with suppressed annoyance. What was he talking about now? Changed his mind about what? Setting up the Trust? Surely not. "You've changed your mind?" She practically screamed in her head, even though her voice remained calm.

"Yes." He said calmly and leaned back as he studied her. There is something really special about this woman. She is smart and funny and caring. And fierce! He had missed that, five years ago. But now, she was about to turn his life upside down. Already had.