Her Alpha CEO

“I can’t. I already have plans with an old friend.” Nina winced at the reminder of the other reason for her temper. Michael had persisted until she’d agreed to go to dinner with him that evening, refusing to take no for an answer. Eventually she’d agreed just to get rid of him, although she couldn’t deny the faint thrill she felt at his persistence.

“Oh, well, how about Wednesday night then? I can’t make it tomorrow, I have meetings scheduled quite late and I’m not sure what time we’ll finish.”

“Okay, sure. Wednesday sounds good.” Then, because she felt she’d capitulated too easily, she added, “But don’t think this gets you off the hook. You still need to make up for being a class A jerk after Friday.”

Brian laughed, the sound raising goosebumps over Nina’s arms. “Deal! I’ll see you on Wednesday. Seven o’clock.”

Nina hung up the phone, just as Lisa entered the office.

“Oh good. I was beginning to think you’d force me to deal with all the customers today. You know how I feel about people.” she gave a mock shudder. “But now that you’re smiling again, you can get out there and be all friendly to them so I don’t have to.”

Nina chuckled and rose to her feet, slipping her phone back in her purse. Lisa was right, she was smiling, and it felt good.

*****

By six o’clock, her smile had slipped, and she was staring into her wardrobe with a disconsolate frown. What did a woman wear to a dinner date that wasn’t a date with her ex-fiancé who cheated on her with her sister?

Finally, she decided on jeans with a smart top – casual but classy. She released her braids from the tie they’d been in for work, and let them hang free, the beads threaded through them clicking softly together. She would have to go get them re-done in about two weeks, and she was getting a bit tired of the beads. She would have to see what else the woman at the salon had on offer.

A bit of shimmery eye shadow, some lip gloss, and a pair of suede boots completed her outfit. It was seven fifteen, and Michael still hadn’t arrived as he’d promised. Typical. Nina rolled her eyes at her reflection. He’d always been late for everything, which was part of the reason she’d caught him with her sister the night of their engagement party.

He’d been late for the speeches, and she’d gone looking for him, not even suspecting that he might be with her missing sister. Sabrina had a habit of disappearing during parties, a true introvert.

Nina shook her head. All that was in the past. She’d tried to reconcile with Sabrina, but her sister had shut her down every time, and the last time Nina had tried to contact her, her number had changed. That was almost two years ago, and she’d resigned herself to feeling like an only child.

Now, like a bad omen, Michael was back in her life and insisting on being a part of it. The doorbell rang, and Nina sighed. Only twenty minutes late, but hey at least he’d shown up. She opened the door to find Michael standing there, sucking his thumb and clutching a freshly picked rose. He thrust it at her.

“Hey, babe. That’s for you. Look out for thorns.” Nina took the rose, with a sneaky suspicion that he’d just stolen it from Mrs. Beechley’s bushes that lined the fence.

“Thanks, I’ll just put it in water and then we can go.”

“Sure, sure. No rush.”

No, there never is with you, is there? Nina ran water into a slender vase, placed the rose in it and left it on the center of the table before walking back to the living room. Michael was eyeing her bookshelf, easily the largest piece of furniture she owned.

“You always did like reading. You and your sister.”

“Mmhmm. Shall we go?” Nina held the door open, suddenly reluctant to have him in her home.

“Sure, I got us a great table at Burger King. Joking! I’m joking!” he added hastily when he saw her face. Nina shut the door and locked it, before heading down the driveway to where Michael had parked at the pavement. He was already in the car, waiting for her and she wondered why that surprised her. Michael had never been a man who understood the subtleties of escorting a woman to the car and opening doors for her. Then again, Nina had yet to meet a man who did. She wondered if Brian would, then shrugged the thought away. Women had fought for independence for far too long to have any right to be irritated when men gave it to them. Even on a date.

She climbed into the car, ignoring the fast food bags that littered the foot-well. Michael didn’t say anything, just pulling out into the street with a reckless speed that reinforced her feelings that he hadn’t changed a bit.

This was going to be a long night.

*****

Dinner went surprisingly well. Michael was good company when he stopped trying to be charming and their long history growing up together gave him and Nina something to talk about.

He took her to a little restaurant that was just good enough to be popular, but not so good that they were too busy. The table he’d booked for them was secluded in an alcove away from the rest of the diners.

He ordered her a glass of cola, remembering that she wasn’t a fan of wine or other alcohol, and even though she was slighting irritated by him ordering without her asking what she wanted, she appreciated his effort.

Still, when he began ordering food for both of them, she held up her hand and stopped him. “Excuse me, Michael, but I think I’d like to order for myself if you don’t mind?”

“Oh, of course not. My apologies.” He looked slightly irked by her reaction but good-naturedly allowed her to take over from him. She placed her order, garlic bread with cheese to start and lamb kleftiko for mains, while Michael chose the snails and a steak.

“I’m not sure about dessert; I’ll see how full I am after the meal.”

“Of course, of course.” Michael smiled at her and their waitress took their menus, leaving to get their drinks ready.

“So, how’ve you been Nina? You’re looking great.” Michael leaned forward on the table.

“I’m good, working in a bookstore. I co-own it.”

“Wow! That’s a step up from when you were slaving away as a waitress.”

“Yeah, well, I was still studying my business management degree then so I had to work part time. Besides, a lot happens in four years.”

“Yeah, you can say that again. What about Sabrina? Last I heard she was working for some gaming company and earning big bucks as a PA to the boss.”

“I wouldn’t know, we haven’t spoken in four years.”