still time. I can see what Detit is offering then attend the other presentations right after.”
“ Are you sure you can handle sitting through that many meetings?” Rafael asked me. “I don’t want you to lose your focus while you’re sitting there. I know what it can feel like when you’ve been listening to these lectures for too long.”
“ I can handle it.”
I stared at Rafael for a moment then reached forward for another gulp of wine. I felt his eyes upon me but I didn’t look back at him. Instead, I turned to Dante and smiled at him. He smiled back at me then let me know that he would appreciate my attendance.
I felt the obvious tension growing between Rafael and me. I sat here for the s econd time and had to endure watching Cheryl and Rafael have fun without me. Even though I knew he wasn’t doing it intentionally, the frustration I felt from being away from him had gotten to me. But now I had wine swirling around in my stomach and a good-looking man sitting next to me.
Dinner proceeded without any serious discussion. While Wesley and Travis continued to be captivated by the endless amount of stories Harold had, the rest of us made small talk about business and happenings of the conference so far. There was nothing interesting to talk about but I didn’t mind. It was just nice to be included.
“ So, what are your plans for this evening?” Dante asked me.
“ I… don’t have any plans,” I said as I shook my head.
“ No plans at all?”
“ No. I think I might just enjoy the scenery of the beach like I did last night.”
“ Oh, is that right? How about some company?”
“ Of course. It wouldn’t be the same without you. I should remind you that I’m not interested in heading too far from the hotel this time though.”
I w inked at him as I took another sip from my glass of wine. We smiled at one another before Dante turned his attention to the couple sitting across from us.
“ You’re welcome to join us,” Dante said to Cheryl and Rafael. “There’s nothing like the beach underneath the Maui moon.”
“ I have no doubt about that,” Rafael replied. “But tonight won’t work for me. It’s still early in the conference and I have many meetings to attend in the morning. I won’t be able to forgive myself if I stay up later than I should be. You should probably go with them though, Cheryl.”
Rafael turned to his friend and motioned for her to go with them. Cheryl considered it for a moment, her fingers tapping upon her glass.
“It sounds like fun,” she said. “But it is still early in the week. I feel like spending too much time on the beach kind of takes all of the fun out of it. I’ll probably relax at the bar and have a few drinks. But don’t let that spoil your fun, guys.”
She winked at Dante and me as she took a sip from her glass. The a lcohol I had earlier made me suspicious of her and Rafael but it didn’t give me the nerve to actually call them out on it. If I were going to make a fool of myself, I would need a few more glasses.
Knowing that I would be the only one he would be spending time with on the beach, Dante gave me most of his attention. We talked about work and school and all of the things we had in common. When I told him how hard I worked in college and how desperate I was to get a job with Barnett Industries, he understood completely. He laughed and told me the story of how many resumes he filled-out to get into graduate school. We were more alike than I realized, even though he was a few years older than me.
As Dante told me the story of how he eventually ended up at this bus iness conference, I noticed that he had my full attention. I had no idea what was happening on the other side of the table. I didn’t care. I was enjoying the conversation Dante and I had because we had so much in common. He a friend I wasn’t expecting to meet.
Dinner slowly came to an end. Dessert was passed out and the last few bottles of wine were emptied. The
“ Are you sure you can handle sitting through that many meetings?” Rafael asked me. “I don’t want you to lose your focus while you’re sitting there. I know what it can feel like when you’ve been listening to these lectures for too long.”
“ I can handle it.”
I stared at Rafael for a moment then reached forward for another gulp of wine. I felt his eyes upon me but I didn’t look back at him. Instead, I turned to Dante and smiled at him. He smiled back at me then let me know that he would appreciate my attendance.
I felt the obvious tension growing between Rafael and me. I sat here for the s econd time and had to endure watching Cheryl and Rafael have fun without me. Even though I knew he wasn’t doing it intentionally, the frustration I felt from being away from him had gotten to me. But now I had wine swirling around in my stomach and a good-looking man sitting next to me.
Dinner proceeded without any serious discussion. While Wesley and Travis continued to be captivated by the endless amount of stories Harold had, the rest of us made small talk about business and happenings of the conference so far. There was nothing interesting to talk about but I didn’t mind. It was just nice to be included.
“ So, what are your plans for this evening?” Dante asked me.
“ I… don’t have any plans,” I said as I shook my head.
“ No plans at all?”
“ No. I think I might just enjoy the scenery of the beach like I did last night.”
“ Oh, is that right? How about some company?”
“ Of course. It wouldn’t be the same without you. I should remind you that I’m not interested in heading too far from the hotel this time though.”
I w inked at him as I took another sip from my glass of wine. We smiled at one another before Dante turned his attention to the couple sitting across from us.
“ You’re welcome to join us,” Dante said to Cheryl and Rafael. “There’s nothing like the beach underneath the Maui moon.”
“ I have no doubt about that,” Rafael replied. “But tonight won’t work for me. It’s still early in the conference and I have many meetings to attend in the morning. I won’t be able to forgive myself if I stay up later than I should be. You should probably go with them though, Cheryl.”
Rafael turned to his friend and motioned for her to go with them. Cheryl considered it for a moment, her fingers tapping upon her glass.
“It sounds like fun,” she said. “But it is still early in the week. I feel like spending too much time on the beach kind of takes all of the fun out of it. I’ll probably relax at the bar and have a few drinks. But don’t let that spoil your fun, guys.”
She winked at Dante and me as she took a sip from her glass. The a lcohol I had earlier made me suspicious of her and Rafael but it didn’t give me the nerve to actually call them out on it. If I were going to make a fool of myself, I would need a few more glasses.
Knowing that I would be the only one he would be spending time with on the beach, Dante gave me most of his attention. We talked about work and school and all of the things we had in common. When I told him how hard I worked in college and how desperate I was to get a job with Barnett Industries, he understood completely. He laughed and told me the story of how many resumes he filled-out to get into graduate school. We were more alike than I realized, even though he was a few years older than me.
As Dante told me the story of how he eventually ended up at this bus iness conference, I noticed that he had my full attention. I had no idea what was happening on the other side of the table. I didn’t care. I was enjoying the conversation Dante and I had because we had so much in common. He a friend I wasn’t expecting to meet.
Dinner slowly came to an end. Dessert was passed out and the last few bottles of wine were emptied. The
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