Chapter Thirteen

Ethan's attention was divided between the clatter of the cutlery against the plates and Lila, who sat across from him. He was trying to appear engrossed in his meal, but his mind was elsewhere. He had so much he wanted to say to Lila, but he wasn't sure how to begin.

Lila, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying her wine, having refilled her glass several times. However, Ethan noticed that she hadn't touched her food. He decided to address it, hoping it would provide an opening for the conversation he wanted to have.

Despite her protests, Ethan managed to get into the driver's seat of the SUV. Lila watched in disbelief as he fumbled with the keys, finally managing to start the vehicle. "Ethan, this isn't a good idea," she warned, but her words fell on deaf ears as Ethan began to drive.

"Lila," he began, setting his knife and fork down on his plate. "I noticed that you haven't touched your food. Is everything alright?"

Lila looked at her untouched meal, then back at Ethan. She offered him a small smile and replied, "I'm fine, Mr Luxe. I'm just not very hungry tonight."

Ethan nodded, accepting her response. He didn't want to push her. Instead, he decided to change the subject. "I've been meaning to ask you about your designs for Midnight Bloom. Do you have any ideas yet?" he asked, eager to steer the conversation back to their project.

Lila's eyes lit up at the mention of Midnight Bloom. She set her wine glass down and leaned forward, her earlier hesitation forgotten. "Actually, I've been thinking about it a lot..." she began, her voice filled with excitement.

As Lila continued to share her ideas, Ethan found himself entranced. Her lips moved in a rhythm that was almost hypnotic, her words flowing like a melody. His mind began to wander, his thoughts drifting far away from the room they were in. He was physically present, his eyes locked on Lila, but mentally, he was miles away.

Lila, unaware of Ethan's internal journey, continued to speak passionately about her ideas for Midnight Bloom. She spoke with such fervor and enthusiasm that it was impossible not to be drawn in. But when she finally finished speaking, she noticed Ethan's distant gaze.

Confused, she followed his line of sight, turning to look behind her. But there was nothing there. She turned back to Ethan, a puzzled expression on her face. "Ethan?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "Is everything alright?"

Ethan blinked, pulled back from his thoughts by Lila's voice. He quickly composed himself, offering her a reassuring smile. "Yes, Lila," he replied, his voice steady. "I was just...captivated by your ideas. They're truly remarkable."

Lila blushed at his compliment, a small smile playing on her lips.

Ethan glanced at his phone, his eyes widening as he saw the time. "Lila, it's already midnight," he said, his voice filled with surprise.

Lila's eyes widened in shock. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. She quickly gathered her things, her movements hurried and frantic. "I didn't realize it was so late. I haven't been out this late in a long time," she explained, her voice filled with worry.

Seeing her distress, Ethan quickly stood up and offered, "Lila, you can stay at my place for the night if you want. It's already late, and it might not be safe for you to go home alone."

Lila shook her head, declining his offer. "No, Ethan. I appreciate your concern, but I need to get home."

She looked at her phone again, her worry increasing when she saw that it was now past two. The Moonlit Sonata was still open, but she knew she couldn't stay any longer. "Ethan, we need to leave now," she said, her voice slightly raised. "I can't believe you didn't tell me it was so late."

Ethan nodded, understanding her urgency. "I'm sorry, Lila. I lost track of time. Let's get you home," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

As they made their way to Ethan's SUV, Ethan's steps became unsteady and his words started to slur. "Hey, Lila," he slurred, a goofy grin on his face. "So how was the dinner? I guess you had fun?"

Lila looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Mr Luxe!"

"What?" Mr Luxe asked her immediately.

"Nothing" she said, "it's just the way you are talking, you are speaking like you had some beer you drank and I didn't see any of those at the table."

Ethan just laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "Just a smidge, Lila. Just a smidge," he replied, his words slightly slurred.

Lila frowned, realizing the seriousness of the situation. "Ethan, you don't look okay. Are you sure you can drive?," she asked, her voice firm. "We need to call a cab."

Ethan tried to protest, but his words were lost in a fit of giggles. Lila quickly pulled out her phone, dialing for a cab.

*******

Meanwhile, in another part of New York City, Maya was sitting at her vanity, her eyes fixed on her reflection in the mirror. Her phone lay next to her, the screen filled with notifications from her social media accounts. News updates, event invitations, and the latest TikTok challenges filled her feed, each one more exciting than the last.

Suddenly, her phone rang, breaking her out of her reverie. She glanced at the caller ID and her heart skipped a beat. It was Ryan. A rush of excitement surged through her, causing her to let out a squeal of delight. She tossed her phone onto the bed, her excitement too much to contain.

She jumped up, her screams echoing through the room. She danced around, her heart pounding in her chest. After a few moments, she finally calmed down enough to pick up her phone and answer the call. "Hello, Ryan," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her excitement.

Ryan's voice came through the phone, his tone teasing. "I know you didn't miss me," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Maya rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't about to let him think she was head over heels. "Oh, please," she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've been so busy, I barely noticed you were gone."

There was a pause, then Ryan laughed. "That's cold, Maya," he said, but his voice was warm, devoid of any real offense. "I'll have to step up my game then."

Maya laughed, her earlier excitement returning. "You do that, Ryan," she replied, her voice filled with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to it."

"You mean you want me to shoot more shots at you all the time?" Ryan asked

Maya laughed at Ryan's question, her voice filled with amusement. "Shoot your shot, Ryan," she said, her tone teasing. "But don't think for a second that I'm just some dime-a-dozen New York girl you can sweet talk into anything."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Ryan laughed. "Alright, Maya," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "I see you're not just all talk. Challenge accepted."

Maya grinned, her heart pounding with excitement. "That's what I like to hear, Ryan," she replied, her voice filled with anticipation.

Maya's grin faded as she heard a woman's voice in the background of Ryan's call. The voice called out, "Baby, baby," twice before the line went dead. Ryan had hung up abruptly, leaving Maya staring at her phone in surprise.

"Wait, what just happened?" Maya muttered to herself, her mind racing with questions.