Page 4 of Deadline for Love

The man raised his brows and looked at me questioningly; I exited my trance and awkwardly took his hand.

“Eh… Yeah… I mean, yes. I’m Bella.”

His hand was bigger than mine, and somehow, they fit well together. His skin felt soft, but his grip was full of confidenceand strength. My hand started to tingle, so I quickly let go and indicated that we should sit down.

He only nodded in response.

Once I sat down, I was surprised when he pushed my chair to the table before sitting opposite me.

I stole a quick glance at Amara, who gave me a suggestive look before shaking her brows today again. She was smiling as if she knew what I was feeling right now, which didn’t help me at all!

I was stunned, speechless, and didn’t know what to do—I needed to calm down for a moment, so I looked over at Justin, sitting opposite Amara.

“Hi, Justin, sorry! Amara had to wait for me,” I apologized. But he just shook his head. A gentle smile decorated his pale face. A strand of black hair fell onto his fawn forehead. He had dressed elegantly today, matching Amara’s style in a black suit. His black hooded eyes shone as soon as he looked over at his fiancée, gifting her a cute wink. The two were made for each other.

“Everything’s fine, we just arrived a few minutes ago.” His smile grew wider, and he pointed to the man beside him and added with an eye roll, “I actually thought we’d be the ones running late.”

Amara had to laugh when she saw Justin roll his eyes.

Nathan just sighed and tilted his head. “Says the guy who almost wasted a whole day picking out clothes.”

Instantly, Justin was put on the spot, which allowed Amara to start teasing him.

I had to stifle a grin, so I didn’t look at anybody momentarily. But as she kept on teasing… I suddenly felt like a third wheel—Thank God our drinks arrived before it got too awkward.

“Your friends ordered before you arrived, but I included your favorite.” Hearing the familiar voice, I paused. I thought I was mishearing, but then I looked up in surprise and foundFernando, Enzo’s Grandson, standing beside me, handing out our drinks.

Within a second, I jumped up and gave him a hug without being careful about the drinks at all. Fernando smoothly placed everything on the table with one hand, then wrapped his arms around me with a sweet laugh, returning the hug.

“When did you get back?”

I’ve known him for quite some time; he would visit his grandparents in the past, and I cared for him. He was like the little brother I never had. When we grew up,I worked here and he was permanently assigned to work with me. We had a lot of fun, until he had to return to his parents in one of our neighboring cities, Riverdale, to finish school. We didn’t see each other for years!

“About a week ago. I decided to stay with my grandparents and maybe continue running the business.” Now I totally get why Enzo was happy! His only grandson got back and was staying here. That’s wonderful!

I let go of him and checked if he changed, which he totally did. He had grown up so much. He was tall and slightly fit, his black hair long and curly. His deep green eyes sparkled, and he gifted me a sweet smile.

“Come sit down, ma Bella. I’m busy now. We will catch up later, I promise!” He helped me get back to sit on my chair and patted my shoulder. “Enjoy your evening.” His eyes swiftly wandered over to Nathan and Justin before turning.

I looked after him, still shocked. This was a pleasant surprise, and I needed to talk to him soon!

“He’s really grown,” Amara mumbled beside me, amazed as I was. “Running his grandparents’ restaurant... To make such a decision at such a young age. Really admirable,” she added, and I nodded. That might even be worth an article.

I was laying out the article in my head, but the clearing of Justin’s throat stole my attention.

“Hey, we’re here too.”

Ah right… we were still on a double date…

I sipped my drink while Amara talked to her fiancé. I didn’t feel like I could include myself and didn’t know what to say to Nathan, so I let my eyes wander around the restaurant.

No table was unoccupied, and everyone seemed happy. Fernando and Enzo were behind the counter, busy with the orders. He had other workers helping him out, too—new faces. Seeing them working hard, I smiled, but my smile slowly faded as I caught a different scene.

A woman was sitting alone at a table for two. She was beautifully dressed. Her long hair was ginger and slightly wavy. Her eyes were gray and teary, and her pale skin appeared cold in the light. She looked lonely and sad… Making me wonder if someone stood her up. It was a tragic scene, and I didn’t know why, but I felt like I’d seen her before...

I felt a slight tap on my leg, which brought me out of my trance. I thought Amara was doing it, but then I realized the man before me was tapping me lightly.

“Yes?” I asked.

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