How many are there? She typed.
Eight.
Meet me at the steak place on Anzac Parade, next to the bottle-o. 1 hour. Don’t keep me waiting.
She removed the towel, stood and stretched. She really wanted the videos gone and she had to be sure they would be. But that was not the only reason she would go. She was pissed off, but also curious. By the sounds she had heard, she had been urging him on. She must have known she was being filmed, but didn’t care. It was like finding a part of yourself you didn’t realise existed. She would make sure they were deleted, but there was no harm in having a little peek at them first.
*
Lauren sat in a booth looking out the huge double windows that showed Anzac Parade. She checked her watch; he had three minutes till he would be officially late. She kept fiddling with her hair and phone. The place was never busy for lunch, but she couldn’t help feeling she was being watched—that somehow people knew she was here waiting on someone. She hated that feeling.
“Did you want something to drink?” the waitress asked politely.
“No thanks. I don’t think I’ll be staying.”
The waitress gave an apologetic smile and moved on to another table. Lauren looked up as a silver sports car parked outside. A young guy got out and Lauren realised she’d only had a vague idea of what Ryan looked like. Was this him? She remembered he’d been wearing some stupid Hawaiian shirt last night, but this guy was wearing a suit with open collar and aviator glasses. The look of him didn’t exactly disagree with her. She certainly hoped it was him. Sure enough he was walking towards the entrance.
The hostess met him at the door and after a moment, pointed toward Lauren’s table. For no reason at all, Lauren pretended she hadn’t noticed him.
“Hello there.”
Bright and cheery. She took a few seconds to think of an adequate way to reply. She raised her head and looked at him. “Hi,” was the best she could come up with.
He took this as his invitation to sit opposite her.
“Okay so where’s the phone?” Lauren asked.
Ryan looked from left to right before returning to her. “Can I order something first?”
“Don’t even think about drawing this out.”
Ryan looked a touch affronted. “I’m just hungry. I can’t remember the last time I have been this exhausted.”
He winked at her and grinned playfully. If she wasn’t so hung over and pissed at him she might have thought it was cute. Might have.
“Ok, fine. Order. Then you show me what’s on your phone, I delete it, then I go.”
“You’re not staying?”
“No.”
“You’re not going to let me buy you lunch?”
“No thanks.”
Ryan sat a little straighter in his chair, looking concerned. “Oh, hey. I hope you don’t think I’m trying to…pay you, or something? I just want to buy you lunch. Really”
Lauren closed her eyes and breathed through her nose. “Fine.” Ryan sat back in silent victory, before she added, “I don’t see why it’s such a big deal to you.”
“Well, I did say that I am not trying to pay you, but you at least deserve this. You’re a genius in bed. White or red?”
“What?”
Ryan gestured to the waitress that was standing beside the table and Lauren felt her cheeks go hot. She answered his question with a mumble about not caring, and she saw Ryan order the most expensive bottle on the menu. “Can you be a bit more discreet?”
“Can’t take a compliment, can you?” he asked with a grin.
“Not like that no. Can you just cool it? Fuck…”
Ryan shrugged. “Sure.”
The waitress uncorked the bottle upon her return and asked to take their orders. Ryan hadn’t even checked his menu for more than five seconds before he was ready.
“I’ll have number fourteen. Does it have garlic?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“What about the sauce? I’m allergic.”
“It may have, but I am not sure. Everything’s freshly made, so I will ask chef not to put any in.”
“Thanks very much,” Ryan replied pleasantly.
“Not at all,” she said, returning his smile. “And for you?”
Lauren had been breezing over the menu, and her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten anything all day and most of last night. “I’ll have the Caesar salad, thanks.”
“Entrée size or main?”
“Entrée.”
Ryan halted the waitress as she turned to leave, but addressed Lauren.
“Is that all? You look starving. That can’t be enough for you.”
Lauren gave a fake laugh for the waitress. “It’s a Caesar salad. It’s not exactly healthy.” What is his deal?
Ryan continued to eye her. “This isn’t a date remember? I know you’re hungry. Eat.”
She smiled at the waitress again, feeling embarrassed. It’s only lunch for gods’ sake. “Uh, ok, I’ll have the outback steak, rare with mushroom sauce. And can I get a side of the chunky chips, please?”
The waitress jotted it down and left without a word.
“God what is your problem? Why can’t you just let me order what I wanted?” Lauren said, holding her forehead, straining to make sense of it.
Ryan fished into his pocket. “I did. You’re hungry, I can tell. But you were just gonna get a salad, presumably to get this over with sooner. Loz, we screwed the hell out of each other last night, you don’t have to hide anything from me. I know you’re not overjoyed to be here and that I probably won’t see you again, which is a shame. But there is no reason for you to not be yourself. Anyway, here…” he said, placing his phone on the table in front of her.
