A week passed, and throughout the week, Xander had difficulties concentrating on his work due to his excitement. Madelyn was the first woman that ever brought excitement in his life. On Thursday, he called her to confirm their dinner date the next day; everything was confirmed. However, Xander ensured to call the restaurant to remind them of his arrival. He was a regular customer, and because of that, the restaurant had a good reputation, which they didn't want to jeopardize.
Eventually, Friday finally arrived.
Xander was in his room; he finished combing his hair as he looked at himself in the mirror. He put on a dark blue buttoned shirt with a few buttons undone, exposing his neck and parts of his muscular neck. Xander wore black slacks with a black belt and shoes; he put on cologne. He was ready, got out of his house into his car, and drove off.
When he called Madelyn yesterday, she told him to pick her up at a bookstore nearby. Xander believed she was cautious and didn't want him to know where she lived. It made him see that she was an intelligent woman who would not let any man in her life very quickly. If that was the case, then it was possible that she hadn't been with many men; he smirked at the thought.
About thirty minutes later, he arrived at the bookstore and saw her sitting on a bench, reading a book herself. He exited the car, and Madelyn looked up and immediately stood up, closing her book. She wore a white slip dress with a light blue jean jacket and a white crystal necklace. Her hair was loose with a small braid with a white feather. To Xander, she looked simple yet beautiful. "You look very lovely."
Madelyn blushed. "Th-Thank you. You look great yourself. I don't know if I'm underdressed."
"Not at all." Xander motioned her to enter the car; he opened the door for her and closed it when she got in. He entered and drove off. While on the road, Xander noticed that Madelyn was putting the book away. "You were reading?"
"Y-Yeah, I went into the bookstore to read, and a book caught my interest; it's about Socrates."
"My, you are an interesting young woman; nowadays, many don't know his name. You have good taste in books."
She shook her head as she tried to hide her blush. "I read anything that catches my interest. My favorite is historical romance, horror, and mystery. What about you? Do you like to read?"
"I am more of a mystery and crime book kind of man. I love the suspense in a plot; I guess you can say that I like suspense in real life." Xander made a left turn on a light.
Madelyn noticed that Xander was driving in the nicer area of New York. The stores sold the big brands. "Anyway, where are we going? I hope it's nothing too expensive."
"You'll see. Besides, I'm the one who asked you out, so you don't have to worry about a thing."
About twenty minutes later, Xander parked his car next to an extravagant building, and he assisted Madelyn out. As for Madelyn, she was in awe. "N-No way, this is-!"
"Yes, this is Le Bernardin. Quite popular."
"I heard you need months of reservation!" Madelyn bit her lower lip. "Xander, this isn't necessary. We could go to any small restaurant."
Xander chuckled. "I am well known here, and they gave us the VIP room for us alone. Besides, I wanted to bring you here." He motioned to walk in, got a hold of her hand, and put it on his arm. They walked for a while, getting many stares.
Madelyn felt out of place with the clothing she wore. Many customers wore elegant clothing, while she was the only one who wasn't. While walking toward the building, many customers stared at her with disdain. However, when Xander glared at them, they minded their own business. Once inside the restaurant, she and Xander were taken to the VIP room, where they were alone, got their orders taken, and left alone. "I-I wish you would have told me where we would go; I would have worn better clothing. This place has a dress code."
He shook his head. "Don't worry about these ignorant people; don't let others dictate how you should dress and become. Here, money talks."
"I know, but I have never been to a place like this. It is very beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here, although a simple restaurant would be good too."
As Xander was about to speak, their food and drinks came, leaving them alone once again. Madelyn took a bite of her salmon with vegetables on the side. "This is pretty good!"
"I'm glad you like it. Tell me more about yourself and your family."
Madelyn sighed as she hoped that he didn't ask about her family. It was a topic she didn't like speaking about. However, Xander took the time to take her out to dinner in a pricey place. "My parents died in a car accident, and I was left in the care of an aunt who did not like me a bit."63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLeLIwOYQc
Xander raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Your aunt didn't like you? Surely you did nothing wrong."
"I know it will sound silly, but my aunt was a very jealous and selfish woman who cared about her looks. She saw me as a threat, and I moved out once I turned eighteen. I never asked anything from anyone; I had to get everything with my hard work."
The CEO took a bite of his steak and sipped his red wine. He was surprised that Madelyn didn't sound bitter about her situation. Many people would speak venomously about people that they hated. Madelyn didn't have those feelings. "You are quite strong and wise."
She blushed. "What I went through is nothing compared to the suffering of others. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to get out of such predicaments; not many are as fortunate."
Xander kept on looking at the woman before him as he ate. He admired how she did not use her experiences to pity or as an excuse. She was honest. When she asked him more about himself, he told her the name of his companies and looked at her expression to see if she would change, but she didn't. He learned so much on the date that he wanted to see her again.
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