Steele Twitterpated part 09
Laura sat waiting at the table: it was tucked into the back of the restaurant and the glow of candles flickered on the walls and on the ceiling above. She was nervous, and on edge. She knew he would be mad but didn’t really feel he had a right to be. It was in the past. He knew how she felt now.
Remington entered with his usual charm, already chummy with the head waiter. Laura watched him saunter toward her with a diffused smile spread across his face. “Always putting on a show for the public,” she thought to herself accusingly, but knowing it was his job.
“Laura, you look, amazing,” he said regaining a little of the sparkle in his eye but still not back to normal.
“And you look handsome,” she replied. She kissed him on the cheek and they both sat. Neither spoke for a moment, Remington moved his napkin to his lap.
“So you finished the Bennett Report?”
“Yes.”
“And the other paperwork?”
“Just cleaning house, nothing too important,” she replied.
Small talk, meaningless small talk; this is how it always started. Soon one of them would make a passive aggressive remark, and then the sparks would begin to fly, and not the good kind.
“So this Albers, was he good?” Remington knew he was asking for trouble.
“There it goes,” she thought feeling her patience melt away.
“How dare you!” she exclaimed. “I already said - we weren’t even together - someone wasn’t ready for a commitment!” She glared at him. I didn’t owe you anything.”
Remington rose. Why are you bloody yelling at me?” he shouted. “ You’re the one who slept with another man!”
Laura jumped up and sashayed across the room with Remington on her heels. Every eye in the restaurant was on them.
Once outside their shouting match continued.
“How dare you be mad for me making one mistake when you were bedding every woman who glanced your way!” She turned down the street toward her car.
Remington grabbed her arm, the vein again protruding at his temple. “So that’s it - revenge eh?” He shouted twirling Laura around to face him. Laura grit her teeth and looked at the ground as he began to shout again.
“Well I’m sure you will be happy to know that any woman that looked my way never made it in to my bed or I into hers ever since we became the Pepplers.”
“I’ve been bloody celibate for four years waiting for you. I’ve never done that for anyone! I never went for more than a few weeks before you came in to my life. Any woman that was mentioned meant nothing to me. I’ll admit, I almost faltered a few times when things weren’t going well between us, even used a few people to make you jealous, but I never slept with any of them.” Remington cooled a little and his tone softened slightly by the end of his tirade.
Laura took a moment to process It all. Realizing what he had just confessed her face softened. He had loved her a lot longer than she had imagined. Remington began to walk away.
“Please listen to me?” Laura pleaded. Remington stopped but did not face her.
“I had no idea. How was I supposed to know when you were always on the phone? When you would show up late to work? When you flirted back with everything that looked at you?” Tears formed at the corners of Laura’s eyes.
“Your little plans to make me jealous just pushed me away. I thought I was one of many -I thought if I slept with you that you would leave, and I wasn’t ready to lose you.”
“I’m sorry,” she choked. “I never would have - if I had only known.”
Remington turned around and placed his hand on her shoulder drawing her to him. “I’m sorry, too. All of our silly games - me and my stupid fears. I love you.”
Laura let herself relax against him. “I love you, too,” she whispered.
“Well how about some linguine, eh?” he said pulling her head back for a quick kiss.
“Sounds great Mr. Steele” she said smiling.
Everyone watched as they re-entered the restaurant hand in hand. Both sat
and the waiter approached. “Mr. Steele, what a delight it is to have you and your date with us.”
“My wife,” Remington interrupted, clasping Laura’s hand under the table. Laura smiled affectionately.
“Ah…Mrs. Steele…well it’s lovely to have you with us. Are you ready to order then?”
Remington answered. “Yes, I believe we will start with Italian wedding soup, then gnocchi with sweet basil cream sauce, linguine marinara, and finish with chocolate cake. Oh and of course, Dom Perignon 76’, if you have it.”
“Yes, of course sir.”
“I’m sorry we fought,” Remington apologized again.
“Me, too.”
“Dance?” Remington helped Laura on to the dance floor and they disappeared in each others embrace.
“You really do look amazing” He kissed her on the temple. Laura returned a kiss to his lips. She leaned up and whispered in his ear and an obvious grin spread across his face.
They were back in sync, back to acting like lovebirds. As they swayed to the music everything around them disappeared, and they stared deeply into each others eyes.