Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 237

Chapter 237

“Want to grab lunch together today?” Gwen asked on Thursday, appearing at my desk with that determined energy I knew too well. “I need to de-stress and talk about the party before the office chaos swallows us.”

“Sure,” I said, saving the document I was working on. “Where do you want to go?”

“That little Franconian place on the corner, Le Petite Maison. It’s perfect atmosphere for a girls’ talk.’

I expected a quick, relaxing lunch. A small break from the growing frenzy around the Kensington party. My mind was still a mess between whatever was happening with Nate and the ghost of Wanderer, so any distraction sounded perfect.

The restaurant was warm and charming. Soft décor, low chatter, the kind of place that made even a simple salad feel glamorous. We sat by the window, watching people pass by as we talked.

“So,” Gwen said after we ordered. “How are you feeling about tomorrow? Excited to meet your mystery date?”

“Honestly? Kind of nervous,” I admitted. “Are you sure this is a good idea? After the last round of disasters…”

“Trust me.” Gwen leaned in with a conspiratorial grin. “This one is different. Very different.”

We were knee-deep in talk about dresses and expectations when the bell over the door chimed. Someone stepped inside. Gwen glanced toward the entrance and lit up with exaggerated surprise.

“Oh, Henry!” she exclaimed, waving. “What an incredible coincidence!”

I turned and saw Henry Blackwell walking toward us in a perfect suit and that polite, charming smile I remembered from Kensington meetings. He looked genuinely surprised to see us. But the look on Gwen’s face told me this “coincidence” was about as spontaneous as a board meeting.

“Ladies,” Henry said as he reached the table. “What a pleasure to run into you.

His eyes settled on me, and he gave a warm, courteous smile.

“It is wonderful to see you again, Annabelle. That presentation on the Verdanian market was unforgettable for the clarity you brought to the data. Very impressive.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling my cheeks warm at the compliment.

“Henry, you can’t have lunch alone,” Gwen declared. “Join us. We were just talking about tomorrow’s party.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude…”

“You’re not intruding,” she insisted, practically shoving a chair out for him. “The more interesting company, the better.”

Henry sat, and the conversation fell into an easy rhythm. He was sharp and polite. He asked thoughtful questions about my work and seemed genuinely curious about my experience living in London. Talking to him was surprisingly refreshing. There were no hidden motives, bold comments, or personal questions disguised as flirting.

“And how have you been adjusting to London?” he asked. “It must be quite different from Verdania.”

“It’s a big change,” I said. “But it’s been amazing. Kensington has given me opportunities I’d never have had anywhere else.”

“The wine industry is fascinating,” Henry agreed.

We were in the middle of discussing cultural differences between Verdania and Franconia when Gwen’s phone rang. Or at least, that was what she made it look like.

“Oh, sorry.” She glanced at the screen like she’d been waiting all day for that exact call. “It’s the office. I need to take this.”

She stepped away but stayed close enough that her entire conversation was just, “uh-huh… yes… uh-huh…” with zero actual substance. When she came back, her face shifted into a dramatic mask of concern.

“Sorry, but I have to go back immediately.” She grabbed her bag with theatrical urgency. “Serious issue with the documents from this morning. You two finish lunch, please.”

“Gwen, I can go with you-” I started. She cut me off.

“No, no! Relax and enjoy your lunch. Henry can keep you company.” She gave me a look so conspiratorial she might as well have winked. “See you later.”

And she was gone. Leaving me alone with Henry. Subtle as a brick through a window. But he looked so at ease that I didn’t have the heart to bolt.

He was walking toward us. Probably returning from lunch too. His expression was all professional edges. Except for the tension underneath that he couldn’t hide.

“No, Mr. Carter,” Henry replied smoothly. Still smiling that polite smile. “I simply wanted to be sure Ms. Bennett got back safely. A woman so dedicated deserves at least a pleasant pause in her day.”

Nate only nodded, but I could see his expression harden just slightly. There was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite read a strange mix of surprise, discomfort, and… was that jealousy?

“Until tomorrow then,” Henry said. He took my hand gently and pressed a soft kiss to my fingers. “A pleasure, as always.”

“Thank you for lunch,” I replied, trying very hard not to think about how intensely Nate was watching the interaction.

When Henry walked off, I stayed there a moment. The tension in the air felt almost physical. Nate was still staring at me with that unreadable look.

“Work meeting?” he asked. His tone didn’t match the question.

“Lunch,” I said. “Gwen was there too, but she had a work emergency.” For some reason, I felt the need to explain.

“Of course she did.”

Something in the way he said it made me glance up. There was something simmering behind his eyes. Something he wasn’t saying.

He didn’t have a right to care who I ate lunch with. He knew that. I knew that. But he cared anyway. And I… well. I wasn’t immune to the strange hit of satisfaction that came with realizing it.

“Well,” I said, forcing myself to move. “I need to get back to work.”

“Of course.”

I walked into the building with my pulse racing. And I didn’t know if it was from Henry’s charming courtesy. Or from the way Nate Carter had looked at me like he’d just walked in on something he didn’t want to see.