Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 49

That evening, Willow headed straight to the restaurant after clocking out.

She had picked a highly-rated, historic establishment in New York, hoping to treat Arthur to an authentic and memorable local dining experience.

When she arrived, Arthur was already there. However, he wasn't sitting at the standard table she had reserved. Instead, he was seated in a lavish, private dining suite on the ground floor.

When Willow had originally called to book, she asked about this specific suite, but the hostess firmly stated it was booked months in advance with zero wiggle room. She had no idea what kind of strings Arthur had pulled to get the restaurant to clear the room for them.

As she walked in, Willow warmly greeted him.

Arthur was the picture of politeness, pulling out her chair and immediately apologizing for the sudden room change. He claimed he just preferred the better view of the street the suite offered.

"Not at all," Willow assured him with a smile. "As long as you're comfortable."

After some light conversation, the servers began bringing out the food. The dishes were elevated takes on classic New York cuisine, beautifully plated and absolutely delicious.

Over dinner, the conversation flowed easily. They talked about her mother's recovery, her life in the city, and even her current emotional state. Every topic subtly revolved entirely around her.

As they were wrapping up dessert, Willow realized she hadn't formally thanked him yet. She raised her glass. "I truly want to thank you for stepping in when I needed it most. I'll have my work situation sorted out very soon."

Noticing Arthur's distraction, Willow gently asked, "Do you have somewhere else to be? If you're busy, I don't want to keep you any longer. I mainly just wanted to express my gratitude tonight."

"Ms. Horgan, please, you're too kind," Arthur deflected. He wasn't busy. He was just terrified. Sitting through a dinner with his boss's terrifying gaze boring a hole into the back of his head from a Bentley outside was not great for his digestion.

Sensing his discomfort, Willow took the hint. Arthur was an incredibly important executive; the fact that he carved out time for her at all was a massive favor. She shouldn't overstay her welcome.

After a few more polite exchanges, they settled the bill and prepared to leave.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, a sharp gust of wind swept down the avenue. Arthur smoothly shifted, using his body to block the chill from hitting Willow. Just then, a couple walked past them on the sidewalk, entirely unnoticed by Willow as she brushed past.