A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Tapping her fingers against the table, (f/n) waited while Anita held a smirk upon her lips. "So, are you going to tell me or just hold the information over my head until I get up and grab your phone?"

"Like I would let you grab my phone," Anita argued back with a grin. (F/n) rolled her eyes and gave her the look that said she would get her phone if she didn't talk soon. She took a slow sip of her whiskey and swallowed. As she set the glass down, she finally responded, "During culinary school. He didn't go there, but I met him when I went out to a bar on my own. We hung out several times after that and have stayed in contact." That information wasn't entirely true, but some of it was ... sort of. Of course, (f/n) didn't need to know that.

"Why haven't you mentioned him before?" (F/n) crossed her arms.

"Because he wasn't looking to date anyone before now. He's open to the idea now."

"Uh huh." (F/n) didn't look convinced, and Anita rolled eyes.

"I mean it. You even can look at his social media. He hasn't dated," Anita argued and pouted a bit in frustration at her friend's lack of belief.

(F/n) took out her phone and looked to Anita. She told her the social media to check, and (f/n) logged in. "Last name."

"Fields."

After she typed in the name and found his account, she pulled it up and scrolled through his public pictures. So, he was in business and worked for his parents' company, which happened to be in interior design. Some of the pictures of rooms he posted did look pretty nice. However, she did see several pictures of women, who weren't family members on his profile as far as she could tell. "So, are these friends of his, then?"

"Yeah ..." Anita started but stopped at (f/n)'s skeptical look. "Really, they are," Anita asserted, but it was clear she was holding information back. (F/n) waited for her to go on. "Okay, fine. They're his friends, but he's also had flings with them. That's what he told me anyway. They're all good with each other, however, and have stayed in contact."

"And, he suddenly wants a serious relationship?"

"Well, I wasn't in a serious relationship until now," Anita pointed out. (F/n) was about to interrupt, but Anita spoke before her. "And, don't use the excuse that I'm me, and it's different. You're just trying to find a reason to get out of this and not go to dinner with Kaleb and me."

"Yeah, I don't really want to go," (f/n) admitted and huffed. "But, I also don't want this guy to be acting like he wants a serious relationship but just wants a fling in secret. I don't need to deal with that."

Sighing roughly, Anita leaned back on her chair. "Can you trust my judgment a little?" (F/n) raised a brow as if she should really be asking that. "Kaleb and your dislike of him aside."

"... Well ..." (F/n) saw Anita maintain her gaze with her, and her look became more pleading. Groaning, (f/n) hung her head. "Fine. I'll come and meet him. Don't expect me to be easy on Kaleb, though, just because someone else is with us."

"I won't, but you will be somewhat distracted," Anita comment, a grin on her lips. (F/n) finished her glass of wine and stood up. "Don't tell me you're going to go pout in your room now."

"Fine, I won't." (F/n) walked by and gave Anita a mischievous smile. "Just going to go ahead and interrogate Kaleb online."

"(F/n)!" Anita called out as she walked away and into the kitchen. "(F/n)! Wait!"Quickly, Anita got up. "You don't really mean that, do you?!" She followed her (h/c)-haired friend into the kitchen. (F/n) shrugged and washed her wine glass. "Oh come on. That's not fair."

"Are you really going to bring up fairness, right now?" (f/n) teased, peering back to Anita.

"I ... Okay, fine." Anita pouted and crossed her arms. "Just tell me that you won't actually do that. He gets it enough from you when you meet up with him, but I'm hoping with time that you get better."

"I'll try, and I told you that's all I'm going to do, but," (f/n) rolled her eyes and smiled to Anita in reassurance, "I won't bother him tonight. Go get ready and head off. I know that you want to head on over to the hotel."

"You're actually telling me to go there?" She smirked and crossed her arms, a victorious expression on her face.

"Only because you've been bouncing on your feet. It's obvious that even when we're talking you're thinking about him, and I'd rather not. Same for this upcoming double dinner." (F/n) set her glass in a drainer. "So, the sooner you leave the sooner I can think about other things, but ..."

"Be careful?" Anita interrupted, a smirk on her lips.

"Yeah, yeah." (F/n) shooed her friend away. "Now, go before I decide to drag you back."

"Understood," Anita answered in a sing-song manner before she skipped out of the kitchen and grabbed her phone and whiskey. (F/n) slouched against the counter and sighed roughly once Anita was upstairs. Behind her, she practically could feel the mannequin staring at her. She peered back and saw that his eyes were looking her way. A chill ran up her back. "I didn't tell her anything," she spoke quietly. "Just like you asked." Lee nodded. He probably had heard the whole conversation, and she wondered what he thought on it all or if he could care less about what had transpired in the dining room.

Concerning Anita, she was happy that her friend hadn't noticed her worry throughout the day. After Kaleb had disclosed to her that his parents didn't want (f/n) in charge of management of the café if they were to invest in the café, she was worried that (f/n) might pick up on her internal conflict over the whole thing. Fortunately, (f/n) hadn't. Now, she'd be too distracted by the next dinner and Tristan, hopefully, to notice for awhile. Anita frankly didn't know when she'd have an answer to Kaleb and his parents' proposal. She'd be turning her back on (f/n), but (f/n) would have a good job with Kaleb's company. Plus if things worked out with Tristan, she'd know someone who had good connections that could boost her management career even more if she was no longer with the café.

Even with that in mind, Anita would need more time to decide, and she hoped that (f/n) wouldn't find out about what was going on in the background. The longer she waited the more likely that (f/n) would learn of the possible plan between Kaleb and her, but she didn't want to rush in choosing either. She just had to be careful and keep (f/n) distracted.

There was the concern of why (f/n) looked different, however. (F/n) had stated she just was tired from a bad night's rest, but Anita wondered if there was more to it. Was (f/n) hiding something from her? Anita furrowed her brows at the thought as she changed into some clothes for heading over to the hotel. Well, it was possible that she did, but what would it be? Did (f/n) have some hidden offer too?

No, that couldn't be it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so careless to show how she felt during the day. Something else was bothering (f/n) if there was anything beyond just being tired. Was it the mannequin again? Anita chuckled a bit. No, she was certain that (f/n) had gotten over that fixation. Probably, she was over thinking things, but she hoped that (f/n)'s concern didn't deal with Kaleb's potential investment in the café. (F/n) simply wouldn't know about that unless she had overheard them last night. Even then, Anita wouldn't expect (f/n) to be so calm over things.

Finished dressing, Anita grabbed her black purse and headed out of her room. Just in case, she'd keep a close eye on her friend. For the moment, though, she shoved the thoughts aside and checked (f/n)'s room, just in case she had come up already. She wasn't in there, so she headed downstairs. In the entrance hall, Anita called out, "I'm heading out, (f/n)! Be back in the morning!"

"Okay, don't stay too long!" (f/n) called back from the kitchen. (F/n) heard Anita laugh a little before she headed out of the house and locked the door behind her. Back in the kitchen, (f/n) wondered if she should leave the room. Lee wasn't moving at the moment; he just stared. It unnerved her completely. She didn't know how this worked now that she knew him to be alive. Did she just go about her business and keep her guard up in case he tried something? With Anita around, it seemed like he wouldn't do anything, but she no longer was home.

It didn't help that the two of them had been staring at each other quietly for the last several minutes. What was he thinking; what was he going to do? Hating the silence between them, she spoke his name, "Lee?" Saying his name was more to see if he would do anything, indicate anything that was going through his head. Nothing. "Do you need paper and a pen?" He turned away from her and headed for the kitchen door before he signaled her to follow. Hesitantly, she did so in case he got angry and decided to attack. If only she knew what he was planning, though.