It was my first time asking Yuval out, so I was rather mortified that we ended up at such a cheap place. However, I truly couldn’t afford to go to high-end restaurants.
“I’m sorry that I’m treating you to a meal at such a place,” I murmured in embarrassment while looking at Yuval sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about it. I think this is quite a nice place. I used to eat at food stalls with my roommates back when I was in university, and it was particularly gratifying at that time.”
Yuval wore a gentle smile on his face, not at all irked that I was treating him to a meal at such a cheap place.
While I had no idea whether he truly felt that way, I could sense that he was considerate of me. Although we weren’t all that close and could even be described as relatively unfamiliar with each other, his seriousness toward our relationship really touched me.
“Mr. Lambert, it’s Anna’s treat today, but shouldn’t it be your turn next? The two of you have known each other for some time now, so shouldn’t you bribe me a bit to get into my good books since I’m her best friend?”
Noticing that we were getting along well, Natalie regarded us with a bright smile on her face before shifting her gaze to Yuval.
“Natalie, how could you simply ask him to treat you to a meal? If you want a treat, I’ll just treat you again next time.”
I didn’t want Yuval to invest too much into our relationship, for I wasn’t yet certain that we would truly end up in marriage.
Besides, the expenses were supposed to be borne by both parties during a date, so I couldn’t have him spending all the time. I was already feeling bad that he had footed the bill more often than not, so I didn’t want Natalie to take the opportunity to get a free meal out of him.
“Hey, hey, are you now saving money on his behalf before the two of you have even gotten married, Anna?” Natalie teased.
She pinned me with a disgruntled look when I nixed her idea before Yuval had even said anything.
When her words fell, I was left without a retort. Oh God, that’s not what I meant at all, okay? Gah! She doesn’t understand my intentions at all! Can’t she see that my relationship with Yuval isn’t as intimate as she imagined?
“Sure, no problem. Feel free to order whatever you’d like to eat next time, Ms. Xavier,” Yuval promptly chimed in to smooth things over upon seeing that I was so embarrassed that words eluded me.
Unexpectedly, he seemed to be on cloud nine because of Natalie’s remark earlier. Perhaps he, too, thought that I was saving money on his behalf.
Nonetheless, I wasn’t planning to clarify things when it would only make things awkward if I were to admit my true thoughts.
I handed the menu to Natalie. She truly went all out, ordering braised prawns and steamed crabs. Considering the fare, the meal would cost me at least a few hundred.
My heart bled for my wallet, but at the sight of her eating with relish, I didn’t mind spending that much as long as she recovered from her heartbreak sooner rather than later.
Yuval seemed to have seen through me, for he threw me an amused look though he said nothing.
I wasn’t fond of seafood, so I merely looked on as Natalie devoured the food. Beside me, Yuval didn’t eat much either, but I wasn’t certain whether he wasn’t inclined toward the food or for some other reason.
“Anna, the food here isn’t half bad, so let’s patronize this place often in the future!” Natalie remarked while peeling a prawn.
“Sure! We’ll come again next time since you like the food here.”
Seeing the rare smile on her face, I now felt that the few hundred was truly worth spending.
Why are you not eating, Mr. Lambert? Do you not like the food?” Natalie asked with a puzzled frown when she looked over to Yuval and saw that he wasn’t eating much.
I was also curious about that, but I was embarrassed to ask such a question.
“No, I’m just not that hungry. Eat more since you like the food so much.”
Yuval always had a faint smile on his face at all times.
“If the food isn’t to your liking, I’ll treat you to a meal elsewhere next time.”
After working for the entire day, one’s appetite was at its peak at night. Thus, saying that he wasn’t all that hungry was evidently an excuse. In my opinion, he was probably wasn’t all that fond of seafood like me.
If I hadn’t promised Natalie last night, I definitely wouldn’t be treating him to a meal at such a place.
“It’ll be my treat next time. How could I possibly let you foot the bill?”
Yuval didn’t decline, but he seemed rather ill at ease about me paying. Perhaps he felt that it was only natural for the man to pay when eating out.
I was just about to say something else when his cell phone rang at that exact moment. Thus, I swallowed the words on the tip of my tongue.
Taking out the cell phone from his pocket, Yuval glanced at the caller ID. Then, he stood up and murmured, “I’m sorry, but I have to take this call.”
I nodded, upon which he swiftly walked away to answer the call. We were at a food stall, after all, so it was quite noisy.
The moment he left to answer the call, Natalie leaned over with a nosy expression on her face.
“Anna, don’t you think he’s really a decent man? He’s quite handsome, and his character is also impeccable. Most importantly, he has a mild temper!” she exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.
Following her gaze, I looked at Yuval, who was talking on the phone some distance away. Admittedly, he was indeed a good man.
“He’s indeed a very nice and decent man. He’s extremely understanding and considerate.”
In the few months I had known Yuval, I never found any flaw in him. However, I seemed to have no feelings for him.
“So, you’re saying that the two of you may very well end up at the altar?”
With her face a mask of surprise, Natalie leaned in close and eyed me nosily, probably because she seldom heard me complimenting a man so highly.
I wavered upon hearing that and was silent for a while before I finally spoke.
“I’m indeed planning to try dating him, but I’m not certain that we’ll make it to the altar. I can’t shake off the feeling that we’re more suited to be friends. To be honest, I feel rather awkward about getting married and having children with him.”
I can’t quite imagine how it would be if I were to marry Yuval. Would we also be painfully courteous like how we are right now?
“What nonsense are you spouting? In my opinion, he’s perfect for you. Look, he’s more handsome than the scumbag, Justin Xenakis. Besides, he’s a lawyer, so his income must be pretty high. Usually, the lawyer’s fee for a relatively big case goes up to tens of thousands. So, don’t look down on him just because he’s a mere lawyer. His fees for a month might even be more than what you make in a year.”
Natalie started convincing me when she saw that I was still wavering.
