Chapter 3 Confusing Dinner Invitations

Still reeling from the surprise of the beautiful bouquet, I carefully opened the small card tucked among the blooms. My heart pounded as I read the neatly written message.

Evelyn Parker,

I would be delighted to invite you to dinner tonight. If you could kindly provide your address, I will arrange for transportation.

Dominic Sterling

Mr. Sterling was inviting me to dinner as a sign of appreciation. I blinked, reading the note again to ensure I wasn't imagining things.

"Dinner?" I muttered to myself, my mind spinning. "With Mr. Sterling?"

Susan, standing next to me, leaned over to read the card. Her eyes widened as she took in the message. "Evelyn, this is fantastic!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

I blinked at her, my mind a whirl of confusion. "You think so?"

"Absolutely!" she replied, her eyes shining. "This is a great opportunity to build a professional relationship with him. You should definitely accept."

I gazed at the lovely bunch of flowers and then shifted my attention to the invitation card. I was surprised to see that Mr. Sterling had invited me to dinner. His icy demeanor during the meeting starkly contrasted these flowers and this dinner invitation. It felt overwhelming.

Still holding the beautiful bouquet, I looked at Susan, my mind confused."I... I don't know, Susan,"I said, shaking my head. "I mean, it's nice and all, but it's just... it's a lot. And I don't really understand why he's doing this."

Susan looked at me, her expression softening. "Mr. Sterling is married, Evelyn. This dinner will definitely just be a normal dinner. Maybe he was impressed with your presentation and wants to talk more about the project."

"But I didn't do anything special during the presentation," I protested, feeling confused in my stomach. "I even argued with him more than once."

Susan just shrugged, her smile never fading. "Maybe that's what impressed him, Evelyn. You stood your ground, you didn't back down. That's a quality not many people have."

Despite Susan's reassurances, I couldn't shake the feeling that this dinner was unnecessary. Yes, Mr. Sterling was a professional contact, and yes, he was married. But something about the whole situation just didn't sit right with me.

Susan patted my shoulder, giving me a reassuring smile. "Just think about it, okay? There's no rush."

With that, she walked back to her room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

After a moment of consideration, I made up my mind. I opened my laptop and began to draft an email to Dominic.

Subject: Re: Dinner Invitation

Dear Mr. Sterling,

I hope this email finds you well. Thank you for the stunning bouquet of roses and the gracious dinner invitation. I was pleasantly surprised and truly appreciate your generosity.

However, after careful consideration, I must respectfully decline the dinner invitation. Please understand that this decision does not reflect any lack of dedication to our project's success, as I remain entirely committed to that goal. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to collaborate closely with you and your team.

Again, thank you for your understanding and the opportunity to work on this exciting project.

Best regards,

Evelyn Parker

Once I was satisfied with the message, I hit send. A sense of relief washed over me. I had made my decision, and it felt like the right one.

As I sat there, staring at the beautiful bouquet, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held. But for now, I could only focus on the project and the work ahead. After all, as Susan always said, the show must go on. And so I would.

I had barely closed my laptop when a new email notification appeared on my screen. I blinked in surprise as I saw the sender's name: Dominic Sterling. I had expected him to reply slowly. A CEO as busy as him surely had more important things to do. Maybe it was his secretary answering on his behalf. Or perhaps it was Mr. Sterling himself. Either way, I felt a flutter of nerves as I clicked on the email.

Subject: Re: Dinner Invitation

Dear Ms. Parker,

Thank you for your prompt response. I appreciate and respect your decision to decline the dinner invitation.

However, there are some details about the project that I would like to discuss with you. A face-to-face discussion would be more effective. Therefore, I propose a business dinner, where we can discuss the project over a good meal.

Please let me know if this arrangement is acceptable to you.

Best regards,

Dominic Sterling

I stared at the screen, my mind spinning. A work dinner. That differed from a casual dinner, right? It was more professional, more... appropriate. And it made sense. There were always details to discuss and things to plan. This may be a good idea after all.

I took a deep breath, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. I had a reply to write. I told him I'd consider his invitation and get back to him soon. And this time, I felt more confident about my decision.

After emailing Mr. Sterling, I closed my laptop and leaned back in my chair. Just as I was about to stand up and stretch my legs, my phone buzzed with a new message. I picked it up, frowning at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Curious, I opened the chat.

(Evelyn, I'll pick you up at your apartment tonight. Please send me your address.)

-Dominic-

I was surprised, wondering how he got my number since we had only communicated through email. My heart raced with anticipation. He mentioned picking me up tonight, but I have yet to decide whether to go to that dinner or not. The informal use of my first name surprised me. We were not friends, just professional colleagues.

I sat there, staring at my phone, my mind spinning. This was all happening so fast. Too fast. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I needed to think. I needed to figure out what to do next.