Chapter 3 On a blind date.

"Life feels different when you are in love."

....

~ Austin ~

"Sir, you've got a meeting with the embezzlement client by 3pm today." my assistant, Jordan, announced.

I nodded at him with a smile; he had clearly taken my advice on referring to clients by their case types. Though I'm generally organized, I sometimes miss the finer details. That's precisely why I hired an assistant.

"Anything else?" I asked, noticing that Jordan was still standing in front of me with an awkward expression.

"Well..." He began scratching his chocolate brown hair, and I immediately sensed he was up to no good.

"Speak."

"Your grandma has set you up on a blind date with one of her best friend's granddaughters."

'Not again!' I thought. However, I kept a blank facade.

"When is the date and time?" I inquired, but he hesitated, and I had a bad feeling, yet again.

"Tonight?" He gave me an awkward smile, and I thought, if Jordan hadn't been my friend from college, I would have definitely thrown him out.

Just then, my cellphone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and waved Jordan off, signaling him to leave.

He exited, looking rather pleased with himself.

I shook my head as I picked up the call.

"Hello, Nana!"

"Hello to you too, dearest Austin!" Her voice was filled with life and vigor, still as lively as ever at eighty.

"How are you?" I asked.

"You do know I will only be completely fine when you finally find a bride?" I shut my eyes at the reminder. Not again!

"But, Nana... I-"

"I know, I know. But it's been two years. Don't you think it's time you moved on?" I sighed.

"Besides, don't you think Keren needs a mother figure in her life?"

"She doesn't, Nana! She has a live-in nanny who attends to all her needs!" I emphasized the words, "all her needs."

"I know, I know. But a live-in nanny will never be able to compare to a real mom!" Her voice echoed through the phone. "And you know that!"

I pinched the space between my eyebrows with my free hand, letting out a sigh. "So... what do you suggest?"

"Well." I could almost visualize her smiling on the other end. I imagined Nana had been a matchmaker in her earlier years, as she seemed really good at it.

"I've scheduled a blind date for you and my best friend's granddaughter, Vivian Howard, tonight at Skyline's rooftop restaurant." I nodded, already guessing why she'd chosen that particular restaurant. Nana had always insisted that couples who met, or had their first date, at Skyline's restaurant ended up spending decades together in harmony.

"Okay. What time?"

"7 PM."

"Hmm..."

"And remember-"

"Be there early, dress properly, and make a good first impression," I interrupted her, not interested in hearing her go on about how those three things led her to choose my grandfather as her husband.

"Good, good. Remember to call me to update me on how it went."

"Will do!"

"Have fun, Aus!"

"I will." I hung up the phone, only to pick it up again after a quick glance at my wristwatch.

I dialed the number of Keren's live-in nanny, and she picked up on the first ring, just as I had always demanded.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Austin." Her voice sounded a bit shaky and odd, but I decided to ignore it and get to the point.

"Is my daughter there?"

"Yes, yes, sir... but she's currently asleep."

"Hm..." I contemplated before saying, "Let me see her." I switched the call to a video call, and soon, little Keren appeared on the screen, sound asleep in her extra large crib.

"Any issues?"

"No, Sir. We had a smooth day today."

"Okay then."

"I will be out until 9 PM. Will she be fine with you until then?"

"Sure, Sir."

"Good." Without waiting for her to respond, I ended the call.

Was I too harsh or strict? Maybe.

But I knew I could never be too careful when it came to Keren...

Not when she is... I let out a deep sigh as a memory flashed before my eyes.

....

7 PM, Skyline, Rooftop Restaurant.

I swirled the chardonnay in my glass as I began to hear the sound of heels clicking on the ground. Slowly, Vivian Howard came into view.

She was as beautiful as Nana had described, but not as beautiful as...

I stood up with a smile when she reached my table. "Austin Hook," I said, reaching out my hand.

Her face lit up with a smile as she took my hand. "Vivian Howard." I nodded as she took a seat.

"Have you ordered?" Her voice was soft, maybe too soft for my liking.

"No. I'll let you do the honors."

"Okay." She picked up the menu and started browsing. After a moment, she called the waiter and ordered seafood. Really?

Hadn't she considered that I might be allergic to that?

"I hope you aren't allergic to seafood," she said.

"Not that I know of."

"Great."

"So tell me about yourself, Austin," she said after another moment of silence. I could already guess that she was the talkative type, and well... I wasn't surprised.

"Nothing much. As you might have figured, I am a criminal defense attorney with a law firm by day and a single dad by night."

"Oh... I am really sorry about Joanna..." Her expression shifted to one of concern, and I sighed. Didn't people realize that saying "sorry" doesn't really ease the pain? It only serves as a reminder of how deep the wound is and how much it still hurts.

"It's okay. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I am-" The waiter returned with her drink order, interrupting her. Classic Margarita. I noted.

"Your orders will be ready in ten minutes," the waiter said before leaving. We both nodded.

"Okay, as I was saying..."

"Continue," I urged, raising my glass.

"I'm a supermodel based in Paris, but my parents live here, so I'm always moving back and forth."

"Um... okay," I said, suddenly unsure of how to continue the conversation.

"I have a flexible schedule and a considerate manager."

"Okay." I watched as she sipped her drink gracefully.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

"In college, yes. But I haven't had time to go on dates until now." She batted her eyelashes in a way I considered seductive, but I chose not to comment on that.

"What are your expectations from a relationship?"

"Well..." She smiled, and I sensed she was about to make her pitch. "Security."

"Hmm... and what do you mean by security?"

"As you know, it means money, wealth, power, and protection."

"You do know I have a daughter, right?" I noticed her eyes widen at that mention. "Yes, I do... She should be around three years old now, right?"

"Three and a half."

"Yes, yes... but she shouldn't be a problem. We can simply hire a live-in nanny to take care of her."

"Hm..." I nodded as our food was served. The sight of the seafood made me feel nauseous, but I was grateful the waiter followed my instructions and brought me spaghetti and meatballs instead.

"You..." Her face turned red in embarrassment at my order, and I didn't feel the need to ease her discomfort as I simply focused on my dinner in silence.

Midway through the meal, I was interrupted by a commotion downstairs.

I raised an eyebrow, silently wondering what the disturbance was all about.

...

A/N: What do you think the commotion is all about, guys?