Chapter 3, Part 1: I'll Do It Myself

It’s been three weeks and Isabella has yet to get one of her perfect critic to go to Durvii, the 5 star restaurant in Manhattan. All her best were booked with other restaurants. She knew she had to make a decision, either she drop that restaurant or she go herself. She decided to go. Of course she would! It would prove to be great publicity for the magazine. Durvii was the hot spot for celebrities and aristocrats alike. People have been eagerly awaiting the reviews of that elegant restaurant and this would be a great opportunity to put their anticipation to rest.

 She wore a pair of jeans and a green flannel blouse with her hair in a ponytail, nothing too much. She needed to look as simple as possible and the only person who could help her do that was Laura, her ever so simplistic sister. Maybe she overdid the simplicity a bit too much, jeans and a blouse aren’t appropriate attire for a place such as Durvii, she would definitely be the object of humiliation. However, she had to try, for there had been numerous occasions where her staff had been caught, translation, special treatment. She didn’t want that. “I’m just like any other customer.” she kept telling herself.

 “Are you ready to order ma’am?” asked a waiter.

 “Yes, I like to try the Mushroom Stroganoff Vol au Vant.” Isabella chose to start with the French delicacies and work her way up to the Chinese platters. With all this eating and the all the calories being consumed, weekly visits to the gym became a must, she had to maintain her curves. While waiting for the waiter to return with her meal she observed her surroundings, it was clean, a bit too clean. Durvii was awarded healthiest restaurant two years in a row. There was soulful jazz music playing which reminded her of a cabaret, taking her way back to the days when she’d wait tables at her father’s diner. The tables were arranged in banquet style with a lavish gold and silver theme, which brought grace and elegance to the exquisite restaurant. Her mind strayed to thoughts of David. She hadn’t heard from him in a month and that was a good thing. She wasn’t fully recovered but she made up her mind not to stress herself. He isn’t worth it, she convinced herself

 “Bella?”

 “Hey Mathew, what’s up?” Isabella said smiling

 “Ahh and the every so friendly Isabella Heart is back.” Mathew announced sarcastically. He was delighted to see that she was doing much better and not at home in deep isolation.

 “I’m sorry for the way I acted, I was hurting and very vulnerable, the last thing I needed was a handsome, muscular man like you wrapping his arms around me.” Isabella confessed. Laura told her that Mathew kicked David out of his house because of what he had done to her, thus the reason for her politeness.

 “Don’t flatter me.” He said

 “Ok I won’t.” they both laughed.

 “What are you doing here, are you alone?” Bella asked.

 “I’m here to get some food to eat then I’m heading home, and yes I’m here alone. What are you are doing here?”

 “I’m here on an investigation,” she whispered

 “What kind of investigation?” he whispered back, mocking her.

 “Well I’m a food critic, don’t you remember?”

 “Yea but I didn’t know that you personally went to the restaurants, I thought that you were in charge of the people who went to the restaurants. At least that’s what Laura told me.”

 “It is but I couldn’t find anyone to come to here so you know, desperate times call for desperate measures and if I remember correctly you were the one who suggested I came here myself.”

 “Ahh I remember now,” Mathew said

 “Umm Mathew have you ordered already?” Bella asked

 “No I haven’t, I just got here, why? Do you want me to leave already?”

 “God no, Matt, its just that I have to order so much food and I don’t think I can eat it all off, I need some help, its free.” Bella said trying her best to persuade him to stay, but bribing him with free food seemed as if she was mistaking Mathew for Laura.

 “Well why not, I’m always in the mood for free food.”

 “Good to see that my sister had some influence on you” she laughed.

 “Your sister is a good girl Bella and so are you, you both need to be treated with loyalty and respect. I hated the way my brother treated you after four years...” he confessed sympathetically.

 “Matt, thank you, but I really don’t want to talk about him right now, ok?”

 “That’s fine,” Mathew said.

  It was an evening of good conversation and great food. At the end of the day, Isabella spent three thousand dollars.

 “I’m stuffed,” Bella said “I don’t think I can drive myself home.”

 “You don’t have to, I’ll drive you home if you like.”

 “Thanks but how are you gonna get home, didn’t you drive?”

 “Don’t worry about that, I could call a cab to take me home”

 “How generous of you and they said that chivalry no longer exist.”

 Mathew laughed, “I’m an exception, does that mean you accept?”

 “Yes it does, let me get his check so we can get outta here.”

 “So what’s your report gonna be about Durvii.” Matt asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

 “What do you think?” Bella asked rhetorically. “You know, Mathew, as ridiculous as this may sound I always thought that Durvii paid those magazine and newspaper for good reviews, but...” She stopped speaking and stared at Mathew. He was really listening to her and she was mesmerized by his devotion. She studied his features, his unique bone structure, his seductive grey eyes, his cherry lips, his strong biceps, and muscular body. She was beginning to lust after this man, wanting to kiss him, wanting to feel his passion, wanting him to make love to her.

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