UnknownMaster

  Evangeline and Alex's versation flowed smoothly. She found herself rexing, the ay melting away as they slipped into familiar banter, making her fet why she had been nervous in the first pce.

  Then the waiter returned. "Have you decided what you'd like to order?"

  Alex ordered bed salmon and Evangeline rilled salmon and a feetizers to share. The waiter then took their menus and disappeared.

  Evangeliated her wine gss in her hand, watg the red liquid swirl slowly. "You know," She let the word hang there, eyes flig up to Alex. "I don't think we have talked about our lives before Hollywood."

  Alex raised an eyebrow. "No, I guess we haven't."

  "Care to enlighten me?"

  Alex chuckled. "Where should I start?"

  "Why not from the beginning? If you don't mind."

  He sipped his wine. "Alright, but it's ly gmorous. I worked in stru. Hard bor, barely meeting my daily needs. On top of that, my parents ran off a me drowning in their debts."

  "Wait! Seriously?" She was shocked.

  Alex shrugged. "Yep. It wasn't pretty. I was barely scraping by, doing double shifts just to keep the lights on. And then, to top it off, my girlfriend at the time left me for a rich guy. Said she was tired of struggling."

  Evangeli a bit of sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that."

  "Don't be," He waved off. "It worked out for the best. Saved my neck from a gold digger, and... well, one day I thought let's do something different and I started posting my novels and scripts everywhere possible... Got lucky with Forrest Gump, and here we are."

  She took a slow sip of her wine, watg him carefully. "I had no idea."

  "ly something I bring up in casual versation," Alex said, tapping his fingers against the table. "What about you?"

  Evangeline raised her eyebrows. "What about me?"

  "You alk about your past. What was it like?"

  Evangeline's fiightened imperceptibly around her gss. "Nothing special."

  "You're not selling it." Alex leaned ba his seat. "I shared. It's only fair."

  "I was a waitress, did oil ges and grease jobs on big rig trucks, and even worked as a flight attendant for Royal Airlio save money for my tuition and csses," She shrugged nontly.

  Alex blinked. "Wait. Back up. You worked on big rigs?"

  She gave a nod. "Yep. Got my hands dirty, too."

  "I need photographic evidence," he teased.

  She ughed. It was light and easy, the kind of sound that made him smile. "Too te now. I burhose clothes a long time ago."

  He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Damn."

  She tilted her head slightly, studying him with warm eyes. "You're impressed."

  Alex leaned forward, resting his forearms oable. "I'm more than impressed," he said, voice dropping half an octave. "That's pretty badass."

  Her mouth parted slightly, eyes fshing.

  Their food arrived.

  Evangeline exhaled slowly, trying to get her brain ba track. "Right. Food. I'm hungry."

  Alex just watched, eyes dark. "So am I."

  They both dug into their meals, falling into another easy versation.

  "So," Evangeline said, poking at her salmon with her fork. "I have an idea."

  Alex smiled. "Should I be nervous or excited about this idea of yours?"

  She smiled, her lips pressing together. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

  Alex paused with his wine gss halfway to his mouth. "Ominous, but okay. Let's hear it."

  "A game."

  "A game." He raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "Alright, I'm listening."

  "Teions. Ho answers. You lose 1 point for skipping a question," She expined.

  Alex leaned forward, intrigued. "Sounds dangerous."

  She shrugged. "Only if you have something to hide."

  He chuckled. "Alright, but if this is a game, there should be some kind of reward."

  Evangeliilted her head. "Like what?"

  Alex smirked, the mischievous glint in his eye unmistakable. "I'll think of something."

  Evangeline narrowed her eyes, studying him carefully. And then she smirked, leaning ba her seat. "Okay, Wilson. You're on."

  Alex grinned. "Good. So, who goes first?"

  Evangeliured to him with her fork. "You."

  Alex tapped his finger against his as he sidered his first question. "Alright, I've got one... What is yreatest fear?"

  Evangeline raised her eyebrows. "That's your first question?"

  He raised his brow. "Hey, you started this."

  She let out a soft huff, lips curving up. "Fine. My greatest fear? Being alone, I guess." She paused, then added, "I don't like the feeling that I might end up an old spinster surrounded by cats."

  Alex chuckled. "Noted. No cats."

  Evangeliilted her head slightly. "Your turn. What's yours?"

  "I think I'm more afraid of spiders than anything else."

  Evangeliried and failed to hold back a ugh. "Seriously?"

  "Argg! Those eight-legged freaks terrify me."

  She grinned. "Good to know."

  "Why is it good to know? Wait! Don't tell me you are pnning on pulling a prank on me."

  "Maaaybe," she said with a teasing smirk.

  "Nooo, Evie, don't do it to me. I thought we were friends," Alex pouted, causio ugh out loud.

  "Oh, God. This is gonna be so much fun," she said while taking another sip of wine.

  "It's my turn, isn't it?" She asked after a moment, and when Alex nodded, she tinued.

  Evangeliapped her nails against her wine gss, thinking. Then a slow smile spread across her lips. "Alright, Alex. If you could ge ohing about your past, what would it be?"

  Alex leaned back, exhaling as he swirled the deep red liquid in his gss. "Oof. That's a big one."

  "You wao py," she reminded him, arg an eyebrow.

  "Fair enough." He set his gss down and sidered for a moment. "I think I would've started writing sooner. Maybe put myself out there earlier instead of wasting years in a job that made me miserable."

  Evangeline nodded, watg him. "s about the struggle?"

  Alex gave a small, wry smile. "Regrets? Sure. But I also know I wouldn't be here without it. Hard times shape us, right?"

  She hummed in agreement. "That's true."

  Alex nodded. "Your turn. What would you ge?"

  Evangeline's fiightened slightly around the stem of her wine gss, a flicker of something unreadable passing over her face. "I would've trusted fewer people."

  Alex frowned slightly. "That sounds... heavy."

  She let out a shh, but there was no humor in it. "It is what it is."

  He watched her carefully. "Someone burned you pretty badly, huh?"

  Evangeliated, then took a slow sip of wine. "You could say that."

  Alex didn't push, but the sileween them felt charged. He had a feeling there was a lot more to that ahan she was willing to admit.

  "Alright," he finally said, breaking the tension with a teasing smirk. "I'll let you off the hook—for now. But just know, I'm very good at prying."

  Evangeline rolled her eyes but smiled. "Noted. Now, what's your question?"

  Alex leaned forward, his grin turning dht devilish. "Alright, Evie. What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happeo you?"

  Evangeline groaned, c her face with one hand. "Oh, you are evil."

  "I try."

  She peeked at him through her fingers, then sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if I tell you, you are not allowed to ugh."

  "I make no promises," he said, clearly eained.

  She huffed. "Okay, so... back when I was a flight attendant, I was rushing through the airport trying to get to my gate. And I wasn't looking where I was going, and I ran at full speed, straight into a gss wall. I bounced right off it and on my ba front of a whole crowd of people."

  Alex burst out ughing. "No way!"

  Evangeline groaned again. "Yes way. And the worst part? Some kid yelled, 'Mom, look! That dy just fated!' I wao disappear."

  Alex wiped at his eyes, still ughing. "That is amazing. I wish I had been there."

  "You would have been no help at all," she accused.

  "Absolutely not," he agreed. "I would have been too busy ughing."

  Evangeline shook her head, but she was smiling. "Okay, your turn. Most embarrassing moment?"

  Alex took a deep breath, as if preparing himself. "Alright. So, back when I was w in stru, I was helping on a site near a school. Oernoon, I was standing on a scaffold, and my tool belt got caught on something. hing I know—bam! My pants dropped straight down in front of aire css of kids on a field trip."

  Evangeline gasped, then burst out ughing. "Oh my God!"

  Alex groaned, running a hand down his face. "I wao die. And the worst part? The teacher just calmly said, 'And this, children, is why we always wear a belt.'"

  Evangeline nearly choked on her wine, ughing. "That is the best thing I've ever heard!"

  Alex grinned, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. Enough humiliatio question is yours."

  She grinned mischievously. "Okay, Alex. If you had to kiss someone in this room, who would it be?"

  His smirk was slow, fident. "That's easy."

  Evangeline raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

  He leaned in just slightly, his gaze log with hers. "You, obviously."

  Her breath hitched. The pyful banter between them suddenly felt... different. He wasn't joking.

  Evangeline swallowed, trying to ighe way her heart had started hammering. "Well... that's a bold answer."

  Alex held her gaze. "You started this game, Evie."

  She took a steadying sip of wine, her lips curving into a smirk. "Alright, Wilson. Your move."

  He grinned. "Oh, trust me. I pn on making it t."

  Evangeline arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And how exactly do you pn on making it t?"

  Alex leaned ba his seat, tapping his fingers against his wine gss. "Guess you'll have to wait and see."

  She narrowed her eyes, studying him. "You're infuriating, you know that?"

  He grinned. "So I've been told."

  Evangeline huffed, shaking her head with a smile. "Alright, question—"

  "Actually, I have one for you," Alex interrupted.

  She blinked. "I thought it was my turn."

  "Pretty sure we lost track a while ago."

  Evangeliilted her head, realizing he was right. At some point, their game had turned into something else entirely—just an excuse to talk, to tease, to linger in the moment a little longer.

  She sighed dramatically. "Fine. Hit me."

  Alex's expression turhoughtful, his usual teasing smirk softening into something more curious. "What's something you've always wao do but never have?"

  Evangeline was caught off guard by the question. She expected something pyful, but this… this felt personal.

  She exhaled, drumming her fingers against the table. "I don't know. I guess… I've always wao just pack a bag and disappear for a while. No responsibilities, no schedule... just go somewhere a."

  Alex watched her carefully. "What's stopping you?"

  She let out a dry chuckle. "Reality, mostly. Life, itments. Running away sounds ni theory, but in practiot so easy."

  Alex nodded slowly, his gaze unreadable. "Maybe it's not about running away. Maybe it's just about taking a break."

  Evangeline sidered that, then shrugged. "Maybe."

  She cleared her throat, shaking off the weight of the moment. "Okay, my turn. Same question—what's something you've never do always wao?"

  Alex didn't eveate. "Skydive."

  Evangeline's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"

  "Yep." He grinned. "Jumping out of a pne, free-falling? Sounds like the ultimate thrill."

  She let out a ugh. "And here I thought spiders were ygest fear."

  "They still are," he admitted. "But at least a pne won't chase me into my bedroom at night."

  Evangeline giggled, shaking her head. "Fair point."

  Their versation carried on effortlessly, the questions blurring together. They talked about childhood dreams, favorite books, worst dates.

  Evangeline fessed to oripping on stage during a high school py. Alex admitted he once actally called his teacher "Mom" in front of the entire css.

  They ughed. They teased. They lost all sense of time.

  At some point, the waiter returned with the check, subtly hinting that they had been sitting there lohan most of the other diners.

  Evangeline blinked, gng around. "hen did it get so te?"

  Alex smiled, pulling out his wallet. "Time flies when you're having fun."

  She rolled her eyes but smiled. "y, but accurate."

  He hahe waiter his card before she could protest.

  Evangeline frowned. "Hey! I was going to—"

  Alex shook his head. "Too slow, Evie."

  She sighed i, but there was no real annoyan her expression.

  As they stood, Alex g her, his smirk returning. "So… what's the verdict? Did I survive your little game?"

  Evangeline preteo sider. "Hmm… barely."

  Alex chuckled, stepping cluess that means I'll have to try harder ime."

  Evangeliilted her head, her lips curving. "ime, huh?"

  He held her gaze, his voice dropping just enough to make her pulse qui. "Oh, definitely."

  She swallowed, suddenly very aware of how close he was.

  The air between them felt different now charged and heavy with something unspoken.

  For a moment, her of them moved.

  Then Evangeli out a breath and smirked. "Well, Wilson… I look forward to it."

  Alex grinned. "Me too, Evie. Me too."

  [Outside]

  Evangeline and Alex stepped out of the restaurant, ughing at some joke she couldn't remember telling. She was more rexed than she had been in weeks.

  Their cars were already waitihe entrance.

  Alex stopped beside his car, watg her with a grin. "So, how would you rate tonight? On a scale from oo ten?"

  Evangeline preteo think, tapping her . "Hmmm... I don't know. Hard to tell... Maybe if there was an after-date with cozy couches and an old movie involved... then I could give you a definitive answer."

  "Is that so?" Alex asked, amusement clear in his voice.

  "Yep," Evangeline replied with a smile. 'Say yes, say yes, say yes... Arggg! Why the heck did I say that?'

  He smiled. "Alright, why don't you joi my penthouse? I got a mini theatre with cozy couches and the best snacks. We watch that cssic movie you were talking about."

  "Humm... Sounds tempting. Well, let's see if the movie is worth it or not."

  "Great..."

  With that, they drove towards the penthouse.

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