Chapter 23: Dinner With Reagan
The night air was cool as she locked both the main door and the gate, the familiar click echoing in the quiet street.
She inhaled deeply, steadying herself before heading to her car.
As she slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, she entered the restaurant's name into Google Maps. The drive took longer than expected due to traffic, leaving her tapping her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently.
By the time she pulled into the parking area of Discovery Suites, it was already quarter to six. She wasn't late, but she didn't have much time to collect herself before the dinner. Not that she needed to. It was just a simple meal, after all.
Still, as she stepped out of the car and adjusted the strap of her purse over her shoulder, she couldn't shake off the strange flutter in her stomach. Looking up, she took in the towering structure of Discovery Suites, its sleek glass exterior reflecting the city lights.
With a steady breath, she walked inside.
The lobby exuded quiet elegance. Warm lighting, polished marble floors, and a modern yet sophisticated design. She walked toward the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor, her fingers feeling oddly clammy against the cool metal.
As the elevator doors slid shut, Lara caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirrored walls. She smoothed the fabric of her dress and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
A sudden realization settled over her. This was the first time in a long while that she was going out for dinner with someone. Not a family gathering. Not a work event. Just a dinner.
With a man.
A man who wasn't her husband.
The thought unsettled her. Not because she felt guilty, but because it felt unfamiliar. She barely knew Reagan. Their only interactions had been brief. He wasn't exactly warm or overly friendly. How was she supposed to act around him? Formal? Casual? Friendly? She didn't know.
The elevator chimed, snapping her from her thoughts.
She stepped out and was immediately greeted by the warm and elegant atmosphere of 22 Prime.
The restaurant was breathtaking.
Dim ambient lighting cast a golden glow over the polished wood floors, while sleek leather chairs and crisp white tablecloths adorned the space. The soft clinking of glasses and hushed laughter filled the air, mingling with the faint notes of classical music playing in the background.
But what truly caught Lara's attention was the panoramic view. Floor-to-ceiling fiberglass windows lined the entire length of the restaurant, showcasing a dazzling display of city lights stretching far into the distance. The sight was mesmerizing.
She barely had time to take it all in when a well-dressed staff member approached her with a polite smile.
"Good evening, Ma'am. Do you have a reservation?"
"Yes," Lara replied, steadying her voice. "It should be under Mr. Reagan Clark Sanford."
The staff member nodded, quickly checking the reservation list on a sleek digital tablet before confirming with a professional tone, "Ah, yes. Right this way, Ma'am."
Lara followed as he led her through the restaurant, her heels clicking softly against the floor, her eyes sweeping across the restaurant until they landed on Reagan.
He was seated by the floor-to-ceiling fiberglass window, the glow of the city lights casting subtle shadows over his sharp features. His green eyes, unreadable, gazed out at the view beyond the glass. Dressed in a crisp, tailored suit, the dark fabric accentuated the broad lines of his shoulders, his posture composed and effortlessly commanding.
She hadn't expected him to be here so early. He had mentioned having a meeting prior to this so she thought he might run late. But instead, here he was, seated with perfect composure, as if he had been waiting for a while.
As she neared the table, Reagan's gaze lifted. His green eyes, sharp and unreadable, locked onto her.
He stood up as she approached.
Lara blinked, surprised by the small but courteous gesture.
"Good evening," she greeted, offering a polite smile.
Reagan gave a small nod before stepping to the side and pulling out the chair across from where he had been sitting.
Her surprise deepened. She wasn't accustomed to such gestures. Not from Lucas, and certainly not from someone like Reagan, whose every movement seemed calculated and deliberate.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second before murmuring, "Thank you."
He said nothing, simply nodding again before returning to his seat. Lara sat down, smoothing the skirt of her dress as she adjusted herself.
The waiter arrived almost instantly, pouring water into their glasses. Lara reached for hers, taking a small sip to steady herself. When she glanced up, she caught Reagan watching her, not in an intrusive way, but with quiet, steady curiosity.
Lara felt a strange flicker in her chest.
She quickly composed herself and glanced at the menu, feeling the need to fill the silence.
"Have you ordered yet?" she asked.
"No," Reagan replied, leaning back slightly in his seat. "I was waiting for you."
Something about the way he said it made her pause. He could have easily ordered ahead, started without her. But he hadn't. It was a simple thing, yet oddly considerate.
A small, genuine smile formed on her lips. "Well, we can order now then. You must be starving after work."
A faint flicker of amusement passed through his gaze. "How thoughtful of you."
Lara chuckled softly. "Well, I did invite you, after all. I should at least make sure you don't starve."
Reagan let out a quiet chuckle before signaling the waiter.
After scanning through the selections, they placed their orders. Reagan ordered a premium Wagyu dish, while Lara opted for seared salmon with truffle mashed potatoes. They also settled on a shared appetizer and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to complement their meal.
As the waiter left, Lara relaxed into her seat, half-expecting silence to stretch between them. After all, she and Reagan were barely acquaintances. She wasn't sure what to say to him, or if she should say anything at all.
But surprisingly, Reagan was the one to break the silence first.
"How was work?" he asked, casually swirling the water in his glass.
Lara blinked at the unexpected question before answering, "Oh. It was… good. The kids kept me busy."
"You work at a preschool, right?"
She nodded. "Yes. It's a small private school, but I love it there."
Reagan hummed, as if considering her words carefully. "Not many people have the patience for children."
Lara smiled slightly. "They're easier to understand than most adults."
That seemed to amuse him. His lips twitched as he regarded her with mild curiosity. "That so?"
She nodded. "Kids don't hide their feelings. When they're happy, they laugh. When they're upset, they cry. They don't pretend."
Reagan studied her for a moment, his green eyes thoughtful. Then, he said, "That sounds… refreshing."
Lara let out a soft breath. "It is."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. She wasn't sure what to say next. The food hadn't arrived yet, and despite how comfortable Reagan seemed, she felt an odd urge to fill the quiet.
After a brief hesitation, she asked, "How about you? How was your meeting earlier?"
Reagan exhaled, leaning back slightly. "Productive, but tedious. Legal teams tend to enjoy dragging things out."
She chuckled. "That sounds exhausting."
"It is."
That one-word reply might have killed the conversation, but Lara remembered something he had mentioned before. "Your company is launching soon, right? When is the big day?"
"In a few weeks," Reagan said. "We're just finalizing some key partnerships."
Lara nodded, genuinely interested. "That must be exciting. A lot of pressure too, I imagine."
Reagan's lips curled slightly, a faint trace of amusement in his eyes. "You have no idea."
Something about the way he said it made her laugh. "Well, tell me about it, then. What kind of gaming technology are you working on?"
Reagan regarded her for a moment before answering. "VR integration, primarily. We're developing a new console that merges AI with gaming in a way that hasn't been done before. The goal is full immersion where the game adapts to the player in real-time."
Lara tilted her head. "Like… the game changes based on how someone plays?"
"Exactly." A flicker of approval crossed his face, as if he hadn't expected her to catch on so quickly. "Most games follow a fixed structure—same challenges, same outcomes. We're trying to develop something that learns from the player's style and adjusts the experience dynamically."
"That sounds complicated."
"It is," his lips quirked slightly. "But that's what makes it interesting."
She could hear the quiet pride in his tone. He wasn't just knowledgeable, he was passionate. He knew his field inside and out, but more than that, he spoke about it with purpose. He wasn't just a businessman; he believed in what he was creating.
Before she realized it, she was asking more questions. About his company, his journey into the gaming industry, what inspired him. And surprisingly, he answered them all—never curt, never dismissive. His responses were precise, but not devoid of emotion.
Lara found herself leaning in, drawn into the conversation in a way she hadn't expected.
She had assumed Reagan was a man of few words, someone who observed more than he spoke. That had been her impression when she first saw him at the bar. But he actually knew how to kept the discussion engaging. Not in a flashy, charismatic way, but in a quiet, deliberate manner that made her want to listen. He knew how to hold a conversation without forcing it, making her feel like her words mattered.
Before she knew it, the food arrived, and the dinner stretched into a slow, comfortable meal. They ate, sipped their wine, and continued talking in between bites. To her surprise, Reagan had a dry sense of humor that surfaced in subtle ways. An amused quirk of his brow, a well-timed remark, or the way he'd observe her reactions before responding.
Lara wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, she stopped feeling self-conscious. Stopped worrying about how this dinner might appear to others or what it meant.
For the first time in a long while, she was simply enjoying the moment.