“The Japanese culture is different from ours, Katie.” Brandon kissed my cheek as he whispered. “This may seem like an informal dinner to you, but it is also a vetting process. A process where they will evaluate whether I am someone they think they can trust.”

“At a dinner?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, at a dinner.” He pulled away from me and raised his glass. “Kanpai.”

“Kanpai.” They raised their glasses and smiled back.

I lifted up my glass and repeated the phrase they had used “Kanpai.” I took a sip of the wine and immediately felt soothed. This was a good glass of wine, indeed.

“Enjoying it?” Brandon looked at me as I continued sipping and I nodded. “It’s a very delicate wine. The blueberry, boysenberry jam, vanilla, licorice, chocolate, truffle, earth and smoke scream from the glass, don’t they?”

“I, uh, guess.” I laughed. “I mean I do taste some blueberry, I think.”

“I’ll have to teach you about wine one of these days.” His eyes danced as I took another sip. “There’s a vineyard in Napa, owned by some family friends, that I love. They have a castle and I always thought it would make a romantic trip.”

“It sounds like it.” I smiled back at him, but I wanted to question him. Was he saying that because he really wanted to take me, or because he was playing a role?

“How long you two been in love?” The one lady who seemed to know some English asked. I felt tongue-tied and nervous at her question. I was scared that it would be obvious to Brandon that I still loved him if I answered.

“I think I’ve loved, Katie from the moment I first met her.” Brandon responded. “My heart only began beating the moment I met her.” He stared at me with love in his eyes and his fingers brushed a piece of hair away from my face. “She was my angel. She found me at a time when I was in an emotionally bad place. She saved me from myself. Her love, her beauty, her kindness, her love of life, they saved me.”

“Oh, Brandon.” My heart melted at his words and I reached over and grabbed his hands. “I feel the same way.” I couldn’t stop the words from gushing out of my mouth. ”I feel like I was made to love you, that a part of you has always been in me, just waiting for us to meet.”

The couples across the table stared at us, not really understanding what we were saying, but feeling the love flowing between us.

“I knew you were the one for me in the very beginning,” Brandon continued in a soft tone, but then his eyes hardened as they looked at me. “I think a large part of it was your honesty. I always knew that no matter what happened, we would always have the truth. And I knew that nothing can break up a couple that has the truth on their side.” He pulled away from me, still smiling, and I felt a deep pain shatter my heart as he hammered the nail in. He was never going to forgive me. It didn’t matter that it had been seven years since the lie. Seven years for him to get over what I had done. He was determined to continue making me pay for what I had done. Taking this job had been a mistake. Everything had been a big mistake. I lectured myself to stop trying to give him second chances and to stop hoping for the impossible. How much more did he have to tell me or do before I would accept that we were over forever? All I had left to do was to do to him what he had done to me. I was going to f**k him and then leave him as if he meant nothing to me. I knew that it may not break his heart, but it would definitely hurt his pride, and that’s all I could hope for right now.

***

“Did you enjoy dinner?” Brandon was polite and distant as we walked away from the restaurant. The dinner had gone well, and his guests had gone off in their taxis looking fairly pleased. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the wine or the company, though. The two bottles of wine had turned to five and we were all a bit jolly by the end of the meal.

“I had a good time. They were nice.” I walked slowly, trying not to stumble. He placed his arm in front of me, but I ignored it.

“Let me guide you, Katie. I don’t want you to fall.”

“No, thanks.” I shook my head. “I’m fineeeee.” My words slurred slightly and I giggled.

“You’re drunk.”

“No, I’m not.” I hiccupped.

“Katie.” He sighed and pulled me towards him. “Hold on to me.”

I wrapped my arms around him and pushed my br**sts against him, as I let my left hand fall down casually and brush against the front of his pants. His body grew tense as he held on to me and I kissed his neck.

“Let’s go dancing.” I whispered in his ear, letting my tongue lick his inner ear before I nibbled on his earlobe.

“You should really get home.” He shook his head, but I could see desire emanating from his every pore.

“I don’t wanna go home yet.” I hiccupped again. “Let’s go dancing, I know a place.”

“How do you know a place?”

“I saw it yesterday.” I grabbed his hand. “Please.” We stood there in the middle of the street, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Fine, we can go for an hour. That’s it.”

“That’s all the time I need.” I whispered to him as excitement filled me. An hour was going to be more than enough time.

“Welcome to the club.” A scantily clad lady ushered us into ‘The X Room’ and I pretended that I didn’t notice Brandon’s look of surprise as we walked into the dark club.