HPDBC Chapter 24: The Perfect Place For A Disaster.
Chapter 24: The Perfect Place For A Disaster.
Chapter 24: The Perfect Place For A Disaster.
Hugo's electric bike wheezed like an asthmatic pigeon before dying completely, right in the middle of the road. The screen flickered one last time as if to say "good luck, buddy," then went black.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
His heart sank.
"No. No. NO!" he groaned, fiddling with the throttle as if it had a secret reset button.
Spoiler: it didn't.
He coasted it to the side of the road, mentally calculating how much he could sell the useless hunk of metal for scrap.
He glanced nervously at Lily, hoping she hadn't noticed the catastrophe. His mind scrambled for excuses.
'Do I tell her the bike just... uh... needs to rest? Maybe say I wanted to park here for... the view? Yeah, totally romantic, just a view of traffic and potholes...'
How was he supposed to tell Lily that their grand "romantic" ride was over?
As he fumbled for words, trying to piece together a half-baked explanation, Lily gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Oh my God, Hugo! How did you know this is my favorite restaurant?!"
Hugo blinked, following her gaze. A neon sign glowed above the entrance of a fancy, modern restaurant called "Shrouded Delights."
Favorite restaurant? He hadn't even noticed it. He was too busy trying to perform CPR on his bike.
His heart skipped, then sped up as Sanchez's voice echoed in his head: Anything she likes? Make it your favorite too. Twist it. Own it.
A split second of panic washed over him before he slapped on a wide grin, activating his "aura of alpha" like a switch being flicked.
He straightened up, broadened his shoulders, and let his face morph into the confident smirk Sanchez always told him to use—one that said, "I'm the captain of this sinking ship, and we're all going to enjoy the ride."
"Of course, I knew," Hugo said, his voice laced with authority. "I've been coming here forever. But I didn't think you'd catch on to my favorite place this quick. You're trying to be like me, aren't you?"
Lily's eyes sparkled, utterly believing him. "No way! You're such a foodie! You've got great taste, Hugo!"
Foodie? Taste?
Lily was already tying hers with the excitement of someone about to embark on an adventure.
Hugo, on the other hand, was tying his blindfold with the enthusiasm of someone about to walk into a dark alley full of financial doom.
Okay, stay calm. Think.
Maybe there's some budget option hidden in the menu. Hugo fumbled with the menu, his fingers tracing the raised lettering.
He couldn't see a damn thing and could only guess what he was ordering based on vague descriptions like "delightful morsel" or "luxurious fusion."
Luxurious? That's a dangerous word.
He squinted through the blindfold as if that would somehow help him decipher the cryptic names.
'Please, just be a salad. Just let this 'heavenly bite' be a salad.'
"What are you getting?" Lily asked, the excitement in her voice giving him a jolt of panic.
"Uh... something... light?" Hugo replied, trying to sound breezy while internally chanting please don't be expensive, please don't be expensive like a mantra.
"Good choice! I think I'll go for the 'decadent surprise'!"
Decadent? Hugo's brain went into overdrive, calculating how much a word like that would set him back. 'There goes my entire bank account!'
They placed their orders, and the server vanished, leaving them in the quiet darkness of the private room.
As the minutes ticked by, Hugo could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
His aura of alpha had long flickered out, replaced by sheer terror. 'This was supposed to be a no-dollar date. How did I end up blindfolded in a luxury restaurant with no idea what I'm paying for?!'
Still, when images of Lily's superb figure flashed into his mind, especially that particular one where her ass jiggled intensely after a serve, he grew optimistic once again.
'Eat well, hehe, I intend to get my money's worth!'