Chapter 49

[Evelyn’s POV]

It felt very much like a date. From the sensual dim lighting to the gentle, smooth music planning in the background. For crying out loud, we were literally sitting at a private table for two in what had to be one of the most exclusive restaurants in the area.

Everything about the situation screamed ‘date’. Something that should have happened before we were married. But then, I suppose that later was better than never.

What I couldn’t understand was why.

Was I to believe that Alexander set this whole thing up just to see how I would fair being out in public? Was that truly the reason? Or, could it be possible that there was another reason?

I tried my best to hide my growing suspicion and resumed my learned posture. I kept my shoulders squared and my head leveled.

All things considered, this was really nice of him to do.

The place was absolutely gorgeous with views that overlooked the stunning country landscape. Date or not, I was glad to be there. Even more so, knowing that we weren’t technically surrounded by dozens of other gawking people.

“Well, you have my sole attention,” I told him.

“That I do,” he affirmed.

Thankfully, we didn’t sit in awkward silence for too long. The waiter had returned with our drinks and Alexander went ahead to order for the two of us. Normally, something like that would have annoyed me; however, I was actually grateful for it. Half the menu appeared to be in a whole other language.

Maybe once my etiquette lessons are finished, I should inquire about learning another language...

Right as the waiter took his leave, Alexander turned back to me. He gently cleared his throat and spoke softly.

“How did you come across the Louis-Bosch tea latte?” he asked.

I instantly perked up in my chair. Amongst all the nervous worrying and managing to pull myself together for the evening, I’d completely forgotten that I had given him the tea.

“Oh, I spent a little time back in the library, mainly the herbal section. I was trying to find something that I knew would give you the energy you needed but with a lot less caffeine,” I went on. “I know that when I have had too much coffee, it tends to leave me jittery and a bit irritable—not to mention it can lead to horrible headaches.”

“You’re not wrong there,” he commented quietly. “I’ll admit to my overindulging in coffee lately. It hasn’t been the best method to ward off the exhaustion.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. I tried to hold myself back from asking him why he’d been sleeping so terribly. Had his sleeping schedule always been bad and I hadn’t noticed?

We had shared a bedroom for a little while and I had never noticed anything out of the ordinary when it came to his sleep pattern.

“Evelyn, I can see the wheels turning in your head,” Alexander chuckled. “Trust me, my sleeping habits are not your problem.”

My brows drew together. Was he serious? Hadn’t he listened to me at all when I had brought him the tea yesterday? His health was my top priority and concern.

“Alexander, I meant what I said yesterday,” I told him. “While it may not be my direct problem, your health is still important to me.”

The winter came out with our first course which happened to be a fresh garden salad.

“Can you at least tell me if the tea helped at all?” I asked after swallowing a mouthful of the fresh greens.

Alexander nodded his head. He gingerly picked at his own salad as he spoke.

“It helped tremendously,” he answered. “I couldn’t believe how well you balanced the flavors, considering Louis-Bosch tea is noted to be exceedingly earthy.”

I felt giddy with excitement.

“I’m glad you thought so. Honestly, trying to master the flavor balance was one of my main concerns. The last thing I wanted is for you to feel like you were drinking dirt and leaves.”

He gave me a light chuckle and the two of us drifted into a pleasant conversation about the other varieties of teas I’d come across during my research. He believed I should expand my tea blends for public distribution beyond the pack. Both he and Wendy were still marveling over the tea blend I had given her to make her feel better.

I was more than happy for the insights and suggestions. It would at least give me more to think about and do when I had more free time. Alexander had even gone as far as to talk about expanding the outer gardens by installing new greenhouses that would specifically house different tea plants.

All the while, my heart swelled by how touched I was by his genuine interest in my hobby. I enjoyed working with herbs and plants, especially if it meant having a purpose to help others.

The rest of dinner had been enjoyable and before I knew it, he’d called out for the check. Alexander sat back and gave me an appraising look. It caused a slight heat to spread across my face.

I felt shy all of a sudden. “What is it?” I asked.

“You did exceptionally well tonight,” he said. “You realize that you went through the entire meal and used each piece of silverware at the appropriate time?”

My eyes widened in shock. No, I hadn’t realized it. The evening had been going so smoothly that I barely registered my actions.

“Even your posture has remained solid and your voice never rose above a certain volume level. Evelyn, I can easily say that you have excelled in your lessons,” he acknowledged.

The corners of my eyes softened as a wave of personal pride enveloped me.

“Thank you.”

...

Our evening together came to a sweet ending. I had been nothing short of surprised from the moment it started to the moment he headed back to the house. I’d convinced myself that tonight was going to be yet another mindless social gathering, but Alexander had proven me wrong.

In fact, there were a slew of things I had learned. First and foremost, he paid attention to me and my habits a lot more than I would have ever guessed. Once I was able to really get past the stern demeanor he always had with him, I found that he was rather easy to talk to. He knew a lot about cultivation and the proper way to care for plants and flowers.

My mind was reeling from the notion that he was willing to help me expand my tea collection so that we could begin mass production and give it to other packs.

This evening had been such an eye-opening, pleasant surprise that I didn't want it to end. But just as I saw the door to my bedroom come into clear view, I felt the unbridled urge to stay with him. I wanted to continue our conversation until the sun was getting ready to rise above the horizon.

I wanted to uncover more about the man that I had married, knowing very little about him. Part of me was worried that the second I’d close that door, he and I would go right back to how we always were around each other. Cordial but not intimate.

“Well, I will let you rest,” he said quietly. “Thank you for accompanying me this evening.”

“I feel like I should be thanking you,” I said. “You’ve helped me so much with the lessons and...I had an amazing time out with you tonight.”

I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Alexander’s lips.