Chapter 16 - A Different Side

A few days after their second date, Daniel asked Emma if she was free for dinner after work.

She agreed immediately.

By now, making plans with Daniel didn't feel unusual anymore.

It felt... easy.

That afternoon, while Emma was finishing her shift at the bakery, her phone vibrated.

Daniel: I'm so sorry. I'll be about thirty minutes late.

Emma frowned.

Daniel was usually the one waiting for her.

Emma: Everything okay?

A few moments later, he replied.

Daniel: Work. A meeting ran longer than expected.

Emma: That's okay. Take your time.

She slipped her phone back into her apron pocket.

Mrs. Alvarez glanced at her with a smile.

"Running late?"

"My friend is."

Mrs. Alvarez nodded knowingly.

"Good. Let him wait once in a while."

Emma laughed.

"I think this is the first time he's ever been late."

-

By the time Emma reached the restaurant, Daniel still hadn't arrived.

She chose a table by the window and ordered a glass of iced tea.

To pass the time, she pulled a pen from her tote and absentmindedly sketched on a paper napkin.

A doorway.

A staircase.

A row of windows.

She became so absorbed in the drawing that she barely noticed someone stopping beside the table.

"I'm really sorry."

She looked up.

Daniel stood there, slightly out of breath.

"It's okay."

"I hate being late."

"I survived."

He laughed, relief washing over his face as he took the seat across from her.

Only then did Emma really look at him.

He wasn't dressed the way she usually saw him.

Instead of a sweater or casual shirt, he wore a navy dress shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms. His tie had been loosened, and a slim leather laptop bag rested beside his chair.

"You look different."

Daniel glanced down at himself.

"Oh."

"I almost didn't recognize you."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"I usually change before meeting you."

Emma blinked.

"You do?"

"It's more comfortable."

She nodded, accepting the explanation without another thought.

"I was going to say... you look very professional."

"I've been in meetings since this morning."

"Important ones?"

Daniel smiled.

"Depends who you ask."

Emma laughed.

"That sounds like someone avoiding the question."

"Maybe."

-

Dinner arrived, and the conversation drifted to lighter topics.

Emma complained about a professor who seemed convinced architecture students didn't need sleep.

Daniel listened with genuine amusement.

"I don't think I've ever heard someone sound personally offended by floor plans."

"You've clearly never had to redraw one six times."

"I'll take your word for it."

"You should."

He smiled.

"I usually do."

As Emma reached for her drink, a phone buzzed softly on the table.

Daniel glanced at the screen.

For the first time since she'd met him, his expression changed.

Not dramatically.

Just... sharper.

He silenced the call.

"You can answer it," Emma said.

He shook his head.

"It can wait."

A few seconds later...

The phone buzzed again.

Daniel let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay."

"I'll only be a minute."

He stood and stepped outside the restaurant.

Emma wasn't trying to listen.

She simply happened to glance toward the window.

Daniel stood on the sidewalk with his back partially turned.

She couldn't hear everything.

Only fragments carried through the glass whenever the restaurant door opened.

"No."

A pause.

"Move it to tomorrow."

Another pause.

"I'll review everything on Monday."

Silence.

"No, don't approve it yet."

His voice was calm.

Steady.

Confident.

Not louder.

Just... certain.

There was something different about him.

People didn't interrupt him.

They listened.

A moment later, he thanked the person on the other end, ended the call, and took a slow breath before returning inside.

The moment he sat down, his shoulders relaxed.

The familiar smile returned.

"I'm sorry about that."

Emma shook her head.

"Everything okay?"

"Just work."

She studied him for a second.

"You sounded different."

Daniel looked up.

"Different?"

"When you were on the phone."

He tilted his head.

"How?"

She searched for the right word.

"...Like you were in charge."

For just a fraction of a second, Daniel seemed caught off guard.

Then he smiled.

"I guess I have to be sometimes."

Emma nodded.

"That makes sense."

The conversation moved on.

Still...

The thought lingered quietly in the back of her mind.

-

After dinner, they decided to walk toward the station instead of taking the shortest route.

The city felt calmer after sunset.

Storefront lights reflected across the pavement while conversations drifted from cafés that were beginning to fill for the evening.

"I'm glad we still met," Emma said.

"So am I."

"I was starting to think work had stolen you."

Daniel laughed.

"It almost did."

She smiled.

"Well... I won this round."

"I'll try not to let it happen again."

When they reached the station entrance, they slowed to a stop.

"Good luck surviving architecture this week," Daniel said.

"I'll need it."

"And try to sleep."

"No promises."

"I expected that answer."

Emma laughed.

"I'll see you soon."

"You will."

She disappeared through the ticket gates with a small wave.

Daniel waited until she was out of sight before turning back toward the city.

On the train home, Emma rested her head against the window.

She found herself thinking about dinner.

Not because Daniel had been late.

Not because of the food.

But because, for a few moments during that phone call...

He had sounded like a completely different person.

Maybe, she thought, everyone had different versions of themselves.

She smiled to herself.

She just hadn't expected Daniel to have one too.