In the two weeks following the China trip and the new papers to buy out Jacob, Blake had not hear a word from Junior and assumed the older man had finally set his foot down, or he simply hadn’t told his son the news. He wasn't going to hold his breath though,  in his experience people like Junior were unpredictable and impulsive.

"Blake, are you still there?" Daliah asked waving her hand in front of him.

"Yeah sorry, I was thinking about something ." He apologized giving his friend his full attention.

"As I was saying the sell of CoffeeGo has been finalized, and the sign-up for the picnic potluck is already out.  The bouncy house place called to confirm and people were asking if there was going to be alcohol. Oh and Lily's by the Sea called? They said something about a reservations today. Do you need to borrow Kenny?" Daliah read off her checklist, the last thing caught her attention since Blake usually always took dates to a french restaurant that was near the office. She wasn't sure what he ate there since he only ever ate, pasta, steak, burgers and on occasion chicken, anything green or healthy was not part of his diet.

"No there is no need for that. I have it all under control Dall." Blake smiled looking up from his laptop, there was just one thing that needed to be arranged before going to Lily’s.

Daliah gave him a skeptical look, the last time she saw that smile she had ended up going through countless applications on their search for EJ.

"Ohh and could you send your assistant in here? I need to have a quick word with her."

Blake was fidgeting with his cuffs by the time Emily entered his office. Unsure of how to approach the subject he continued to ignore her, taking more interest in the buttons  than in the girl standing before him.
The last time he had asked a girl out had been in college, he had made reservations at the nicest restaurant he could afford at the time and dated  for a few months before he realized that she only ever said yes to going out with him when he told her they were going somewhere expensive. After that he had been discouraged and soon after he ended up with a company. Now thanks to the interview he had given women had taken the initiative and asked him out. Being the gentleman that he was brought up to be he would kindly accept the invitation, on occasion something would come up and he would be forced to cancel. However most of the time he was left to hire his conniving four year old nephew, who while being a great actor would get the job done, also happens to enjoy billing him for his services.

"Mr Redwood, you wanted to see me sir?" Emily's voice brought Blake out of his thoughts, still nervous he realized it was too late to back out.

"Yes, I...uh...I have a dinner...I was wondering if..." a giggle made him look up from his desk and face the person that was causing his discomfort. "You think it's funny? I'm trying to ask you out to dinner, and all you can do is laugh at me. You know what? You are dismissed go home." Blake accused angry that his attempt to finally ask a girl out were deemed entertaining.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't making fun of you!" Emily apologized she wasn't sure of what she was supposed to do she had only had two boyfriends and one of them had been fake.

"It's just that you sounded cute, stuttering and I couldn't help myself. But I would love to have dinner with you. That is if the offer still stands?" Emily added whispering the last part.

Blake couldn't contain his excitement, getting up from his chair he walked over to Emily and pulled her into a hug and began twirling her around.

"Thank you Emmy, I'll pick you up at seven," He whispered into her ear, before pulling back and walking out of the office with a big smile. Leaving Emily speechless once again. Confusion and excitement mixed into one before she realized she had a date to prepare for.

A date. I have a date! She told herself running out of the office with a huge grin on her face. She couldn't wait to tell Claire. Claire. Emily stopped in her tracks, her friend was going to have a field day when she found out.

"Where is you going woman?" Claire asked as she watched Emily use the hair dryer for the first time since college.

"I told you Claire,  I have a work dinner." Emily lied to her friend. She wanted to tell Claire the truth, but then questions would start and she would have to explain some more and probably  miss her dinner with Blake.

"So you're going to a work dinner looking like that?" Claire asked making a motion with her hand. She knew her friend was lying, there was no way Emily was doing her hair for just a work dinner. She didn’t do her hair for her first day of work and that was when the impressions mattered the most, the fact that she was wearing a new dress and had done her makeup as well was also adding to the suspicion.

"Yeah, important work dinner." She corrected slipping into her heels and  while she searched for a purse Claire walked over to the window. She was just in time to see a silver sedan pull onto the visitor spot. A man wearing a dark suit, looking very similar to Blake Redwood made his way down the sidewalk holding what looked like a bouquet of flowers and a box.

"How will you get there?" She asked.

"Carpooling."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because Hottie-from-the-dinner-who-is-actually-your-boss is at our door holding flowers and I think a box of chocolates." Claire announced as she looked through the side window. Her reply caused Emily to come rushing out of her room and fly out the front door almost crashing into Blake in the process.

"Whoa, there! If I had know you would have been this excited about dinner I would have asked a you out a long time ago." Blake teased as he held the flowers out for Emily.

"No, its Claire we have to go now before she starts questioning us. Let's go." Emily was frantic, she took the flowers and his arm and began dragging them both out of the apartment. Like teenagers running from their parents they made their grand escape.

"Wow. Lily's by the Sea? I love this place!" Emily exclaimed jumping in her seat. When Blake had told her that he was talking to a beachside restaurant she hadn't even thought of Lilly's.

"Someone once told me that if I wanted to impress a girl I had to bring her here. They serve the best food, or so I've been told." Blake answered  thinking of EJs letter.

They made their way up the steps and were immediately seated. Once the orders were placed small talk flowed naturally. Emily told Blake about how back in highschool she had tried to play cupid and set up Ethan and Claire for prom. As it turned out they were already going together and had conveniently "forgotten" to tell her. In return Blake told her how he had inadvertently ended up the owner of a bankrupt business fresh out of college. Emily nodded during the whole story, her admiration for Blake grew even more when she discovered that he really was a selfless man who wanted to help others. Once their food arrived Blake was surprised the food was even better than what he had anticipated.

"It's good right? The steak is marinated overnight and the lobsters are fresh caught." Emily informed as  Blake devoured his food.

"It's haven't had steak this good in years. My mom used to take me to a small restaurant by our home and I swear the steak taste the same." Blake replied, Emily saw the look of longing in Blake's eyes but said nothing she didn't want to be nosy having never heard him mention his mom before.

"What was the name of it?" She asked instead hoping to change the conversation abit.

"Yellow House Dinner. It had  a view of the park from the front window and the whole place was painted this bright yellow color." Emily gasped at the name, the restaurant had been where she had spent most of her childhood it was also where her and her brother had worked at during the summers.

"It's the same Chef." She decided to admit, "Do you want to meet him?" She added when she saw Blake's eyes widen at her admission.

"Is it possible? How do you know this? I've looked everywhere but when they shut down and demolished the place I had no more leads." Blake replied sadly. His mother had passed away while he was in highschool, the dinner was the place where they had made the most memories losing it was like losing her all over again.

"Of course you can." Emily made a motion with her hand for Blake to come closer. He obeyed and leaned across the table as she leaned in to meet him halfway.

"He's my dad." She giggled sitting back down on her seat and taking in Blake's shocked reaction. Before he could reply his phone began to ring signaling a call from an unknown number. Hitting decline he tried to speak only to be interrupted once more.

"It might be important, answer it." Emily instructed pointing to the offending device.

"Redwood speaking. I'm sorry can you repeat that? Yes. Thank you I will be on my way."

Emily noticed Blake's face pale as he spoke with the other person on the phone.

"Is everything ok, Blake?" She asked concerned.

"No. We need to go."  He replied with an emotionless tone, taking out his wallet he leaving enough cash to cover the dinner and made his way out of the restaurant with Emily at his heels.

The only thing Blake could think of were the letters as he drove them to his house.

~~~~~•~~~~~•~~~~~•
•one chapter closer to the end.
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