Chapter 254: A frugal person

''No, we didn't sleep together. I lied to you'' he said and she lifted her hand towards him. Andy closed his eyes waiting for her to slap him but she didn't. Instead, she picked her chopsticks and rolled the egg unto it and placed it on her plate saying.

''I wasn't going to slap you'' she said and he opened his eyes. ''I meant to slap you but I changed my mind''

''Why?'' Andy was surprised by her actions.

''Because you are a good person''

''But, good people do bad things too''

''That's why I took your eggs''

Andy looked at his plate and found the eggs gone. He looked at her and saw her eating the eggs and he couldn't help but laugh.

''Seriously?'' he asked and she chuckled.

''Good people do bad things too but you didn't let the misunderstanding last long; you corrected yourself before it became too late. I am taking the eggs as the apology''

''It's that all?''

''Yes. You brought me to a hotel and gave me clothes to wear. I am someone who remembers the good deeds of people even if they hurt me. Wait'' she looked at him, ''about the room. You are not expecting me to pay for it, right? Also, I saw that the clothes came from J clothing. They are quite expensive, you won't ask me to pay for that too, right?''

''You told me your late father left you a large amount of money. Paying for the room and the clothes shouldn't be a problem, right?''

''You were the one who brought me here. shouldn't you take responsibility?''

''Hey, with the way you were, I was worried something might happen to you and considering the gentleman that I am, I had to follow you to be sure you don't wake up with deeper regrets after a break up''

''Busy body''

''Me? Did you just call me a busy body?''

''Yes''

The waiter walked to them with a plate of desserts and placed them on the table. ''Boss, the chef said to give this to the lady''

''Me? Thank you'' Paula said to the waiter as she looked at the plate of Russian khvorost, also known as 'angel wings' on the table. Her mouth started salivate.

''You are such a foodie''

''But, why do they keep calling you sir? Are you a regular here? Off course if not how could you have gotten a room for me in such short notice? This is a big hotel and they only accept reservations''

Andy listened to her statement and frowned. He felt that she had nothing good to say about him, ''Do you really have nothing good to say about me?''

''Yes, to me you are just a pervert or a busy body''

''What? A pervert and a busy body? Miss, I saved your life last night and this is what you have to say about me?''

''You are a pervert who gave a breakup letter to a woman you didn't even know and then started following her around''

''Is it too late to say I absolutely regret saving you last night?''

''It is'' Paula said and laughing before adding, ''thank you for last night. I will give you this'' he placed one of the khvorost into his plate and smiled.

''There are five pieces, if you are really grateful, then you should spare two or three, not just one''

''Should I take it back?''

''No'' Andy picked the khvorost and started eating it and Paula smiled. ''Paula''

''Mmm'' Paula looked at him surprised, ''how did you know my name?''

''Your ex told me your name, remember?''

''Right. That asshole hasn't even called me. Oh my God. I am dead''

''What's wrong?''

''I didn't call Lisa. She must be worried sick about me''

''Lisa, who is Lisa?''

''My best friend and roommate''

''The lady who was with you yesterday?''

''Oh. My phone is dead. Can I use your phone to call her, please?''

''Sure, here'' Andy took out the phone from his side pocket and gave it to her.

Paula hurriedly dialled the number and it went through. After a few rings, it connected and she heard Lisa's voice.

''Hello, this is Lisa''

''Lise, is me'' Paula said and pulled the phone away from her ear as her friend's screaming voice came through.

''Hey, Paula. Where the hell are you? Do you know how worried I am? I am at the police station but the police said it isn't 24 hours since you went missing so they couldn't start searching. I was about to call Jordan and ask for his help. Paula, you scared the life out of me''

''Lise, sorry. I am fine. Don't worry''

''Where are you?'' Lisa asked as she looked at the face of the detective she was pestering a minute ago.

''I am at Hotel Senora. Can you come for me? I will explain everything later''

''Oh, I am on my way. Wait there for me'' Lisa hung up and started to explain the situation to the police. She had gone there so early after searching everywhere for Paula and couldn't find her.

...

''En'' Paula looked at the phone and pouted her lips. She handed it over to Andy and stood up, ''my friend is coming to pick me. Thanks for the meal''

'Wait'' Andy held her hand and she looked at him. ''You have to pay for the food'' he said and cussed himself inside. That was probably the lamest thing he had said in years.

''Huh? Weren't you the one who bought me the food? You are so petty. What kind of man asks a lady to pay for her food?''

''I paid for your drinks last night''

''You paid for the drinks I took?''

''Now that I think about it, ever since I met you last night till now you've asked me to pay for everything you take? The drinks, the hotel room, the clothes and now the food''

Paula pursed her lips after realising that seemed to be the case. She flushed and said to him, ''you are really something else Mister. Your wife is in trouble. How can you keep records of everything I did last now till now?'' Paula looked in her bag. ''You see I don't have money now but I will give it to you later''

''Are you trying to rob me in day light?''

''No, I have a reputation to protect, okay? So I won't run away with your money. Anyways how much is your money?''

''Let's see'' Andy started counting, ''the drinks were $20 dollars, the meal is $100 dollars''

''Huh? How can food be that expensive? I usually eat food that cost below $20 dollars from food truck vendors''

''You are too frugal for someone whose father left her a large sum of money''

''I'm saving for my dowry''

''You are not getting married''

''I was going… to get married until you brought me the breakup letter'' Paula glared at him as she remembered it again. She felt that everything started with him giving her that letter.

''Well, you are not getting married anymore, so you should pay back what you owe me including the room and the dress''

''But the room is $1000 dollars and the dress is $250 dollars''

''The room is $1050 dollars and the dress costs $300 dollars plus the food and the drinks last night, everything should be about $ 1470 dollars''

''Whoa, you con artiste'' Paula said to him feeling cheated.

''Con artiste? Miss, first I was called a pervert and a busy body. Now I just turned into con artiste?''

''If not, how do you expect me to give you that amount after being with you for less than 24 hours? I haven't spent that amount of money in the last five years of my life and you want me to give that to you? Do you think I'm crazy? You brought me here so you must pay for the room okay?''

''You slept in that room''

''I didn't ask you to bring me to a five-star hotel''

''Should I have left you at the club instead?''

''No, you could have sent me to my house. Why didn't you wake me up?'

''I tried but, you just slept off. I felt like I was carrying a dead person. You're quite heavy, you know''

''Well, don't you have a house? You should have sent me to your house, at least that way is economical''

''What?'' Andy looked at her and she flushed, finding the ambiguity of her request. But, Paula was determined to be thick-skinned till the end, so she continued, ''yes, that way I would have cooked food there and won't have to spend $100 dollars on food this morning alone. Do you have any idea how I plan my spending? You did what was convenient for you so pay for the room yourself''

''I can't believe this''

'You better believe it. You don't even have pity on me. My boyfriend broke up with me last night and here you are wanting to rip me of my hard earned inheritance. How about this, I'm really grateful that you helped me last night, so let's say I owe you $150 dollars, for the food and the drinks?''

She had thought about it and that was the most reasonable way out. Even with that she still felt giving him $150 dollars was too much but because he helped her, she wanted to be a little generous.