As Stefan drove Genevieve home, the car was silent. Although the silence was comfortable for Stefan, it wasn’t for Genevieve, who was still feeling very much embarrassed by her actions.
After driving for a while Stefan turned to her, "You’re awfully silent."
"You’d be too if you were in my shoes," she retorted, and Stefan chuckled.
"I told you already. You don’t need to feel too embarrassed. It doesn’t change what I think about you. I’d rather you think about what I said than be embarrassed," he said and she raised a brow.
"And what do you think about me exactly? The loose girl who throws herself at guys?" She asked, and Stefan turned to spare her a glance.
"Is that what you are? Is that what you think about yourself?" He asked, and she sighed.
"I don’t know. I just want to go home and sleep tonight off so I can pretend it didn’t happen by morning," she said with a groan.
"You can’t wish it away. It happened. You tried to seduce me and I turned you down. Deal with it."
"Yup. Get over your bruised ego or whatever and work on yourself," he said and she winced.
"I got it already, you don’t have to rub it in," she hissed.
"You seduced me and I turned you down. Genevieve seduced me and I turned her down," Stefan said in a singsong tone until he heard her laugh.
"See? It’s not a big deal. Rejection isn’t a big deal. Just pick the lesson from it and move on. A wise old man once told me some rejections are for your own good. This was for your own good," Stefan said, and Genevieve sighed softly, feeling less awkward now.
"Thanks, I guess," she murmured.
"You guess?" He asked, and she laughed.
"Jeez! Now you want me to thank you for rejecting me?" She asked, and he nodded.
"Yeah," he said, turning to smile at her.
"Fine. Thank you for rejecting me," she said and he grinned.
They fell into silence for a moment, and then Genevieve turned in her seat to look at him, "You know, I’m glad I reached out to you and met you."
"Really?" Stefan asked, and she nodded.
Genevieve sighed loudly, "Yeah. I feel like I have someone that really cares about me now. A real friend."
"Hm. Can I advise you?" He asked, and she raised a brow.
"Do you have to ask?" She asked, and he nodded.
"Yeah. I hate to waste my advice. If you’re not going to take it I’d rather not give it," he said, and she raised a brow.
"Tell me," she said, and Stefan turned to spare her a glance.
"You should try to be friends with Abigail," he advised.
Genevieve froze. Why was he talking about Abigail again?
"I thought we were done talking about her?" She asked, taken aback.
"Yes, we are. That’s why I’m advising you from our previous conversation," he said, and she shook her head.
"Being friends with her won’t be possible."
"It just won’t," Genevieve said, thinking about all the things she had done in the past and how she was even now pretending to be her and trying to have a relationship with Jamal.
"Why not?" Stefan asked again.
"I’ve done irreversible things. I wouldn’t forgive me if I were in her shoes. So I don’t want to put her in that situation. I don’t deserve to be friends with her. I don’t want it either," Genevieve said, and Stefan shook his head.
"How about this. Even if you don’t want to apologize or be friend with her, you could be nicer. Don’t be mean to her. Treat her with more respect. Can you do that?"
"Why do you care?" Genevieve asked with a groan as she reached for the gate controller and opened it so they could drive through.
If she didn’t know better she’d think he knew Abigail was the real Dawn.
"Because I want to save you from yourself and whatever you’re scared of. I want you to be good. I want you to be yourself," he said as he drove through the gates.
Genevieve sighed inwardly. "If that will make you happy I will try."
"Good," Stefan said as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the building.
He looked around the place, wondering which part of the mansion Jamal lived in. He wondered if Jamal was comfortable.
"Thanks for today. I had fun. Thanks for hanging out with me even though you were jet lagged and tired," Genevieve said as she unfastened her seatbelt, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Stefan turned his attention to her. "I had fun, too. Thanks," he said, and she smiled.
"So, we are doing this again tomorrow, right?" She asked, and he shrugged.
"Sure. Do you want me to come in to say hello to your..."
"No!" Genevieve cut him off before he could finish. She didn’t want him to meet either her father or Abigail.
"Maybe when next you visit. Besides, it’s getting late. You need to get back to the hotel so you can get some rest. I’ll get Pete to come drive you," Genevieve said quickly while Stefan watched her, slightly amused as she got out of the car without waiting for him to get her door.
Stefan got out of the car as well and then stood by the car, watching as she waved at him before hurrying off to the side of the building to get Jamal.
Immediately she disappeared from view Stefan took out his phone and texted Jamal.
> Stefan: Pete the driver, Genevieve is coming to get you now so you can drive me back to the hotel. I’m outside the main house.
Just as Jamal was reading the text, Genevieve knocked on his door. He quickly went to get it.
"Pete, I need you to go drive Jamal back to his hotel," Genevieve said without wasting a second and Jamal nodded as he took the car key from her.
He needed the time with Stefan, anyway. As Genevieve turned to leave, Jamal stopped her.
"I’m not sure if I should say this. Your father asked me to help put in a good word for you to Mr Jamal. Should I?"
Genevieve frowned. "Why did he ask you to do that?" She asked, unable to understand why her father would ask a driver to help her get Jamal.
Jamal shrugged, "He said he wants you to get married quickly," he said, watching her.
Genevieve sighed as she massaged her temple. This was so humiliating. Why was her father determined to embarrass her in this manner? What would Jamal think of her if even the driver tried to matchmake them?
"Please do not say anything to Jamal," she said, and Jamal nodded.
"I guess you don’t want Mr Jamal," he said, and she frowned, taking aback him the driver’s boldness.
"What I don’t want is interference from anyone. Jamal won’t appreciate it. So, please don’t say anything to him. Thanks for letting me know," Genevieve said before turning around and walking away, and Jamal followed.