After swallowing his first bite, he looks up at her curiously. She had kind of shrunk back, and he could tell from her responses that something threw her off. Oh, dear. He immediately seemed to realize that his brief attitude shift had something to do with it. It had happened before, that his sudden lack of warmth had shook people away from him, especially when it came from one of their repsonses. He felt it more important to correct this than try and continue. He wanted her to feel good about this job and relaxed around him, not afraid to speak up.

"Before we go on, I just," he begins hesitantly, expression suddenly conflicted, "I didn't mean to put you off. As a manager, you're going to see me do that on occasion, but I want you to know that it wasn't you or anything. You're great, really!" He speaks genuinely, trying to let it be clear that he was truly concerned about possibly putting her and that his affliction wasn't her fault. "I can get stressed at times when speaking about work, regardless of how little the question. Sorry for my reaction." He admits and apologizes humbly, rubbing the back of his head as he looked over at her with a sheepish smile. Some actors had complete out of whack behavior, and he didn't, but that didn't mean the stress didn't seep into his life.

Then clearing his voice a little, he hoped she would accept his apology and their conversation could move on. Since she had no more questions, he assumed this mus the the part where he could ask his. Question was if he had any, and even he wasn't sure of that. "Wednesday is wonderful," he replies, smiling at her charmingly, then thinking. As he needed a moment to think, he took another bite of his lobster roll as he thought of any questions he could have. Her comment on emergencies finally sparked something; why was she so committed to work? After hearing only a snip bit about her needing to be with her family at Thanksgiving, he couldn't help but be curious.

Now fully recovered from his earlier little slip of emotion, he calmed once more completely and relaxed. "I guess I have just a couple of questions, but they aren't directly work-related. Now stop me before I pry, but do you have any family in the city? I remember you asking for time off at Thanksgiving, but I was wondering about family aside from in Ohio." He asked casually, hoping he wasn't going to press any of her buttons.

Lea feels immensely relieved when he apologizes and explains. She just idly nods her head and gives him a promising smile. "No, no, you're fine, believe me. I just tend to take things personally. One of my faults," she says sheepishly as she hides her eyes by staring down at her half-eaten left side of her sandwich. Her cheeks are blazed with embarrassment. She hardly every takes things too personally unless she generally likes that person. Maybe she's trying to hard to appease this man.

His questions sort of throws her off, sending a painful memory through her mind. But she doesn't mind it. He has every right to know everything about her if she's going to be his new manage. So she decides to answer him with full-out honestly.

"I have an aunt and cousin in the city, but we're practically strangers, so I guess they don't really count. I'm an only child, so my parents are still together, living in Columbus, Ohio. Kinda of stressful, but to be honest, I came to this city to escape them." And with that, she picks up her sandwich half and takes a small but angry bite from it, avoiding eye contact. She hoped her family won't get in the way of her brand new career, in any way possible.

"And you have every right to ask me anything, just so you know," she says as she finally looks up at him. Just looking at him made it feel as if her anger towards her parent's existence was washing away. She was able to give a small smile to assure him in case he would feel she was angry or upset with him for asking that question.

Her smile showed her apology before her words, and this greatly relieved Griffin. He was glad he hadn't offended Lea; he wasn't quite sure why, but he felt especially adamant about treating her like a gentleman. In his own, playful way of course. Returning her smile in an apologetic manner, he would nod slowly. "I would never grow angry with someone like that. I will never be angry with you over how you answer a question," he promises sincerely.

Then taking a sip of his lemonade, he takes another grateful bite of his lobster roll. By now it was nearly finished, but he hadn't even so much as touched the chips on the side. As he chewed, he listened to her, maintaining eye contact as he thoughtfully watched her expressions. She didn't seem too happy with the question on family, yet he was happy that she replied. Especially with that angry bite of hers.

He was about to reply directly after that, taken back with her seeming anger now, but he is cut short as she adds on that his question was alright. Letting out a soft, breathy sigh, he returns her smile shyly. "Thank you. If my curiosity ever crosses a limit... You know, just tell me." He suggests, then grin as he thinks about what does just said about her family.

He nods after a moment, grinning over at her. "Well, I hope they're not too overbearing. As far as family goes, I only have my younger brother now," he replies casually and honestly. If she was going to share personal information, she may as well know the same about him. From him, and not the tabloids, anyways. Then chuckling, he ruffles the back of his hair, "The same to you, by the way. You can ask me anything. Anything the media can't tell you, anyways," he adds with a wink, then chuckles.

Suddenly, Lea felt pity towards Griffin. She couldn't imagine a world with just a sibling left. Of course, she was an only child and she strongly disliked her parents, but the knowledge of them...being there in the smallest bit possible, was enough to keep her fiery and on her feet.

"I'm sorry," she said in almost a small, tiny, hushed squeak of a voice.

Her eyes averted back down to her food for a moment before she looked back up at him at his say that she could ask what she wanted. Instantly, foolishly, she questioned in her mind if he had a girlfriend. She was interested in him, that she realized, but she would keep it a secret. Co-workers. He was going to be her boss. It was important to keep everything professional.

"I will be sure to do that," she said with a quick smile before she went back to eating the last half of her sandwich, occasionally sipping from her water.

A silence fell between them that she honestly disliked. And right back, in a blink of an eye, she felt nervous all over again. The awkwardness of the silence left her limbs shaking as she tried to eat her sandwich politely and generously. Her palms were getting sweaty and wiping her free hand on her skirt didn't really do anything, nor her napkin that she had placed on her lap. Suddenly, everything felt as if it was turning into one big wreck all over again, and that worried her. But this wasn't her. She usually...didn't get worried. She usually just went with the flow and was calm about things. She was brought up to be that way. Her father once said that worrying was for weak people. And at that reminder, she felt weak.

He was doing this to her. She knew it and she hated it. It wasn't his fault, really, but more or so her's.

So to distract herself, she asked him, "So, if you don't mind me asking, where is your younger brother now?"

Griffin nearly didn't catch Lea's response, it was so hushed. He hadn't expected her to react that way. Eyes widening in a bit of surprise, he would look over at her with a grateful smile. "Thank you, but there's no need, I've come to terms with it," he states simply, then shrugs a little. His parents passed when he was younger, and while it was sad, it wasn't something that truly affected him anymore. He was raised in part by a variety of talent agents, and as a whole by the media; he had started young. His brother, on the other hand, had been raised primarily by Griffin. He didn't act as a dad, but he did nurture his younger sibling and try to help him keep stable even when his life was not.

After her short response, their conversation seemed to take a bit of a nose dive. He bit his lip for a moment, unsure of what to say as his gaze shifted to the window and he began to eat his chips half-attentively. Taking a moment to finish off his lemonade, he was about to pip up with further conversation- he didn't want to make her sit in awkward silence for longer than necessary - when she spoke. However, after looking at her for a moment, he began to realize little things about her that were certainly no sign of relaxation. She was becoming nervous again. Inwardly, he cringed at himself.

"My brother?" He says first, mostly out of surprise, then smiles in a warm, proud way that could only signify him being proud. His brother was one of his good friends, and he was going to be a successful man, he was sure of it. "He's currently attending Rutgers University in New Jersey, going to get a bachelor's in business," he explains, "Wants to work overseas for a company starting next Fall. He might be coming to visit beforehand," he adds as an afterthought. After answering, his mind wheeled as he looked over at her casually. What else to ask? He had half a mid to try and keep his questions from sounding as if they were on a date, but found himself really wanting some of those answered. Finally, one crept from his mouth before he could restrain it.

"Are you, by chance, in a relationship?" He asks, then visibly draws back a little after asking. A healthy blush came to his cheeks as he averted his gaze. That was exactly the kind of question he'd been wanting to avoid! "Sorry, you don't have to answer that," he adds after a moment, in a smaller voice. He rubs the back of his neck shyly, grinning almost apologetically already as he hesitantly looked back up at her.

Lea smiles. "I bet that would be nice," she said, referring to him talking about his brother coming to visit. She wished her family was willing to come visit. But due to their age, they tend to take it a little more out of hand than others their age. They thinks cities aren't a place for a fifty-five and a sixty-two year-old. They were just to peaceful of a couple. And Lea hated that. She hated silence. She wasn't restful in silence.

His next question made her freeze. Did he really just ask that? He did. Her heart was beating like crazy as a blush crossed over her cheeks once more. Her eyebrows rose slightly as she looked at him with surprise. Of course she would have to answer. it would be rude, and weird, if she hadn't. That subject, she wasn't touchy, thankfully.

"Ah, no. I'm not. Haven't found anyone who would put up with me," she said with a half-smile, joking at herself. Then she realized how unprofessional that had sound. She didn't plan on adding that last bit. But now she took the opened opportunity. "Are you -- i-in a relationship, I mean."

Her mind wandered over to the one-night stands and the two-week long relationships. Her longest had lasted two months, but it was how Lea was always about business and always so closed off that drove them away. That part made her feel bad slightly, but she assured herself that they were just lessons and they were there to make her not so... armature when it comes to relationships.

Griffin chuckles a little as she mentions his brother, and nods thoughtfully. "He drops in from time to time," he replies casually, finishing his meal completely in the time lapsed before his awkward question. Of all things, why did I have to ask that one? He inwardly scolded himself several times, especially after seeing her immediate reaction. Although he did enjoy the blushing, the unmistakeable surprise on her face did worry him. Then again, she didn't absolutely have to answer.

When she did, he could've sworn his heart skipped a beat. A girl like this was single? Her response made him chuckle a little, but he soon shook his head. "I can't imagine that being the reason," he states honestly, grinning sheepishly over at her. Their conversation had taken more of a friendly edge, leaving the professional talk behind, and he was enjoying that. At the same time, he wasn't used to speaking to women like this. Not women he was interested in, anyways; and he was definitely interested in Lea, not that he wanted that to be clear just yet.

As she returned the question, he was even more surprised. Surprised, but not so shy about speaking about his love life. The media did make it a public event, after all. "Nah, not me," he laughs warmly, "Being under a spotlight is a bit intimidating for most people." He mused that Lea would soon be under some of this pressure as his manager, but not much of it. He hoped she wouldn't mind that. To be honest, however, he hoped she could bear the spotlight even more so than the job would require. If it ever... Came to that... He thought, shy even in his own mind with this, but showed no signs of this outwardly.

"Happen to want a dessert? They have an amazing cheesecake here," he suggests, secretly just not wanting their conversation to end with the meal. If it did, he supposed, he would see her at work pretty frequently starting the next week. If not, however, not only could he keep talking to her, but he could enjoy his favorite dessert. That sounded simply glorious, to both his mind and his stomach.

Lea was blushing like mad at the moment. Couldn't imagine that? She decided she was going to just smile at his compliment. She honestly didn't know what to say to that being of her shyness at the moment. She had to just play it cool, be calm about everything that has happening at the moment.

And at his answer to her question, her eyebrows raised. Surely someone would want to be with him, regardless of his job, for how much of an amazing the guy was. She just couldn't believe it. An actor, who was very handsome, who wasn't stuck up or rude. He was a kind gentleman. What woman, in her right mind, would walk away from that?

The idea of dessert...something she never gave into for a long time. She could sense the change in mood. He didn't want this to end. She didn't either. So she had no choice but to agree. "I can't remember the last time I had cheesecake. Sounds perfect," she said with a big smile. I'll just burn off the calories tomorrow at the gym, she assured herself at the thought of how fattening cheesecake would actually be for her. She actually did want cheesecake at the moment. It was just one of those moments where she decided it would be alright to let her hair down.

"Actually, I don't believe I ever tried cheesecake," she realized aloud as she stared down at her empty plate with furrowed eyebrows and a amused, confused face.

The blush on Lea's cheeks made Griffin inwardly puff up in pride. He had done that; this time he knew. Or, at least, he pretended that he knew in order to take that glorious credit. She looked darling with that pink coloring, and he would make sure to try making it occur more often, if she didn't mind his compliments. He just wouldn't overdo it, he mused, since he would be becoming her boss in the coming week.

Her agreement to cheesecake lead a thousand-watt smile to his face. He might as well have been a child at Chrismtas, ready to open presents, right at that moment. Cheesecake would top off their lunch well, anyways, he deduced all too happily in his mind. He coaxed their waiter back over to get a dessert menu, just in case she wanted something else. He knew what he wanted, so when the menu was handed over, he handed it to her with a warm smile. They had cheesecake in a few assortments, all served by the slice, but also other assortments. Gelato, mousse, fresh pie, plates of the chef's infamous cookies-- all of it at the customers' disposal, and now a Griffin was letting her choose what she pleased from it.

Her comments about cheesecake, however, lead him to look over at her in surprise. What she had said just then should've certainly been taboo. Never had cheesecake? That was new. Blinking, he was unable to speak for a moment, but soon cleared his voice a little and laughed. "I'd definitely suggest you try it, then. If you'd rather order something else, I'd even offer you a bite of mine, but it is indeed amazing." He comments and suggests casually, leaning back in his booth once again and folding his arms into his lap.

Lea couldn't remember the last time she had felt this way. She felt so happy, ecstatic, glad to be where she was. It was like this moment, right here, was that thing that kept her going, or even that thing that made her get out of bed after sleeping. She honestly couldn't believe herself, being in such a position as such that she could have never imagined. But she assumed it was a pay-up for what had happened to her yesterday morning. The memory of her ex boss's hands on her waist and his breath in her ear sent a mental disgusted shiver rippling through her entire body.

"I'll have a small slice of cheesecake please," she told the waiter and flashed Griffin a big smile. His smile was so adorable. She loved to see it. And for one moment, she believed that it was her that was making her smile.

Her smile softly crawled down to a relaxed line as she thought about the moment. Dessert. Dessert never lasts long. When dessert is over, she'd have to leave...she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay here and talk to him, though she really wasn't really saying much. She guessed it was just the feeling of wanting to be in his presence long.

She wandered what his favorite dessert was, which was odd of her. She never wandered about a person's taste in, well, anything. But she wandered about a lot of things about Griffin. What was he like close-friends-wise? Or what was he like as a lover? Her cheeks blushed again at that one thought. She could imagine it. He's probably romantic and the right amount of clingy. She was thinking way too much.

When the waiter approached during their few moments of quiet time, Griffin would readjust his sitting position in order to hand the man back the dessert menu, then lean back into his seat. He waited for her to order first, smiling and nodding in approval of her selection, finishing off his lemonade during the moment he had to pause. Then looking up at the man in confidence, he ordered, "I'll have one as well, and would you bring out a small glass of milk as well?" The waiter nodded and walked off casually enough, but Griffin did suddenly feel somewhat shy about ordering milk.

There was nothing wrong with it, he knew; in fact, milk was one of the healthiest things he ever drank. Rather, it was the idea of possibly sounding childish in front of her that coaxed his shyness forwards. It drew a little, nervous laugh from him as he looked over at her hesitantly, and explained, "It's a habit of mine. My mom used to make cheesecake and serve it with milk, and I've eaten it this way since." Then, thoughtfully, he added on a few moments later, "It was the only time I ever really drank milk as a kid." Then chuckling in a more relaxed manner after explaining himself, he would smile and thank the waiter as he was brought over a glass of milk. Sliding it to the side for now, Griffin looks over at Lea.

Though he knew that simply looking at her was a false description of what his gaze was truly up to. He wasn't checking her out, per say, since that would be rude. Instead, he fancied, he was admiring her, and not in an overly-obvious, drooling fashion. He just found her beautiful, and couldn't help but do so while they sat at the dinner table like this.

Lea smiled at this information. It was heart-warming to hear such a story coming from him. She looked at him with admiration. He sounded like he has such an amazing life and childhood. Probably even an amazing future. But here Lea was, without any of that.

"Sadly, I have no childhood stories to tell you," she said with more of a relaxed laugh as she straightened her back and adjusted the way she was sitting. She pulled on her dress out of nature, which had been riding up her legs. She gently pulled on it till the skirt part of the dress sat back on her knees perfectly.

Her smile softly faded to a small one as she soon leaned forward and rested a propped-up elbow on the table, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. "What's your family like?" she asked. Thankfully, the shaking was going away once more. She hoped it would stay gone. She hated the idea of constantly being nervous in his presence.

She wandered what it felt like, to run home from school smiling and knowing that a batch of warm cookies and cold milk awaited her and a smiling mother who was just feeding the cat. She never had that before. And then she imagined her mother tucking her into bed at night and telling her a bedtime story...but then again, it was hard for her to imagine. Her mother was so hard-hearted.