CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - *DREAMWORLD

"Hello, Anna. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important?" Anna shook her head. "No, not at all. Is everything okay?" Erik chuckled. "Everything's fine. I was just wondering if you might be interested in joining me for a boat ride on my yacht after your shift? The weather's perfect for it." Anna hesitated, her mind racing. Part of her wanted to say yes immediately, but another part urged caution. "I... I'm not sure. It's kind of last minute, and I..." Erik held up a hand, his expression understanding. "No pressure at all. I know it's short notice. How about this - if you decide you'd like to come, my driver will be waiting outside at the end of your shift. If not, no hard feelings. What do you say?" Anna found herself nodding. "Okay, that sounds fair. Thank you." Erik's smile widened. "Excellent. I hope to see you later, then. Enjoy the rest of your shift, Anna." As Erik left the restaurant, Anna could feel the stares and whispers of her coworkers and the customers. She took