Chapter 7
Noah took a deep breathand slowly let it out before lifting his finger to ring Maggie's doorbell. He couldn't believe he was about to take Maggie Milena out to dinner. This was something he'd dreamed about doing since he was sixteen years old. But it wasn't a date, he reminded himself sternly, as much for Maggie's protection as for his own. If she ever discovered the real reason he needed dating help, she'd not only drop him as a client, but most likely get as far away from him as possible.
"Coming!" he heard her voice call from inside.
The door opened and she held onto it with one hand while she hopped on one foot, trying to slip on a strappy black sandal to match the other one she already had on. "I'm almost ready," she said, slightly breathless, and then a look of concern crossed her face. "Is something wrong?"
Noah realized his mouth was hanging open. He promptly closed it. "No, no, you look...really nice."
A small smile played at her soft pink lips. "Thank you."
Nice was an understatement. Her sunlight and cinnamon curls spiraled softly around her face and brushed against her bare shoulders. The simple black dress she wore accentuated her tan and clung nicely to her curves before flaring out into a short skirt that left plenty of her shapely legs visible beneath it.
"You look nice, too," she said, indicating his khakis and black button-front Henley shirt. She grabbed a small purse from a table beside the door. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go find Valentina!"
"Right. Find Valentina." He offered her his arm, and with another small smile, she took it. He couldn't deny the electric jolt that ran through him as her fingertips slipped around his upper arm. The sensation was like a fiery current racing through his veins, igniting every nerve ending.
He led her to the Porsche and opened the door for her. She slipped inside, giving him another nice glimpse of her legs as she gracefully swung them into the car.
He walked quickly around to get behind the driver's seat.
"Where's Boon?" she asked, looking into the back seat.
"I didn't think it was practical to bring him along tonight. My brother Jake and his wife Alex have a dog already. Plus, they're dog sitting our other brother's dog already. So, they offered to watch him for me tonight for a doggie play date."
"Awwww, that's sweet." Maggie straightened in her seat and put on the seatbelt, then looked at him with a bright smile. "Let's take Lakeshore Drive."
"For the view?"
"No! I want you to open this baby up. Let's see what it can do!"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing that. The last thing I need now is a speeding ticket."
"Party pooper."
He grinned. "Would you like to drive?"
She looked at him, her face glowing with excitement. "Can I?"
"Sure, apparently it's my car."
They each got out and switched seats.
She started the engine. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"What?"
"Can you open the timer on your phone?"
"Uh...okay." He pulled out his cell phone and opened the timer app.
"Now, can you hit start?"
"Sure, whyyyyyyy!!!!" The car exploded forward on the street as she jammed the accelerator to the floor.
"Hit stop!" she shouted, slamming the brakes. She looked over at him. "What does it say?"
"It says you're crazy, lady!"
"C'mon, seriously! I read that this car can hit sixty miles per hour in 2.6 seconds."
Noah looked down at his phone. "It was actually 2.2 seconds." He unbuckled his seat belt. "But now we're switching back, because I'm too young to die."
They arrived at the restaurant and Noah offered her his arm again as they strolled up the boardwalk to the front door. Because it was a lovely summer evening, the exterior walls of the restaurant were removed and gentle lake breezes drifted through the establishment. Tables of different sizes were arranged around the floor and on the outdoor deck overlooking the lake. Tiny white lights covered the interior ceiling and the outdoor railing, giving the entire place a fairy-tale ambiance.
"We have a reservation under Riley," Noah said to the hostess.
The young woman behind the stand checked her iPad screen and nodded. "Yes, sir, I see it here. Follow me, please."
She led them to a table for two overlooking the white-crested waves of Lake Michigan and handed them both menus.
"Excuse me," Noah said to the hostess. "Were you working here last night?"
"No, sir."
"How about any of the other staff?"
"Our manager was working yesterday evening."
"Do you think we can speak with him or her?"
"Sure." The girl shrugged. "I know she's tied up doing an interview right now, but she should be free in an hour or so. I'll let her know."
"Thank you," Noah said. Then he looked at Maggie. "In the meantime, let's order. Even though I was here last night, I don't remember it. And I've heard this place has delicious food."
Maggie chuckled.
When the waitress came to take their drink orders, Maggie ordered a glass of red wine while Noah ordered an iced tea.
They both looked over their menus, but after a moment, Maggie set hers on the table. He looked up to find her studying him. Her eyes seemed more gold than brown against the backdrop of wide blue sky and dark waves.
"So," she said, "between what you told me and Hugo's reaction to the wine bottle in Valentina's condo, I'm getting the definite impression that you don't drink alcohol."
Even though she'd said it as a statement, Noah could tell it was a question.
He reached for his water glass and took a sip. "That's true, I don't."
She tilted her head in inquiry. "Is there any special reason?"
He hesitated for a moment, but he knew he could trust Maggie with this intimate detail of his background. "You know that my mom died in a car accident when I was young, just like your parents did. But I don't think I ever told you how it happened." He took a breath and continued. "The fact is, she was killed by a drunk driver. It was the middle of the afternoon. She'd just picked up my brothers and me from school."
"Oh no, Noah! I'm so sorry!" Maggie immediately began scanning the room. "Let me call the waitress back. I don't need that glass of wine with dinner. I'd hate to do anything to make you feel uncomfortable."
Noah reached over and laid his hand on top of hers, and she immediately stilled. He wondered if she felt the same scintillating heat that he felt whenever their skin connected. "Please don't worry about it. It's just a pact between my brothers and me. We promised each other we'd never drink so that there was never even a possibility that we'd play a role in another family losing a parent for the same reason we did. Besides," he added. "After your little stunt earlier, I'm going to be the only one driving tonight anyway."
Maggie laughed, and he kept his hand over hers as long as he dared, regretfully removing it when the waitress arrived with their drinks and to take their orders.
Conversation flowed comfortably between them throughout their meal, just as it used to when they were in high school together. And Noah couldn't remember a time when he'd felt so at ease on a date. Of course, it's not a date, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. Which is probably the reason it's going so well!"
Unlike other women he'd dated, Maggie didn't try to hide her healthy appetite. And when the waitress brought the dessert menu, they agreed to split a slice of the restaurant's signature Dulce de Leche lava cake with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.
"Mmmmmm," Maggie said, closing her eyes to savor her first bite of the powdered sugar-covered confection. The warm, gooey filling oozed out onto the plate, and she scooped up another dab of it, her pink tongue flicking out to lick it off the spoon.
Noah quickly took a bite to stop himself from staring and to hide the direction his mind was going, which had nothing to do with the delicious dessert.
He swallowed his bite and looked at her. The sun was now lower in the sky, casting the warm glow of twilight on her curling tendrils as they danced on the lake breezes. Her exposed skin looked warm and inviting, limned in the golden sunlight. And he couldn't believe how much he wanted to run his fingers over her smooth, bare shoulders peeking out from beneath the delicate straps of her dress.
Maggie looked up and noticed him watching her. "What? Is something on my face?"
Noah shook himself. "Um, actually, yeah, you've got a little..." He didn't finish the sentence but reached across the table with his napkin and scooped a bit of Dulce de Leche filling from the side of her rosebud lips.
For some reason he couldn't identify, this gesture felt strangely intimate. He saw her face redden, and he immediately dropped his hand, feeling a bit shocked at what he'd just done.
He quickly changed the subject. "So, you never answered my question from this afternoon."
"What question?"
"If you've had so much success with your matchmaking clients, why aren't you already matched up yourself, Miss Matches by Maggie?"
Maggie dropped the napkin she'd been using to dab at the remaining sauce on her lips, and she gazed steadily at him, as if she were contemplating how much to tell him. Then she lifted one shoulder. "I guess I've just been too busy to play matchmaker for myself. As a fellow entrepreneur, I'm sure you understand how hard it is to have a personal life—let alone a romantic one—while building your business. Right now, all my focus and energy is on helping my clients like you find true love."
Noah was about to reply when suddenly a voice came from beside their table. "Unbelievable. You're back again tonight?"
Noah looked up and felt his heart drop at the sight of the familiar elegant brunette standing next to them. She wore a chic black suit with a crisp white shirt beneath it. Her expression wasn't happy, and she tossed her long hair back over one shoulder, revealing a "Manager" badge on her lapel.
Uh-oh. "Well, hi there, Michelle! I didn't realize that..."
"That I worked here?"
"Well, actually, yes." He sounded lame, even to his own ears.
Michelle rolled her eyes. "I saw you yesterday and I chose not to say anything. But seriously? It was bad enough that you brought a date here last night, flaunting her in front of me. But two nights in a row? With two different women?" Here she looked pointedly at Maggie, who was looking confused.
"It's not what you think, Michelle. This is my friend, Maggie. She's helping me—"
Michelle cut him off, her words aimed at Maggie. "Listen, I'm going to give you some free advice. Stay as far away as possible from this one." She tilted her head in Noah's direction. "I know he looks good on the outside, but trust me, he's not worth it."
"I don't understand," Maggie said, her gaze flipping between the two of them. "You two know each other?"
"We went out once." Michelle tossed her hair again. "But once was more than enough."
"Please, Michelle, I explained—" Noah began.
But this time it was Maggie who cut him off, her focus on Michelle. "What happened on your date?"
"Let's see..." Michelle put a hand on one hip and began counting on her fingers with the other. "First, he was over an hour late picking me up."
"I told you that I took a couple of wrong turns coming to get you," Noah protested.
"Then," Michelle plowed on, holding up her second finger, "he conveniently forgot his wallet, so I had to pay for both of our meals, even though he asked me out."
"It was just a simple oversight!"
"And last but definitely not least," she continued, holding up her third finger, "after our lunch, he took me for a hike in the state park. And while we were standing on one of the open viewing platforms, he knocked me off it. I fell ten feet to the ground and sprained both of my ankles."
"I tripped!" Noah cried. "I didn't mean to knock you off!"
"I was housebound in a wheelchair for two weeks!" she finished, folding her arms across her ample chest.
"That must have been terrible!" Maggie said.
Noah knew there wasn't anything he could say to save the situation, so he mumbled, "I already told you multiple times how sorry I was, Michelle."
"Mhm." Her face was closed off.
"That sounds like an absolutely awful date, Michelle," Maggie said, her brows furrowed in sympathy. "I can't even imagine how frustrating and disappointing it must have been for you to experience all of that." Maggie shook her head. "And then to have him show up at your place of business with other women? That must really sting."
Michelle's expression softened in response to Maggie's obvious empathy.
Noah was exasperated and wanted to argue, but deep down, he knew there was truth in what Michelle was saying. So, he kept quiet as Maggie continued. "Have you ever considered that maybe that whole negative experience with Noah was actually a blessing in disguise?"
"What do you mean?" Michelle asked.
"Well, is it possible that the two of you just weren't a good fit for each other?"
"You know," Michelle tilted her head, looking speculative, "in the aftermath, I did sort of start thinking that. I mean, when we were together, he talked a lot about how much he loves the outdoors, mountain biking, camping, hiking. And I really hate all that stuff. I only agreed to the hike in the park because I was being polite. And his taste in music..." Michelle rolled her eyes.
Noah frowned and opened his mouth to protest this egregious insult, but a lightning-quick glance from Maggie quelled it, and he closed it again.
"It really sounds like you didn't have a lot in common with him. Definitely not what you're looking for in a long-term relationship, right?" Maggie said. "I'm sure there's a wonderful man out there for you who would be a much better fit."
"You know what? I bet you're right," Michelle said, then she smiled. "Thank you...was it Maggie?"
Maggie nodded with a smile.
"Well, thank you, Maggie. I feel much better about all of this now."
"I'm glad."
"Are you two finished?" Noah asked, feeling a bit miffed at the way they had been talking as if he wasn't even there.
Michelle turned to face him, her expression much softer now. "I think so. And now, the real reason I came over here is because my hostess mentioned that you wanted to talk with me about yesterday evening?"
"Yes," Noah said, relieved that they were finally moving on to the main topic of the evening. "Obviously, you've already mentioned that you saw me here last night with my, er, date."
Michelle nodded.
"I know this is going to sound strange, but can you recall any specifics about it?"
Michelle frowned. "Like what kind of specifics?"
"How was I acting? How was my date acting? How long were we here? And did we do or say anything that you overheard?"
Michelle frowned in confusion.
He sighed, wishing he didn't have to explain again. He decided not to tell her everything. "It's just that, for some reason, I'm experiencing selective amnesia. I have no memory of last night, and I...I'd like to remember exactly what happened."
"Wow, you don't remember anything? How strange." Michelle looked thoughtful. "Well, I did notice that your date was really into you. She kept touching you and giggling and feeding you bites of her food."
"Really," Noah said, feeling surprised.
"Yes," Michelle said with another toss of her hair. "You seemed to be enjoying it. But now that I think about it, you were acting a bit strange. You were talking and laughing kind of loud, almost like you were tipsy.
"And oh!" she added. "There's one more thing I almost forgot. Before all that, when you first arrived and got seated, there was a guy who came over to talk with your date. He seemed to know her. You all chatted together for a bit, then I saw you get up and leave the table. But your date and the guy kept talking. They never touched each other or anything, but there was a kind of intensity between them, almost like they were arguing about something. Then you came back a few minutes later and handed a sweater to your date, and the guy went to sit by himself up at the bar."
"A random guy, huh? What did he look like?" Noah asked.
"About six feet, dark hair, muscular, and very good looking." Michelle winked at Maggie with that last piece of information. "Probably in his late twenties or early thirties, I'd guess?"
Maggie gave Noah a questioning look, but he just shook his head. He couldn't recall any of it.
"Is there anything else you can remember?" Maggie asked. "Did they happen to mention where they were going next?
"No, but I did see Noah ask the waitress to take their photograph with his cellphone before they left."
"Really?" Noah pulled out his phone and opened his photographs. He scrolled through to the most recent ones and his jaw fell open.
"What?" Maggie said, jumping up and coming around the table to peer at the images over his shoulder. Michelle joined them.
There was Noah with Valentina, her arms entwined around his neck and a seductive smile curving her full lips. Noah's smile looked extra wide and unnatural to him; his eyes were heavy-lidded and drowsy looking. There were several shots of them, the last one with Valentina kissing him on the cheek.
Michelle pointed at the screen. "That's the guy!"
Her finger indicated a man in the background of the shot. He was seated on a stool up at the bar. But he was turned in his seat, staring intently at Valentina with an angry scowl on his face.
"That doesn't look good," Maggie said.
"It looks like I took a few more pictures after these restaurant ones," Noah said. "Maybe we can figure out where Valentina and I went next." He continued scrolling through the images and cringed as a series of very bad selfies filled his phone screen. He was in a crowded room filled with low, colorful lighting. It looked like everyone around him was dancing. Noah, on the other hand, was striking some pretty strange poses.
"You look...interesting," Michelle said, clearly trying not to laugh.
Noah frowned, scrolling back to make a few of the images larger. He examined the background of several photos, and then suddenly his face cleared. "I know where these were taken!"
"Where?" Maggie asked.
"Can I interest you in joining me for a sunset cruise?"