8

Bianca

This could possibly be the stupidest thing I’d ever done.

Steadying my hand, I applied my eyeliner in the bathroom mirror. Despite the open window, there was still a bit of steam, so I wiped the mirror with the side of my hand. It squeaked, but the visibility improved.

I puckered my lips and checked for any pink gloss smudges. It looked fine.

My waves hadn’t frizzed up yet and my jeans slid on without too much yanking. It was all going so well, so why was I nervous?

A ping caught my attention, and I turned to the large screen at my desk. It was Ruby. ‘I need to unwind. Are you up for a game?’

I sat down to type my reply. ‘Sorry. Can’t. Getting ready for a date.’

‘Date? Who with?’

‘Have you ever done something you know is stupid, but you can’t stop yourself?’

‘Every day.’

I laughed. ‘Well, I swiped right with this guy earlier today, and now I’m meeting him at a bar. We haven’t even texted yet.’

‘That’s not good.’

‘I know. I’m getting a weird feeling.’

‘Then don’t go.’

I bit my bottom lip. It was sound advice, something I would say to a friend as well. But with everything that happened lately, I wasn’t sure if my nerves were high because of the delivery, the security restrictions, or seeing Jager again.

‘It’s a public place. I’m sure I’ll be fine.’

‘Where is it?’

‘It’s a pub on Main and 5 th . The Fox and something.’

I had no idea if Ruby knew the place. We bonded initially when we discovered we lived near the city and exchanged some of our favorite restaurants. But she had been traveling for work so much that we never discussed any new places.

‘Call me if there’s any trouble.’

I smiled. I’d never met Ruby. I didn’t think I ever would, but she was sweet to say that. ‘Thanks, Ruby. I better go.’

I found my brother on the couch as usual. “Don’t you have plans with Lizzie or something?” I asked him as I pulled on my black leather boots. It was starting to get chilly at night.

“It’s Thursday night. The hockey game is on.”

I rolled my eyes. If it wasn’t hockey, it was football or baseball. I swear my brother always found an excuse to stay in. “All right, well, enjoy your game.”

He swiveled to look at me. “Where are you going?”

“Out.”

“When will you be back?”

“Later.”

“Bianca!”

I smiled and waved at him before closing the door. I knew it would have been smart to tell him about my date, but River had always been overprotective of me and it became a habit to keep him out of my life.

But I texted Lizzie. “If you don’t hear from me in three hours, I’ve been kidnapped from The Fox and something on Main and 5 th .”

There. I threw my phone in my purse and stepped into my car. The leather seats were cold, and I shivered as I waited for the engine to warm up. The car was more than twelve years old, so I gave it some extra time. I needed to treat this girl well if she would stay with me for the next five years. I had no intention of spending money on a new car since I started saving for my own place.

When the rumble of the engine became a purr, I backed out of my driveway.

I rarely drove into the city, but the last two times I’d used an Uber, the car smelled so bad it stayed with me for hours. I didn’t want to take that chance tonight on a first date. Besides, I had an ulterior motive for meeting John, at least, I thought that was his name. I still needed a date for my cousin Amy’s wedding.

It was two days away, but if the date went well, I could play it off as a night of free food and booze. Most guys would jump at that, right?

The knots tightened in my stomach. I knew it would be a longshot, but I had to try something. I heard of people falling in love at first sight. Maybe tonight was the night it would happen for me.

I parked a couple of blocks from the restaurant in an open lot. I didn’t park underground after the last time I thought someone was following me.

My boots clicked on the sidewalk as I walked up to the front door. It was a solid oak door with a glass window and a brass knob.

I was greeted with loud music and the waft of fried food. The place wasn’t very big or perhaps there were just a lot of people because I couldn’t see the end of the pub, only a sea full of heads and shoulders.

“Excuse me, is John Jensen here yet?” I asked the hostess at the front.

She looked down at a page in front of her. “Yes, he arrived just a few minutes ago. He’s seated at the bar.”

“Thanks.” I smiled and looked over at the bar. At least thirty men were sitting or standing near there. Oh boy.

I pulled out my phone and studied his picture. He had light brown hair with a slight wave to it. His description said he was six feet, so he should be easier to spot, but when I stood on my tiptoes and looked for John, I couldn’t find him.

Taking a few steps closer to the bar, I thought I’d check near the washrooms, in case he’d gone in there.

“Excuse me,” I said as I pushed past the tight bodies. Two men in suits swiveled to look at me and smiled. One nodded, but I ignored him, still looking for my date.

I’d just made it to the other end of the bar when someone gently tapped my shoulder. “Bianca?”

A man in a navy-blue sweater with a white-collared shirt underneath smiled back at me.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hello,” I responded, looking over his shoulder still searching for John.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

I turned to look back at him. “I’m sorry, yes, but I’m meeting someone here tonight and I can’t seem to find him.”

The man smiled. “You did.”

Someone pushed me from behind, and I nearly toppled into the man’s arms. “Sorry. It’s just so crowded in here.”

“It’s all right. I have a table near the back.”

“That’s good, but I need to find my date.”

The man touched my arm. “Bianca, it’s me. John.”

“John?”

I stepped back as though I needed to take in all of him, hoping the bigger picture made this scenario clearer. But it didn’t help. His light brown hair was gray and his muscular arms were thinner than they were in the photo and his belly much larger. He had the same smile but there were crow's feet around his eyes.

“Yeah, it’s me. I know the picture on my profile is a few years old, but I’m still the same guy.”

“Oh…Yeah…okay.”

I was stunned. A part of me wanted to turn around and walk out the door but I shouldn’t let something like age and ego stand in my way. Besides, I was already here and needed a date for Saturday. “Did you say you had a table?”

He smiled. “Yeah, it’s at the back. Follow me.”

He grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd. His palm was sweaty and plump. I tried to twist around the crowd, but it wasn’t as easy for me as it was for him, and he ended up yanking my arm a couple of times. When we finally got to his table, he let go of my hand. “There. That wasn’t too bad.”

I rubbed the inside of my elbow. “It was a little painful.” He looked down at my hand.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t want to lose you.”

“It’s all right.” I took off my coat and hung it behind my chair. “So, have you been here before? Do you recommend anything on the menu?”

“Oh. Did you not eat? I thought we were just going out for drinks and see where the night takes us.” He waggled his eyebrows, and I raised mine before grabbing a menu. “No. I haven’t eaten yet.”

I read through the pages of the menu and settled on a chicken Caesar salad. “Are you getting anything?” I asked.

John shook his head. “No. I ate at home.”

All right. I thought it a little rude to let me eat alone on a first date, but I guess it wasn’t the end of the world.

When the waitress arrived, I placed my dinner order along with a glass of wine and John ordered a soda. “Can you put that on a separate bill?” he asked her.

She looked at me and must have read the look on my face because she smiled. “Sure thing.”

I caught her shaking her head as she walked away, and I couldn’t agree more.

“So, John, do you come here often?” I asked. I couldn’t think of anything else to talk about.

“Oh, yeah. They have the best Monday night wing special.”

“Really? Why didn’t you order the wings, then?”

His eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Because it’s Thursday.”

“Right.” I rested my chin on my hand and waited for my food. It couldn’t come out fast enough. Fortunately, the waitress showed up with our drinks a few minutes later.

“Thank you,” I said.

John leaned across the table. “You sure are pretty, Byanka.”

I thought about correcting the way he pronounced my name, but didn’t think it was worth the effort since I wouldn’t be seeing him again. So, I simply replied, “Thanks.”

After taking a long sip of my wine, I asked, “So, you’re a doctor? Which field of medicine do you practice?”

“I’m not a doctor. Why would you think that?”

“Because you wrote that on your profile,” I said slowly, wondering if I’d dreamt this whole thing up.

“Oh no. I put Dr. in front of my name because I like how it looks. I figure if people can identify as a different gender, I can add Dr. in front of my name. I’ve gotten a lot more responses on my profile ever since.”

I stared at him, wondering if he was joking. “It doesn’t work like that.” I considered saying more, but realized we probably wouldn’t agree on this one or change each other’s mind. “Will you excuse me?”

I didn’t wait for him to answer. I got up and walked to the bathroom, which was only a few feet away. But it was a respite from this horrible date.

God, what has it been, five minutes? I couldn’t take much more of this.

I should have listened to my gut and not gone on this date.

I’d tell John that I wasn’t feeling well, or something came up at home. Maybe I could text Lizzie to call me and make up an excuse for why I had to go.

Oof!

I walked into a wall of sinew and muscle. When I looked up, I was staring into a depth of brown eyes with a hint of hazel.

“ Jager? What are you doing here?”

He tilted his head. “You seem to greet me with that question a lot.”

I blinked, certain I had conjured him up, but he was there. My finger trailed over his bicep through his black sweater. “Sorry,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’m just surprised to see you here.”

“Are you all right?” he asked.

I brushed my hair off my forehead. “Yeah, yeah, fine.”

“You look a little pale. I think it’s too crowded here. I should take you home.”

I bit my lip, as home was exactly where I wanted to be right now. Away from John and this horrible date. “Um…maybe. I just have to think of some excuse to get out of this date and grab my coat.”

Jager turned around. “Which one is he?”

I rolled my eyes. “The doctor sitting by himself next to the club soda.”

“I’ll take care of him. You wait here.”

I stood on my tiptoes, watching as he maneuvered effortlessly through the crowd. His broad shoulders were easy to follow. The food had arrived at the table, but it wasn’t worth a chicken salad to have to make conversations with that jerk.

I’d lost Jager when he bent down to speak to John but spotted him a couple of minutes later walking back to me. “Let’s go,” he said and engulfed my hand in his. It was warm but not sweaty. I felt the tendons behind each knuckle rather than squishy flesh.

“Wait,” I said when I spotted my waitress. “He might not tip or even stiff her with the bill. I’ve got to pay for my dinner.”

Jager walked over to the server I’d been staring at and placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned around and a smile spread across her face. “I’ll be right with you, sweetheart.”

Jager put some bills in her hand. “For the lady’s meal. Keep the change.”

I wasn’t sure how much he gave her, but her wide eyes told me it was more than a chicken salad and a glass of wine’s worth.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said when we finally reached the cool air outside. “I would have paid for my dinner.”

“You shouldn’t have to pay for it in the first place,” he said, running a hand through his hair.

It was hard to argue with that, but I tried. “It’s fine. Most guys go Dutch these days.”

He shook his head. “I don’t fucking understand what this world is coming to.”

I shrugged. It was the least offensive thing John had done tonight. “He was a jerk.”

“Then why did you agree to go out with him?” Jager’s brow furrowed, and he stared at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve.

I closed my eyes. “It was a big mistake. I…” I couldn’t tell him the truth. It was too embarrassing. “Can we just forget about it?”

“Yeah,” he said, lifting the collar of his wool coat. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

He turned, and I followed him down the street toward a black sports car. “Wow, is this yours?”

“Yeah.”

“Nice ride. When did you get it?”

“A couple of years ago.”

He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for me. I watched him walk around the front and then climb into the driver’s side. His cologne filled the air, and I closed my eyes as I inhaled his woodsy scent.

“Do you still like Italian?” he asked.

“It’s my favorite.”

“I know,” he said as he pulled into the street.

I was silent for a few minutes as he drove. “Where are we going?”

“There’s this place not too far from here. It’s quiet and there’s always a free table at the back.”

“Is it your special table?” I teased.

“Yeah.”

I laughed, then stopped to look at him. “You’re not joking?”

He shrugged. “They usually keep it open for me. I go there often.”

“Do you live in the city?” I asked.

“On Park Avenue.”

I couldn’t help it. I let out a whistle. “Wow. I guess the rumors are true and you are doing well for yourself.”

“Rumors?”

“I still keep in touch with some friends from high school and people talk.”

“Mmm.”

“I heard you went into the military.”

“You heard?”

I nodded, and he made a strange sound, a laugh maybe, but I wasn’t sure.

“I also heard you were rich now, but I don’t think the military is paying that well. At least, no one else I know is living on Park Avenue with a military salary. I guess the bodyguard business is doing well.”

“I’m doing okay. And no, my financial security isn’t due to my military service or bodyguarding.”

“Are you hacking into the bank?” I laughed, remembering how he’d love to hack into the school’s files and change his grades from Cs to Bs.

“Yes, but that’s not it, either.”

I laughed harder this time. “Are you serious? You hack into banks? Are you crazy?”

He grinned. “They pay me to do it.”

“What?”

“They pay me to find the weaknesses in their security systems.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I’m glad you’re using your special powers for good now.”

He winked. “Sometimes.”

The way he teased me sounded so familiar that my breath caught in my throat and my laugh died.

“I’m only kidding, B. I wouldn’t jeopardize the business or my future like that.”

The nickname surprised me. I hadn’t heard it since he’d left. A rush of memories flooded my brain, and my hands shook from the overwhelming emotions they evoked.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I smiled weakly. “Just hungry.”

“We’re almost there.”

A few minutes later, he pulled in front of a black-bricked restaurant with gold writing on the door: Il Posto .

The valet was waiting outside. “Good evening, Mr. Payne. Good to see you again.”

He handed the man his keys.

“Good evening, Roberto. How are you?”

“Very well, sir.”

He walked over to my door and opened it for me. I took his hand and climbed out. His hand was cooler now, but something about his touch warmed me.

He opened the front door for me, and I smiled when we walked inside. I’d expected something more formal with the valet out front, but the inside was unexpected. There were vines crawling across the stone walls and plants hanging from the ceiling. Sconces lit the restaurant throughout and the tables were covered with red instead of white linens. It was as though we were eating al fresco in some quaint Italian village.

“It’s wonderful here.”

“I met Alessandro in Naples when I was stationed there. He told me of his dream to open a restaurant, but he wanted a fresh start someplace else. So, I helped him open one here.”

“In New York City?”

He shrugged as though it wasn’t the hardest place in the world, arguably, to open a new restaurant. Judging by the packed tables and busy kitchen, though, it wasn’t doing too badly.

A man wearing a white open-collared shirt, black pants, and shoulder-length brown hair walked toward us. His infectious smile pulled at my lips. “Mickey,” he called with his arms wide open. “My friend, how are you?”

“I’m good, Sandro. How are you?”

He pulled Jager into his open arms and patted him on the back. Then he turned to me and the sheer joy on his face was palpable. “Who is this beautiful woman?”

“Sandro, this is Bianca. Bianca, I’d like you to meet my good friend Sandro.”

I stuck out my hand, and he immediately took it and brought it to his lips. “Bianca,” he repeated, except his voice was lowered and it felt like my name was an aphrodisiac on his lips. My body shivered, and I smiled.

Jager cleared his throat and slapped Alessandro on the shoulder. “Do you have a table for us?” Alessandro kept his eyes on me and smiled.

“Of course. Follow me.” He led us to the back of the restaurant where a table was set inside a small alcove with flowers draped above it.

Alessandro handed us the menus. “I’ll give you a few minutes to look these over.” Then he left.

I couldn’t help it; I had to ask. “Mickey?”

Jager smiled. “We had a hard time pronouncing each other’s names, so I called him Sandro, and he called me Mickey, after Mick Jagger.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

I looked around. “This place is gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“He had a vision.”

“And some money. It must cost a fortune to keep up something like this.”

“It’s worth it.”

He said it quietly, and I had the feeling that Jager helped his friend more than he was letting on.

“Everything is homemade, but you’ve got to try the lasagna. It takes two days to make.”

“Sold,” I said.

A few minutes later, Sandro returned, and he concurred with our menu selections. “If I may suggest tonight’s special. We have oysters.”

He tilted his head in Jager’s direction, but Jager gave him a shake. “Ah, that’s a pity,” said Sandro softly and walked away.

I sipped the white wine Sandro had brought to our table and closed my eyes at the tartness. “Mmm, this is delicious.”

“The grapes are from my vineyard.”

“You have a vineyard. Jesus, Jager. Who the hell are you now?”

“I’m not the same guy you knew back in high school.”

“Yeah, that’s quite obvious. The question is,” I said, swiveling in the booth to look at him. “Who are you now?”

He licked his lips and stared back at me. The wine must have been strong because an intense heat climbed up my neck. He lowered his voice, “A soldier and a bodyguard. A protector. A—” he swallowed, and I watched his Adam’s apple tremble in his throat. But he didn’t finish his thought because the food had arrived.

“ Buon appetito ,” one of the servers said after placing a steaming lasagna dish in front of me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “This smells incredible.”

“Dig in.”

I looked over at Jager’s plate. “What did you order again?”

“Chicken Cacciatore.”

I leaned over and inhaled his dish. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that before.”

“If you play your cards right, I might give you some of mine.”

I laughed. “Deal.”

I cut into the lasagna with the side of my fork and pulled it toward me. Several strings of cheese held on as I brought the morsel to my mouth.

“Oh God, this is sooo good.”

Jager blinked, but his eyes fell to my lips. That intense heat crawled up my neck and filled my cheeks. There was no air between us as he watched me eat my pasta.

“Aren’t you going to take a bite of yours?”

He nodded and cut into his chicken.

After a few bites, he turned to me. “You know, I just don’t get it. I’ve been trying all night to understand how a girl like you goes out with a guy like Stewart or that jerk from earlier. You should be with someone who treats you like a queen.”

The doughy pasta lodged in my throat, and I had a hard time swallowing it. I grabbed the glass of wine and took a sip. “Stewart isn’t so bad, but I agree John was a big mistake.”

“You should never have agreed to go out with him.”

“It wasn’t my finest moment, but I had my reasons,” I mumbled.

“What could have possibly induced you to go out with him?”

My leg shook underneath the table, and I took a longer sip of my wine. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“You could have any guy you want. You could have a line of men wanting to go out with you.”

I snorted. “Yeah. Right. I don’t think so.”

“Why not? Why don’t you see who you are and what you’re capable of?”

Because the one man I wanted left without a word.

I swallowed again. My throat was still tight. “That’s not true,” I said softly.

“It is.”

“No. It’s not. Just forget about it.” It was embarrassing to admit that I couldn’t find a date for this weekend, especially to Jager.

“B, you are an incredible person. You could have anyone—”

“But I don’t,” I said, exasperated. “I needed someone this weekend, and when Stewart bailed on me, there was no one else. I was desperate, all right?”

I dropped my head and stared at my lasagna. With my appetite gone, I just wanted this night to end. How could it get any worse?

“Desperate?” Jager whispered. “About what?” I closed my eyes. Might as well get it all out. “It’s my cousin Amy’s wedding this weekend.” I took a breath. “My mother will be there. And I don’t want to go alone.”

“But your brother will be there.”

“He handles those things better than I do, and usually leaves me to get drunk at the bar.”

“I guess that’s how he handles it.”

“I guess.”

“I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“I’ll go with you to the wedding.”

“You don’t—”

He put his hand over mine underneath the table and curled his fingers. He held me tightly, and I inhaled deeply. “I’ll be there, B. You don’t have to go alone.”

I nodded vigorously, unable to say anything. I couldn’t. I was using everything I had to keep the tears from falling. He had no idea how much this meant to me. Even after everything that happened between us—a piece of my heart melted inside that alcove.