Chapter Six
Quint
I couldn't take my eyes off her from the moment I saw her. There was something about her that was – intoxicating. She and her friend were having dinner and I didn't want to interrupt – as tempting as it was. So, I figured that I'd wait until they were done with their meals and then go introduce myself to the mysteriously compelling woman.
“Andrea,” I called to the waitress. “Can you come over here for a minute?”
The waitress who'd been serving the woman and her friend made her way over to me and flashed me a demure little smile. I knew she had a crush on me and as tempting as it was to take advantage of that sometimes, I wouldn't let myself give in to it. Leading her on that way – though, I figured she'd be incredible in bed – wasn't the right thing to do.
I knew I could be a jerk in some ways, but I always did try to do the right thing. I believed in my code and part of it was to be a good, honorable man.
“What can I do for ya, boss?” she asked in a way that carried a not-so-subtle double meaning.
“When table thirty-three is done eating, let me know, okay?” I asked. “I'd like to have dessert sent over.”
She looked back at the table and then turned to me, the disappointment in her eyes plain as day.
“Yeah, sure thing,” she said, her voice subdued.
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I said. “You're doing a great job, by the way. Thank you for all of your hard, diligent work.”
She looked like she wanted to say something, but instead, she plastered on a smile that was obviously phony and nodded.
“Anything for you,” she said and gave me a wink before turning away.
She was nothing, if not persistent. I had to give her that. I busied myself with other tasks that needed to be done as I waited, but always kept my eye on the two women. When it looked like they were finishing up, I headed over to the bar. Leaning against it, I had my bartender Mike pour me a scotch.
“Here ya go, boss,” he said as he slid me a tumbler.
“Thank you.”
I took a sip, relishing the feel of the burn as it slid down my throat. I looked at Mike who was grinning like a kid who had a secret and was dying to share.
“What?” I asked.
“I see you got your eye on table thirty-three,” he said. “That blonde – she's smokin'. Gonna take a run at that?”
The crude way the younger generation today said things was sometimes – off-putting. But, I had to remind myself they were of a different generation. Or rather, I was from a different generation. A very, very different generation. I still believed in being polite and courteous. I didn't “take a run” at a woman, I simply tried to get to know her.
Yes, I had been known to give in to my carnal desires every now and then – I was after all, a member of the Fire Clan and our passions were known to run extremely hot. But I was always respectful and never overstepped my bounds. I most certainly never referred to a lady the way kids today seemed all too comfortable doing.
But – this world belonged to them. To their generation. I was merely a visitor, in the bigger picture.
“The blonde is very attractive, no question,” I said. “But what do you think about the redhead?”
Mike looked over, cocked his head, and then shrugged. “She's okay, I guess. Cute. A little too thick for my tastes though,” he said. “Nothing like that blonde though. That one's a total hottie.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Mike.”
He gave me a curious look, but then smiled and walked away to tend to his other customers at the bar. It was curious to me that I could feel so compelled by this woman and yet Mike, a warm blooded human man, thought she was “okay.” Or maybe, “cute.”
But then, kids his age had fickle tastes. Perhaps being much older, my tastes didn't stray to the stereotypical Southern California girl. I didn't know what it was, but the redhead drew me like I don't believe I'd ever been drawn before. She was magnetic.
I watched as their table was cleared and when Andrea was bringing out the dessert, I made my way over. The blonde watched me coming and looked entirely amused, while the redhead sat ramrod straight, looking pointedly in the other direction, looking entirely uncomfortable.
I stood before their table just as Andrea arrived with one of Chef Maurizio's special desserts – this one looked like a large molten chocolate cake of some sort. I wasn't really that up to date with his menu. I trusted his judgment and knew he was one of the premier chefs in the city – which meant I gave him wide latitude in creating Heat's menu.
And hey, it seemed to be working out pretty well so far.
“Good evening,” I said.
“Hello,” the blonde replied and then pointed at the dessert. “We didn't order this though.”
“I took the liberty of having it sent over,” I said. “To thank you for joining us this evening.”
A playful smile tugged at the corners of the blonde's mouth while the redhead was doing everything she could to avoid looking up at me. Her cheeks were bright red though, and she was fidgeting with her napkin – she was nervous.
“Oh, well thank you very much,” the blonde said. “Are you the manager or something?”
I gave her a small smile. “Owner, actually,” I said. “This is my place.”
The blonde looked at me, clearly impressed. The redhead though, was still staring at the top of the table and hadn't said a word.
“I have to say, your restaurant fully lived up to its reputation,” the blonde said.
“Thank you,” I said and extended my hand. “My name is Quint.”
The blonde shook my hand, her grip firm, confident. Very well dressed, not afraid to make direct eye contact, and spoke with an authoritative tone. If I had to guess, I'd have said that she was probably a lawyer.
“I'm Piper,” she said. “And this is my best friend, Astrid.”
The redhead jumped as if she'd been goosed – though, more likely, she'd been kicked under the table by Piper. She looked up at me and offered me a weak smile.
“Hi,” she said. “I'm Astrid.”
I took her hand and bent down, placing a soft kiss upon it. The color in her cheeks flared – it was a shade of red I was sure wasn't found in nature. But it was absolutely adorable on her. She looked though, like she wished she were anywhere but at that table. I knew I should have walked away and not added to her discomfort, but there was something keeping me there. Something beyond compelling and I was absolutely rooted to my spot by it.
“Why don't you join us, Quint?” Piper said, motioning to an empty chair.
I gave her a thankful little smile and sat down. An awkward silence descended over the table for a moment as we all exchanged brief looks. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat.
“So – this is your first time here?” I asked, simply to fill the void.
“Yeah, we're celebrating tonight,” Piper said.
“Oh? And what are we celebrating?”
“I'm being promoted at work,” she said. “I made junior partner in my firm.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “Congratulations. Truth be told, I kinda knew you were a lawyer.”
She cocked her head and looked at me. “Did you now? How so?”
I shrugged. “In this business, you meet a lot of different people,” I said. “You get to know certain things about them, about how they carry themselves. You sort of develop a sixth sense about these kinds of things.”
“Sixth sense, huh?” she raised an eyebrow. “Well then, Mr. Psychic, can you tell me what my dear friend Astrid does for a living?”
Truth be told, I couldn't tell a lot of things about Astrid – like why she had this hold on me that she did. There was a connection there and in the few furtive glances she stole at me, I could tell that she felt it too. But I thought it best to not be too forward with her. I didn't want to spook her off until I had some answers.
I rubbed my chin. “Honestly, she's a tough one to figure out,” I said. “What is it you do for a living, Astrid?”
She looked up at me and then back down at the table again quickly. “I – I own a bookstore.”
“Oh really?” I said. “That's excellent. I happen to be a bit of a reader myself.”
She looked up at me – finally – without looking away a split second later. But the look in her eyes told me she was skeptical about my claim to be a reader. I gave her a big smile, daring her to test me.
“And what's the last book you read?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I'm partial to the classics, but I'll admit to enjoying a bit of brain candy now and then,” I admitted. “The last book I read though, was Crime and Punishment.”
“Not exactly brain candy,” Astrid said.
“No, but before that, I indulged in Stephen King's, IT,” I said. “I'm a fan of things that go bump in the night.”
For the first time since I'd sat down, I got a smile out of her. And that smile lit up her face. It made her even more beautiful than I'd first thought. Mike was an idiot if he thought she was “just okay.” This woman was drop dead gorgeous.
“Science fiction and fantasy mostly,” she said. “I love the pure escapism.”
I nodded. “That, I can understand completely.”
I looked around and flagged down Andrea. She trudged over to the table, that artificial smile back on her face, though in her eyes, I could see a smoldering anger and disappointment. She looked at both Piper and Astrid with barely veiled contempt. But she managed to hold herself in check – barely.
“We're celebrating here tonight, Andrea,” I said. “Can you please bring us a bottle of that special dessert wine? The one in the cabinet in my office?”
She gave me a tight smile and nodded. “Of course.”
She turned and walked away without another word. Piper looked at me and raised her eyebrows.
“Is it me or did it just get colder in here?” she asked.
I sighed. “I apologize,” I said. “Andrea is good at her job and a sweet girl. But she's got some rather – inappropriate – ideas about her place in my life.”
“So, you're just leading her on?” Astrid asked.
I looked at her and she bit her bottom lip, quickly averting her gaze. Frankly, I was offended by the accusation. But I held my temper in check. There was no need for me to get upset over an off the cuff remark like that.
“Actually, no,” I said. “I've laid out very clear boundaries with her. With my entire staff. I've been very clear about what is appropriate and what is not. Andrea is just a young girl with a crush. Nothing more.”
“I – I'm sorry,” Astrid said. “I didn't mean to say –”
“You'll have to forgive her,” Piper jumped in. “She doesn't get out much and is a bit lacking in the social graces department.”
We all shared a bit of a laugh, but I could see that Astrid still seemed stiff. Embarrassed.
“So, how long has your bookstore been open?” I asked.
“A little over a year now,” she said. “It's actually doing a lot better than I'd anticipated.”
“That's wonderful to hear,” I said. “It pleases me to know that hum – that people – still value the written word.”
“I deal with words all day long,” Piper said. “I'll just watch the movies, thanks.”
I gave her a small smile. “But books are always so much richer.”
“I keep telling her that,” Astrid said.
Andrea arrived and set the bottle down along with three glasses. She cast another look at the two women before departing without another word.
“You really should try Chef Maurizio's dessert,” I said. “I'm not sure what he whipped up for you, but I can already vouch for it. The man is a wizard in the kitchen.”
“Thank you,” Astrid said. “You're being very kind.”
I shrugged. “Just doing my best to provide excellent customer service.”
They both picked up a spoon and dug into the dessert. Warm white chocolate flowed out of a dark chocolate cake that had been drizzled with what looked like a strawberry glaze and white chocolate shavings. It looked really good and I made a mental note to have Maurizio make me one.
“Oh, my God,” Piper said. “This might be the best thing I've ever tasted.”
I grinned. “I told you he was a wizard.”
I poured three glasses of the dessert wine I'd had brought out. It was a special vintage you'd never find on a menu anywhere. At least, not in the world of man. It was a wine from Chondelai. Every once in a while, I indulged in a glass or two and enjoyed a little taste of home. Because my duties kept me here, I didn't often travel back to my homeland and I sometimes missed it.
I handed each of the women a glass and then picked up my own. “A toast,” I said. “To new career opportunities – congratulations, Piper.”
She smiled and nodded at me. I cut my eyes over to Astrid and gave her a gentle smile.
“And, to new friends,” I said. “I'm very glad the two of you came in tonight.”
“To new friends,” Piper said.
“To new friends,” Astrid repeated – though much more quietly.
We clinked our glasses together and took a sip. I let it roll down my tongue, savoring the essence of the wine. Astrid and Piper's eyes grew wide and they made noises of delight every bit as much as they had when eating Maurizio's cake.
“This is amazing,” Piper said. “What is it?”
“It's a special vintage,” I said, staring into the dark red fluid in my glass. “From my homeland.”
“Where are you from?” Astrid asked, her eyes locked onto mine.
I gave her a small smile. “A long way from here,” I said. “Are you both from here originally?”
“Yeah,” Piper said. “Native girls.”
“Born and raised.”
“This wine really is amazing,” Piper said. “I've never tasted anything like it before.”
I shrugged. “It's a rare vintage,” I said. “I'm pleased you like it.”
Over the next few hours – and another bottle of wine – the three of us had a great conversation full of fun and laughs. Even Astrid loosened up quite a bit and allowed me to get to know her a little more. And yet, I still couldn't figure out what it was about her that compelled me. What drew me to her.
Eventually though, it was time for them to go. I stood up with them and when Piper dug into her purse for her wallet, I put my hand on her arm gently and gave her a warm smile.
“It's on me,” I said.
She shook her head, “Oh no, we couldn't possibly –”
“Call it my way of saying congratulations on the promotion,” I smiled. “And to thank you both for a wonderful evening.”
“Thank you, Quint,” she said. “That's very kind of you.”
“Yes, thank you,” Astrid said, her voice growing softer again. “That's incredibly generous.”
“Think nothing of it,” I said. “I appreciate you two letting me crash your night out.”
“Well, I'd at least like to leave a tip,” Piper said.
She pulled out her wallet and dropped a hundred-dollar bill down on the table.
“Andrea will be most appreciative,” I said. “Please, let me walk you out.”
I strolled with the both of them out of the restaurant and back to the valet station. There was a strange sensation in my stomach, knowing I was about to say goodbye. Part of me was afraid that I was never going to see Astrid again – was never going to unravel the mystery she presented to me. And part of it, I feared, was nervousness. It was an odd feeling – one I never had. Not even when going into battle.
I took Piper's claim ticket and handed it to the valet, passing him a twenty as a tip so Piper wouldn't have to. She gave me a sweet smile and thanked me. We all stood in an awkward silence again and I noticed that Piper had drifted off a couple of feet, standing away from us. It was as if she was trying to give us a little space and giving me a subtle signal to ask Astrid out. Again, that fluttering in my stomach came on, confounding me.
I cleared my throat. “Astrid,” I said. “I was wondering if perhaps, you would allow me the pleasure of taking you to dinner one night. Maybe some place other than here.”
I gave her a soft, but genuine smile. She looked at me with wide eyes and I watched the expressions on her face shift from shock to fear and back again. It occurred to me that she, for whatever reason, wasn't used to receiving attention from a man. Though, it honestly baffled me. I would have thought a woman like Astrid would be drowning in invitations out from men.
“I – I don't know,” she stammered. “I mean, I appreciate it but –”
The valet arrived with Piper's car and I looked at Astrid feeling something akin to shock. I wasn't used to being turned down. I honestly couldn't recall the last time a woman declined an invitation to dinner from me. It was surprising and yet – intriguing. It was a new experience.
Of course, I was going to have to change her mind.
I fished a card out of my pocket and presented it to her. “Please,” I said. “If you change your mind –”
Piper snatched the card out of my hand and flashed me a mischievous grin. “Trust me, Quint,” she said. “Astrid would love to see you again. I'll make sure she calls you. Thank you for a wonderful evening.”
“Y – yes, thank you,” Astrid murmured.
I laughed and shook my head. It had been a wonderful night full of intrigue and surprises. And as I watched Piper usher Astrid to her car, getting her into the passenger's seat before hustling around to the driver's side, I still felt that invisible pull to the mysterious redhead. She watched me from her seat, her eyes still full of wonder – and questions.
Piper waved at me as she drove off, leaving me standing there smiling. I wondered what was going through Astrid's mind as she looked at me. Wondered what she was feeling.
I had a million questions and I was looking forward to getting answers to them all.