Holiday Kisses. Gwynne Forster

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СКАЧАТЬ I’m in for a treat. The crab cakes are to die for.”

      If he made her happy, she’d have good thoughts about their time together, and he would at least have made amends for brushing her off. “Then that’s where we’ll go,” he said, opened his cell phone and dialed the restaurant. “This is Craig Jackson, I’d like a table for two at seven o’clock, please.”

      “This is Maynard, Craig. Is your guest a woman?”

      “Yes, indeed, brother,” he said, knowing that Maynard would get the hint and do his best to get him a table overlooking the water in spite of his having called at the last minute. At the restaurant, he gave his key to the parking attendant, went inside with Kisha and led her to the bar.

      “Since I’m driving, I’m having lemonade. What would you like?”

      “Tonic water with a slice of lemon over ice, please.”

      He couldn’t help laughing. “Anybody looking at that drink would think you liked gin and tonic or a Tom Collins, right?”

      “You get the message. I honestly believe alcohol is overrated.”

      “Yeah. I think you alluded to that right after you stuck that needle in my gum. Look, I don’t want to call you Dr. Moran, although I assure you I respect your title. My name is Craig.”

      “I’d like you to call me Kisha, if you want to.”

      If he wanted to. Laughing wouldn’t make sense, but he could hardly resist it. The waitress brought their drinks, and he focused on her as he sipped the lemonade, seeing more in her than he’d seen before, more that he wanted to see.

      “I have a question for you. Is the maître d’ a close friend of yours? You have to make a reservation well over a week in advance to get a table here. I’m really impressed that you accomplished this with one phone call.”

      “I like this place, so I try to stay on the good side of the maître d’, and it pays to do that.” She evidently didn’t know that he enjoyed a kind of celebrity status, and that made him feel special. What a joy it was to go out with a woman who agreed to have dinner with him because she liked him and not because of his reputation.

      “I’ve never been here alone,” she said, “so I haven’t had that option.” She sat forward, devilishness dancing in her eyes.

      “You’d only have to walk in here and look unhappy. Maynard would rush to you and get you whatever your heart desired.”

      “You’re joking. I think I’ll try it one day. I’ve never been made to feel queenly. Not that I’ve minded, but it seems to wear well on the women who get that treatment.”

      He looked hard at her. The woman was almost as frank as he. A straight talker. He liked that, and he liked her more and more. “The guys you’ve known must have been a few bricks short of a full load. Where did you study dentistry?”

      “New York University. Where did you study and what? Actually, I’m more interested in what than where.”

      It was a fair enough question, since he obviously knew more of her schooling that she did of his. “Howard University undergraduate, and I majored in Philosophy. Then I got a degree in journalism.” If she didn’t probe, he wouldn’t mention his law degree from Harvard.

      “If I knew how to whistle, and if we were in the woods, I’d whistle,” she said. “As a philosophy major, I’ll bet you were what we used to call, ‘loaded.’”

      “I can hold my own. What was your undergraduate major?”

      “Chemistry. I began my freshman year by majoring in boys, but when I discovered that all the guys were in school to major in girls, I lost interest in the fun. I was orphaned the summer after my sophomore year, and that changed everything.”

      “I’m sorry. Do you have older siblings?”

      “I don’t have any siblings, so it was kind of rough. But let’s not linger on that.”

      He looked at his watch. Precisely seven o’clock and a perfect opportunity to change the topic. “It’s time to claim our table. If you’re still enjoying the drink, leave it there, and we’ll get another at the table.”

      She followed the maître d’ to their table and gasped in awe at the sun, a big, round red disc sinking into the Patapsco River. He had seen it from that table before, but somehow, it looked different, more magnificent as he stood beside her. If it was an omen, he wasn’t sure that he welcomed it.

      Being comfortable with a man of whom she knew nothing about other than where he worked and what he’d told her should have made her question her sanity, but she could read people, and she liked what she saw in this man.

      He asked her which chair she would prefer to sit in, something new in her dating experience. “I like to face the door,” she said, “but I suppose it would be better for you to sit in that chair so that you can see the waiters approach.”

      “You’re the most thoughtful person I know,” he said. “I usually prefer to face the door. Thanks.”

      The waiter took their orders. Both of them chose the Maryland crab cakes. For a first course, Kisha ordered a sampling of barbecued shrimp, baby back ribs, scallops and buffalo wings.

      “Are you going to eat all of those ribs?” he asked her.

      “Tell you what, you give me half of your Portuguese pancake, and I’ll give you one rib, two shrimp, a scallop and one buffalo wing. It’s too much for me anyway.”

      “Sure you don’t mind?” he asked, but he was already dividing their appetizers. “Gosh, this is a real treat,” he said. “I get to have both of my favorites. Choosing is always a problem.”

      “Here’s something to commemorate your promotion. Congratulations,” she said, watching him closely.

      “You brought me a present? Really?” His eyes widened, and his face creased into a smile. “Can I open it?”

      “Why not wait till later? I hope you’ll like it.”

      “I know I will. I love presents. Any kind of present. Thanks.”

      They finished their meal, walked out into the night air, and he held her hand while they waited for the parking attendant to bring his car. He walked with her to the front door of her house, opened the door with her key, entered with her and flicked on the light in the foyer.

      “This was wonderful, Kisha. I want to see you again. I want to get to know you.” His gaze seemed to bore through her.

      I should say something, she thought, but nothing came to mind. His elegant style, his charm and good looks were reducing her to a simpleton. She told herself to get it together. “I enjoyed the evening, too, Craig.” She opened her bag, got a business card and wrote her home phone and cell phone numbers on the back of it. “I look forward to hearing from you. I work late some nights, so if you don’t get me here, call my cell.”

      He gave her his business card. “I’ll call you tomorrow evening. Thanks for a most pleasant evening. Good night.”

      “Good СКАЧАТЬ