Page 14 of Without Warning
I decide to stop the interaction.“I’m Daphne.I’m such a huge fan.”I slip my hand in his, and he flips it over.Before leaning down to kiss the back of it, he looks over a Darrell, who is barely staying in his seat.
“Just joking,” Judson says.He straightens and shakes my hand instead.“Darrell didn’t tell me if you have any food allergies.”
“Oh, I don’t have food allergies, just some flowers and certain jewelry.”
“Then I’ll prepare tonight’s special for you.Unless there is something you won’t eat?”
“I’ll try anything you cook.I’m not a huge fan of overly spicy foods, though.”
“Perfect.Tonight we’re showcasing an herb-crusted rack of lamb, with a potato dauphinoise, roasted root vegetables, an arugula salad, and for dessert a decadent chocolate profiterole with delicate vanilla ice cream and chocolate ganache.”
“That sounds amazing.”I practically bounce in my seat.I’m so excited by the menu.All these foods are what he’s known for.
“I’ll start you off with an amuse-bouche of duck and sweet potato cannelloni.I’ll have our sommelier pair your wines with your food.”
“Oh, I don’t drink that much.I’ll take a glass with dinner, but that’s all.”
“Then it’s a good thing he’s good at pairing with our nonalcoholic menu.”Judson turns to Darrell.“Heard you had lunch with Cronus today.Everything good?”
“Always,” Darrell answers, not offering any further information.“I’m going up there in a couple of weeks.You going?”
“Not for a bit,” Judson says, swinging his arms wide.“I have this place to run for you.”
“Okay.”
Judson walks away, and I turn to Darrell.“You own this place too?”
Darrell
Ican’t take my eyes off her.She’s breathtaking, and I hate having to share her with the public tonight, but I knew she wanted to come here.Not only did she have an article on her table, but Titan found she’d been researching the restaurant and trying to get a solo reservation.The waiting list is more than six months, though.Unless you’re me.
She doesn’t know it, but this table is specifically mine.In order for someone else to book it, I have to give permission.One of the perks of being the major partner.
“Not really.I’m an investor, but that’s all.You’d call me a silent partner, if anything.I’ve known Judson since we were in taekwondo as boys.Then we went to college together.He’s always wanted his own place; I just helped him get there.”I downplay my influence like I always do.I don’t want people knowing what I do for my friends and family.That’s just how I am.I like to help, but I don’t need the notoriety.
“I watched him on that cooking show.He’s so talented.”Her voice carries a sense of awe, but she doesn’t look at him.Just me.So I know that, unlike a lot of the female population, she doesn’t find him attractive.If she does, then she’s more into me.
“He is, been like that since I can remember.He helped Cronus and me put on our freshman fifteen.”I chuckle, and she laughs, her whole face lighting up.
“Tell me what you do.You already know about me.”
“I only know what I saw yesterday.But I’m the head of a corporation that was started generations ago, before the Civil War, called Boseman Unlimited.We started in industrialization but have since moved into import and export.I went to law school and studied business law so I could run the company as it was preordained before I was born.”
“You had no choice?”
“Not really.”I brush it off and slide my hand along her smooth thigh.“I wanted to do it, though.I just didn’t expect to do it when I was still in college.When my parents were killed in an accident, I had to take over the company and the care of my sister, who was still in high school.”
She touches my cheek, offering comfort.“I’m so sorry.If I lost my parents, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
“I just did what I had to.But now I’ve expanded Boseman Unlimited into investments and tripled our portfolio.Now it’s your turn.Why aquatic life?”
She blushes as she drops her hand, and I miss the contact.I keep my hand on her thigh and wrap my other around her delicate fingers.
“I’ve always felt an affinity to the ocean.We’d travel to the Caribbean every spring and Hawaii in the winter.My parents made sure my sister and I had a full education along with travel experiences.One summer we went to Greece, and the Mediterranean became my second favorite place in the world.”
“What’s your first favorite?”
“Bondi Beach.”
