Page 21 of Desirous

Emma squeezes my hand and smiles up at me. “I can’t wait to visit your restaurant, Alex. This will be my first time going there.”

For a second or two, I wonder why she’s telling me that since she already mentioned she’d never been to CK before the other day. Then I remember what she’s clearly far more focused on than me tonight—we’re on camera.

“I think you’re going to love it,” I say, actually sounding interested in this date for the first time. What I’m actually interested in is my restaurant. That I care about. This whole reality show fake date thing I don’t give a damn about.

As we walk to the limo, she asks, “Do you have a favorite dish you’d suggest I try?”

“We make a great steak, but if you want something in the seafood area, I’d say the salmon or the sea bass.”

When I open the limo door for her to get in, she asks, “Do you have anything vegetarian?”

I nod, even as the thought of making my least favorite entrée flashes in my mind. “The mushroom risotto with truffle oil is one of the favorites.”

“Mmmm…that sounds delicious. I can’t wait to get there!”

She climbs in as Randy gets close for a shot of her taking a seat in the back of the limo and then turns toward me. “You get in and I’ll shoot the two of you having a glass of champagne together.”

Sighing, I get in and wonder how anyone could possibly think anything about this is real. They’re going to have to do some hardcore editing to make this seem even close to believable.

Emma has a glass of champagne poured for me when I sit down, so I take it and thank her before raising my glass in a toast. “To a wonderful evening.”

She does the whole clinking our glasses thing, and then when Randy has gotten enough shots of us drinking, the limo driver thankfully begins driving toward the restaurant. It’s all so scripted and awkward, but Emma seems perfectly happy to chat away about food and the weather and anything else that pops into her head.

By the time we reach CK, I’m exhausted, and I haven’t even started to pretend I’m having a good time yet. I can only imagine how dead tired I’ll be after this night is over.

I escort her into the building, seeing the maître d’ Alphonso as soon as we walk to desk. He’s clearly been warned this is happening because I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this animated before, waving us over and then nearly bowing when I introduce Emma to him.

“What a pleasure it is to have you visit us, miss. Your table is ready, so if the two of you will follow me.”

We do just that, along with Randy and his camera, and I see my father and Kane standing off to the side of a table in the center of the room. Fuck. Having to be here on a pretend date is bad enough, but making us center stage has to be my father’s idea.

It’s like he doesn’t know me at all.

“Welcome to CK. It’s wonderful to have you here to dine with us tonight,” my father says with a smile that goes ear to ear. Even Kane looks happy.

Emma swivels her head to look around the room and then back at him. “Oh, thank you. Your restaurant is beautiful. You must be so proud.”

Knowing Randy is busy filming everyone but me at the moment, I give my father and Kane my best glare to let them know they need to disappear. Thankfully, they understand the look I give them and politely excuse themselves.

Once we’re seated with menus, I lean over the table and whisper to Emma, “Excuse me for a minute. I just want to check on that mushroom risotto.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you, Alex.”

As I move away from the table, Randy begins to follow me, but I quickly put an end to that. Raising my hand, I stop him. “Stay with her. I’ll be right back.”

“But…”

He doesn’t get another word out before I shake my head. “No. Trust me. Stay with her.”

This time he listens and moves back to the table to film her as she decides what to try for an appetizer while I hurry over to where my father and Kane stand near the door to the kitchen. They look as proud as peacocks, but all I can think is why didthey make sure every person in the restaurant can see what we’re doing here tonight?

“You look great, Alex,” my father says as he straightens my tie. “And your date is lovely. What’s her name?”

“Emma and she’s not my date. What the hell are you doing seating us in the damn center of the entire dining room? It’s not bad enough this whole farce is happening, but now you have to make us the focal point of everyone here?” I ask him and my uncle.

“What’s the problem? I thought this would be a good idea,” my father says with a sly smile that tells me he knows exactly what the damn problem is.

“For what it’s worth, I told him to put you two at the best table near the windows. It’s more romantic,” Kane says, like he’s helping the situation.

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