Page 37 of Broken Dreams
The waiter clears his throat. “I welcome you both back to Summit View. I am your waiter, Luke.” The way he says it is almost like nuke. “Tonight we have some beautiful specials, they are on the back of the menu. What would you like to drink while you look it over?”
“We’ll have a bottle of pinot noir.”
“Which one, Monsieur? We have many to choose from.”
“Do you have one you recommend?”
“But of course, do you want one from California or maybe my personal favorite from France?”
I have no fucking clue. I just wanted to order a bottle. I actually don’t drink wine, I’m a beer guy, but ordering a beer at a fancy place always makes me slightly uncomfortable. So, for tonight, I’m going with wine.
“I’m not sure it matters.” His eyes widen as though I just said something heinous. I do my best to recover. “I mean, either is fine, how about you bring us what you think we’ll like.”
“Very good, I’ll bring you two choices...and...you can decide which tastes better with your very delicate palate.” He grins and I have a feeling that was a mistake, but my choices are to call after him and look stupid.
He leaves and Addison leans in. “You’re in so much trouble.”
“I have a feeling I am.”
“He’s in training to be a wine sommelier and you insulted him with your ‘doesn’t matter’ comment.”
“You know this how?” I ask her.
“This is the only decent restaurant in the area, we all come here for birthdays, engagements, whatever you can think of. Luke is always our waiter and he’s a wine snob.”
Great, I pissed off the waiter who already likes Addison after the last asshole left her with the check.
“I’ll pay his price if it means he’ll be nice.”
She grins. “He’ll appreciate if you go with the French bottle. No matter which you actually like better. Also, be sure to swirl the glass and smell. He really likes that.”
“Am I trying to impress him or you?”
“Both.”
Of course. Who doesn’t have to woo their waiter? “Got it.”
Luke returns with two glasses on his tray. “For you, two of my best choices. One is from Italy, it is a bit bolder, reminded me a bit of your first business meeting here, sort of nutty with a punch at the end.”
She snickers and I try not to laugh as well. “Accurate.” I take the glass, swirl it like I was instructed, sniff, although I have no idea what the hell I’m smelling, and then sip.
Dear God that tastes like battery acid. People like this shit? I force a smile and nod. “And the other?”
Anything has to be better than this.
“The next is my personal favorite. It is from the Burgundy region of France, which is where I come from as well. It is a little smoother, has a sweeter note that I quite prefer.”
He hands me the next glass and I repeat the same motions. I slightly hesitate, not sure I want to endure this again, but I’m a man and I can take it. So, I take a sip and force a grin. It’s better than the last one, which wasn’t hard to do, but how I’m going to choke down a glass is beyond me.
“I agree on this one.” I look to Addison. “Would you like to try it?”
She shakes her head. “No thank you, Luke has already sold me on that wine before.”
“We’ll have two glasses please.”
“No bottle?”
I shake my head. “We’ll start with the glass.”
