“Starving. I’ve been focusing so hard on writing, I haven’t made time to get dressed up and come down here.” She lifts an eyebrow. “Though someone has been sending food to my room the past two days.”
I flash her a chagrined smile. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t hungry.”
A woman in a dove-gray suit stops by the table and introduces herself as Liza, the sommelier. After chatting with her fora few minutes, Juliette and I decide on a glass of Sicilian Bianco to start, a bottle of the Gaja Barbaresco nebbiolo for dinner, and a Riesling for dessert.
Once Liza departs, my dinner partner leans across the table, her aqua eyes wide as she whispers, “I have no idea what she was talking about. We could end up drinking vinegar for all I know.”
I chuckle. “I’m not an expert, but I know a little about wines, and they’ll be good.”
She relaxes and wipes faux sweat from her forehead. “Whew!” Her eyes dart over my shoulder and then widen. “Oh crap.”
Glancing behind me, I see a group of women being seated at a table. I’d noticed them around the resort, usually wearing unicorn headbands, though tonight they’re dressed nicely for dinner, sans horns. I’m aware of what unicorns are in this community but wonder why Juliette has a problem with them.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, turning with concern to my date, who seems to have shrunk down in her chair.
“A couple of those ladies invited me to a party tonight forplaytime.” She raises her eyebrows in significance. “Before I knew what kind ofplaytimethey were talking about.”
Hiding my smile behind my hand, I ask, “And I’m assuming you’re no longer interested in going to the party?”
She shakes her head. “No, and I know I need to tell them, but I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I’m not exactly knowledgeable on the wholeetiquette of canceling on a group sex partything. How exactly do you say, ‘Hey, I think you’re really sweet, but I don’t want to have sex with you?’”
I can’t help my chuckle at that. She is so damn cute.
“I can see where that would be awkward, but I’m sure if you’re just honest with them, they’ll understand.”
“You’re right,” she sighs, picking up her menu and staring down at it. “I’ll be honest later. Right now I just want to blissfully stare at this menu and pretend like I haven’t gotten myself into this pickle.”
Smirking, I pick up my menu and read over it. “Would you like to split an appetizer?”
“Sounds good. I’m thinking of getting the prime rib for dinner with horseradish on the side. So maybe a seafood app?”
“Hmmm, the seared scallops?”
She peeps at me over the menu. “I love scallops. That sounds great.” Then her eyes shoot over my shoulder and she quickly raises the menu to cover her face again.
Taking it from her, I put on my stern voice. “Juliette, I want you to enjoy our dinner, and you’re going to be fidgeting the entire time if you don’t get this over with. Just go talk to them.”
She rolls her lips in and scrunches her nose. “You’re right. I’ll go. It’ll be fine.” Straightening her spine, she stands and brushes her hands over her hips. “Perfectly fine.”
About a minute after she goes, someone drops off our wine and takes our orders. When I glance behind me, I see Juliette returning with a huge smile on her face.
“Everything good?” I ask, rising to hold her chair for her again.
Her blonde hair sways as she sits. “Better than I expected. We had a laugh about it, but it was like they were laughingwithme, notatme, you know? They were so kind and understanding.”
“Good,” I say, taking my seat. “I ordered the food while you were gone.”
“What did you decide on?”
“I’m getting prime rib as well.”
Juli folded her hands beneath her chin. “You seem to eat pretty healthy when we’ve had lunch together. What’s your guilty pleasure food?”
I pop an eyebrow. “My guilty pleasure food?”
“Yeah, you know… something you love that you really shouldn’t.”
“Cheetos,” I say immediately, and she lets out that full-bodied laugh I like so much. It’s not loud or annoying,just genuine.
