Page 14 of The Placeholder
A blush rises to her cheeks, spreading down her neck like dawn breaking over a battlefield. Our server materializes and hands us a pair of menus.
“The 2015 Château Margaux,” I command without opening the wine list, my voice carrying the same authority I use when coordinating security details for heads of state. “If that meets with your approval?” I add, pivoting to Della with deliberate restraint.
She blinks, her delicate features registering surprise. “I don’t know much about wine, but I trust you.”
Those four words—I trust you—hit me with the impact of a .50 caliber round. In my world of calculated risks and threat assessments, trust is a tactical vulnerability I’ve learned to eliminate. Yet hearing it from her lips feels like acquiring critical intelligence that changes the entire mission parameter.
The sommelier approaches with military precision, presenting the Château Margaux like a prized weapon. I assess the label with a trained eye before nodding my approval. The cork surrenders with a satisfying pop that resonates in my chest. I watch Della’s first taste with the focus I once reserved for mission-critical operations—herlips parting like a flower at dawn, pupils dilating as the complex flavors hit her palate.
“That’s...” she pauses, searching for words, her vulnerability striking something primal in me. “That’s possibly the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I allow myself a rare, satisfied smile. “I’m glad you approve.”
While we navigate the terrain of our menus, my tactical awareness never wavers. I map every detail of her—the graceful column of her neck begging for protection, the delicate gesture of tucking chestnut hair behind her ear, the determined furrow between her brows as she studies her options. Each observation locks into my memory with sniper-like precision.
After decisive selections—her sea bass to my commanding filet—a silence falls between us that reminds me of the calm before strategic engagement, punctuated only by the crystalline report of our glasses.
“So,” I begin, setting my glass down with deliberate control. “Tell me something about yourself that isn’t in your LinkedIn profile.”
She laughs—a sound that cuts through my defenses like no enemy fire ever could. “You looked me up?”
“Affirmative,” I state without apology, my voice steady as bedrock. “I needed to know who I was promising to marry.”
Her cheeks flame a deep rose, the soft glow of the candlelight dancing across her skin, but she holds my gaze without flinching. “I still can’t believe you said that,” she whispers, voice hushed above the low hum of conversation around us.
“I meant it,” I reply, my tone steady and bare oftheatrics. It’s the simple truth. From the second I spotted her framed by the restaurant’s arched window and the flickering flames of the sidewalk lanterns, something inside me snapped into place—a clarity I’d never known, not even in the most dangerous moments overseas.
She lifts her glass of deep garnet wine, her slender fingers tracing delicate arabesques on the stem. The scent of ripe cherry and oak drifts up to me. “I collect vintage typewriters,” she says at last, her voice softer now, almost confessional. “Seventeen of them. Each one has its own history.”
“Do you write on them?” I ask, leaning forward, my curiosity genuine. The soft linen of her sleeve brushes my wrist as I shift.
She shakes her head, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Not really. I’m fascinated by their mechanics, the tactile click of the keys, the ribbon’s journey. The idea that someone’s thoughts once flowed through these machines.” She hesitates, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “It probably sounds silly.”
“Not in the least,” I counter, offering her a small, encouraging smile. “It shows you appreciate craftsmanship—and stories that endure.”
Our first courses arrive on porcelain plates warmed just enough to send wisps of steam curling into the air: ivory-hued scallops perched on a pool of saffron-infused beurre blanc for her, and paper-thin slices of ruby-red carpaccio drizzled with truffle oil for me. The scents—sea-spray sweetness, earthy undercurrents—blend and swirl between us, grounding the conversation in shared delight. I discover she spent her childhood beneath the evergreens of Seattle, then followed a scholarship south to L.A., whereshe stayed for the sunshine and the chance to reinvent herself. She confesses she adores the crack of thunder but quakes at the thought of an earthquake, and that she can recite entire episodes of Friends, though her heart belongs to documentaries on lost empires.
By the time our entrées—the delicate fillet of sea bass glistening with herb butter for her, a hearty cut of braised short rib melting in a pool of red wine jus for me—arrive, I’m utterly enthralled. Not just by the curve of her jaw or the slow curl of her lashes—but by her mind, her quiet confidence, the way she listens with her whole being before she speaks.
“What about you?” she asks, pausing mid-bite. Her fork hovers over the flaky flesh of the bass, sauce beading at the tines. “What’s something I won’t find in a background check?”
I laugh softly, the rich flavor of the jus still coating my tongue. “I have a soft spot for old westerns. My grandfather used to pump popcorn between my fingers as we watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on his battered television. I can quote nearly every line.”
Her lips curve into a genuine smile, the kind that reaches her eyes. “Really? That doesn’t square with the image I have of you.”
“What image is that?” I ask, intrigued by her perception.
She gestures around at my tailored navy suit, the half-empty bottle of Château Margaux, and the polished bone-handled menu. “You know—ex-military, security expert, impeccably dressed, ordering wine without glancing at the label.”
“There’s more to me than a résumé,” I murmur, myvoice low enough that only she hears. The dim light catches the edge of her collarbone as she tilts her head.
A subtle shift passes over her face—her brow relaxes, her lips part ever so slightly. “I’m beginning to see that.”
We let the moment settle between us, painting the space with unspoken possibilities, until the waiter arrives with the dessert menus, paper so crisp it snaps in his hand.
She hesitates, closing her menu with a soft thud. “I should probably pass,” she says, the hesitation trembling in her voice. “Early meeting tomorrow.”
I catch her hand as it brushes against the table, the porcelain cool beneath her fingertips. “Share one with me,” I suggest earnestly. “The chocolate soufflé here is legendary. Worth losing a bit of sleep.”
