Chapter Seventeen
“Dammit, Edward, this better be important,” I muttered to myself as I exited the car in front of Le Bernardin, estimably New York City’s best seafood restaurant. I’d eaten there innumerable times but didn’t recognize the hostess at the front.
“Hello, I’m here for Edward Harvey.”
“Yes, sir, right this way, please.” I followed her tall, willowy figure, admiring the swing of her hips but feeling zero desire. Not when I had Torre waiting for me. Maybe I’d surprise him, and after this dinner, I’d make the trip to his house and we could have impromptu hot-and-sweaty sex.
Satisfied that I had the rest of my evening planned, I refocused on my surroundings and saw Edward sitting at the rear of the restaurant with a Scotch in front of him.Hmm.I hadn’t seen Edward drink hard liquor in years.
He started to rise, but I waved him down. “Don’t bother.” I took my chair, and a waiter immediately appeared by my side. “Since I know I’ll be having the salmon, I’ll go with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.”
“Very good, sir.” He withdrew.
“It’s nice to see you, Edward. To what do I owe the splurge of a dinner here?”
“Francisco, I’ve always liked you. You know that. But you haven’t made it easy these past years.”
“Part of my charm.” A crystal glass was set at my place and a splash of wine poured. I swirled the liquid and tasted it. “Excellent. Crisp and dry.”
“Thank you, sir.” He poured the rest and left us.
“Be that as it may, there comes a time when enough is enough.” He picked up his glass, and his hand shook.
“Are you all right, Edward?” His sudden pallor concerned me. Edward wasn’t old, but he certainly wasn’t a young man, and stress could be a killer.
“I’d like to order if we can.” Catching the waiter’s eye, he beckoned him over with a slight nod of his head. Some people needed to fuss and make loud noises to gain attention. After decades in the business, Edward Harvey merely had to show up, and people gave him respect.
The waiter stood with his pen poised. “Sir?”
“I’ll start with the octopus and then have the striped bass.”
“Very good.” He turned to me. “And for you, sir?”
“I’ll do the scallops for a starter and then the salmon.”
“Thank you.” He picked up the menus and glided away.
“Now,” I said, when Edward had taken another slug of his drink. “Do you mind telling me what’s going on? I can’t imagine we’re here onUltimate’s dime for a dinner that will cost close to four hundred dollars because you had a yearning to see me.” I grinned. “I know you love me, but that’s a bit much.”
A pucker appeared between Edward’s thick silver brows, and my heart beat faster. Was he sick? Dying? I couldn’t think about my life without Edward in it. He’d always been there, a stalwart friend and more of a father figure than my own had ever been.
“You never answered my earlier question. Is something wrong? Are you all right?”
“No. I’m not. I have to tell someone I’ve come to care for that he no longer has a job, and I fucking hate it.”
Stunned, I didn’t know if it was the fact that I’d never heard Edward curse before, or that if I didn’t know better, I’d think he was firing me.
“Would you stop talking in riddles, please?”
“We had a staff meeting to introduce Salvatore today, and Webster came to the meet-and-greet. When he saw you weren’t there…”
“Salvatore? What the hell is going on?” I slammed my hand down on the table, causing several diners to raise their brows and whisper among themselves. “Salvatore who?”
“Don’t you ever read the emails HR sends out?”
“No, of course not,” I said irritably, drinking half the glass of wine. “I fucking delete them as soon as I see them.”
“Of course. I should’ve expected it.” His expression grew grimmer. “Well, if you’d read them, you would’ve known that we’ve brought Salvatore Grant intoUltimate NYCand given him a position. I warned you weeks ago that Webster was moving in this direction, and you didn’t take me seriously. I asked you to treat these restaurants you review in the outer boroughs with a softer touch.”
