I’ve never dated a woman who would have been so obviously enchanted by a restaurant, and I find myself wondering what Nora would think about a chartered flight to the Amalfi Coast in Italy where we could have truly authentic Italian food.
Maybe sheshouldn’tdate. None of the guys in Rebel are going to take her to Italy. Or even rack their brains trying to figure out the next best way to make her look like she does right now.
I actually have no idea if that’s true, butthatshould be her standard. Not if he wants to settle down in Rebel, but ifhis primary goal in life is making her eyes light up with pleasure.
What about Cara? I’ll bet she’d love Cara. I could take her there.
I could. Easily. Tomorrow.
My home country is a gorgeous, remote island. It’s not tropical, for sure. It’s windswept. The rocky soil, climate, andyear-round cool-ish temperatures keep us from being able to even grow many trees. But we have amazing blue water on all sides, gorgeous cliffs, and incredible waterfalls.
And great people who truly feel that I’m a hero.
I, along with Astrid, put our country on the map. Before Astrid became an Olympic contender and I joined the Grays, no one outside of our country and a few students in class in Ireland and Denmark—the two countries that settled the island and still have friendly diplomatic ties to us—had even heard of the independent island at the southern end of the Danish-governed Faroe Islands.
Now nearly everyone in the sports world at least knows what and where Cara is.
I do really love it there. There are definitely no jars filled with money contending I’m worse than Brussels sprouts or raisin cookies or stubbing your toe on the end of the bed first thing in the morning or whatever the fuck else Bruce is going to come up with.
“Good evening. I’m Enzo,” a man dressed in a white dress shirt, burgundy tie, and black pants says. “I will have the pleasure of serving you tonight.”
“Hello, Enzo,” Nora says. “We’re so happy to be here tonight.”
He smiles, clearly charmed by her reaction. “Can I start you with some wine? Or answer any questions about the menu?”
“Do you like wine?” I ask Nora.
She shakes her head. “I’m more about lattes and mixed cocktails.”
I chuckle and say to Enzo, “I’d like a Barolo. And maybe something sweeter and lighter for you?” I ask Nora. “A moscato?”
She lifts a shoulder. “I trust you.”
Oh, I like that too. She means with the wine, but I like even that much. I want to treat her. I want to spoil her. I want to show her so many delicious, extravagant things and if she’ll let me lead the way, we can have a lot of fun.
I nod at the server, “Let’s do that and we’ll start with the small cheese plate.”
“Excellent,” he agrees.
“What is your favorite dish here?” Nora asks him. “I’m sure it’s all amazing.”
He smiles and gives a single nod. “It is. I like several dishes, but the pumpkin ravioli is truly amazing.”
She sighs happily, looking down at the menu. “That sounds so good.”
He gives me a smile that clearly says,she’s lovelyand I can only nod.
“I want one of everything,” she says. “And every appetizer and dessert…” She trails off, her head coming up, her eyes wide. “Alex.”
“What?”
She leans in. “That cheese plate you ordered issixty-nine dollars,” she hisses.
I chuckle. “It’s not. That’s the large plate. We’re getting the small.”
She looks down again, but then says, “That one's stillthirty-six.”
I grin. Yes, spoiling this woman will be fun. I’m running a tab at Bruce’s with the one-hundred-dollar limit, but now that I’ve checked out his menu more carefully, it’s going to take me a while to hit that limit.
