Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
She relaxed and drove the familiar streets, enjoying the soft evening light and pointing out a few of her favorite cafés and bars, already hoping Hersch might want to extend the evening with a nightcap after dinner.
When they entered the restaurant, they were hit with the warm, buzzy atmosphere she loved so much about the place. The lights were low, and the room glowed. She turned to see his reaction. He looked around and then said, “This place is packed. How did you get a reservation on such short notice? And, I’m guessing, one of the best tables in the house?”
She was pleased he’d noticed that this place was in demand, but shrugged as though it were nothing. “First of all, I’ve lived here all my life. Between me, my mom and dad, and my brothers and sisters, there’s pretty much nobody we don’t know or at least know of. And then, in the business I’m in, you get ’em coming in and you get ’em going out. I sold a house to the owners’ son and his wife. It was a difficult deal, and I saved it for them. So yeah, I can always get a table here.”
He looked impressed. “I can see you’re a good woman to know.”
There was a kind of flirty undertone, and she responded in kind. “You’d better believe it.”
Apart from making sure to get her favorite table, she’d also made a few requests ahead of time. After they’d been seated at the most intimate, candlelit table, two flutes of champagne appeared in front of them. He raised one eyebrow at her, and she lifted her glass to tap his. “Congratulations on your new home, Hersch.”
Before he sipped, he said, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
This was, of course, true, and she was glad he’d noticed. She’d even surprised herself with how fast she’d acted on the house and then wrapped up this deal. Was it just good fortune, or had she worked even harder for this hottie of a client? They sipped the champagne, and she sighed with pleasure. She loved a glass of vintage champagne.
Hersch appeared to feel the same as he took another sip and then asked with a twinkle in his eye, “Have you ordered my whole dinner? Or should I look at the menu?”
She laughed and set down her glass. “I organized the table and the champagne. You’re on your own for everything else.”
He settled back with the menu, which tended to feature a lot of fresh fish and locally grown produce. She quickly decided on the ahi tuna steak with local vegetables. She took a moment to study him. Even just choosing from a menu, his face had a serious look, as though the most trivial decision deserved the most careful consideration. As someone who could be a little impulsive, she found that trait quite charming. When he moved, the candlelight caught a glint of gold around his neck, and she felt herself enjoying every small detail of the evening already.
As soon as he closed his menu with an air of decision, she leaned forward to study the gold chain he wore. “That looks like some sort of charm. What is it?”
Reflexively, Hersch touched the chain and looked thoughtful. “My Saint Christopher’s medal. It belonged to my grandfather, who fought in World War II. He was British and flew for the RAF. His name was Herschel too. The Saint Christopher’s was handed down to me mostly, I think, because I also got his name. He was shot down, but he survived, believing that Saint Christopher had protected him on his journey. I’m not sure if the medal saved him or not, but I’ve always liked the story. Maybe it’s superstitious… No, it’s definitely superstitious, and I laugh at myself regularly, as a man who believes so strongly in science, but I never take it off.” He paused and looked pensive. “Maybe when I nearly died out there, my grandfather was watching out for me. I don’t know, but I don’t plan to take it off any time soon.”
“I get that,” Mila said. “Why mess with fate?” And then she added, “Plus, it suits you.”
He smiled and touched the chain again.
The waiter came over then and recommended the crab cakes as an appetizer, as well as the fresh oysters.
She raised her brows at Hersch, who said, “Why don’t we have both and share?”
She loved this idea and ordered her main meal. She waited, intrigued, to see what kind of appetite Hersch had and was impressed when he chose the steak and lobster. When the waiter inquired about wine, Hersch looked to Mila and said, “I don’t tend to drink much, out of habit from my training, but I’d join you in a bottle if you’d like?”
Mila smiled. He had such a charming way of saying things. She said, “They have really good wines by the glass. I don’t need a whole bottle either.”