by Jamie Knight
He's sort of intimidating, yet I want so badly to impress him, and I’m not sure why. He looks at me briefly. "I understand that. I don't go to these things terribly often, myself. If I’m being completely honest with you, I only attend them to get laid. Even then that's only once in a while because I'm usually consumed with work.”
I'm shocked into silence by his brutal honesty. I really wasn't expecting that. I mean, I get that's what people usually do at these things, I saw some of what went on. I guess that because of his chivalrous attitude I had expected him to behave differently than the other men. Eventually I get the nerve to look at him. "Then why did you bid on me?" I ask softly.
I look away quickly, realizing I'm afraid to hear the answer. He keeps driving and he’s quiet for a while.
“I’m not sure,” he admits finally.
I look at him in confusion. I don't know what to think of him or this evening now, and I'm starting to wonder if this was a mistake. I can’t think of anything else to say to him. Fortunately, though, I’m spared the need, at least temporarily, by our arrival at the restaurant.
By now I'm not surprised that it's the most expensive one in town. It also happens to be one of the most romantic spots around. I’ve had fantasies about dining here before, but never really expected it to happen.
As he parks the car I sneak a quick look at him. Why am I here? Is tonight really going to be a waste? I don't know what to think right now. I'm so confused and I'm trying not to be nervous, and I try to tell myself that no matter what happens tonight, I’m doing this for the shop.
Chapter 7 - Gabriel
After opening her car door for her, I lead her into the restaurant. She's fallen quiet once more, and I can't tell if she's nervous, or impressed by where we are.
After slipping her a tip up front, the hostess seats us at a table a little ways apart from everyone else. I pull out Lorelai’s chair for her before taking my own seat. I can tell that she’s noticed me doing these things for her. It's just the way that I am.
I sit across from her as the waiter hands us our menus. I don't even look at mine. She looks at me curiously as I tell the waiter, "We'll start with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a garden salad. For our entrees, we'll be having the ravioli al uovo, and we’ll finish with the strawberry panna cotta.”
The waiter nods and takes our menus before walking away. I realize that I just totally bulldozed over Lorelai out of habit and look over at her. "I hope it's ok that I ordered for us?" I ask her.
She nods quickly. "Yes, that's fine,” she says with a nervous giggle, “I wouldn’t even know where to begin. But I should warn you that I'm very allergic to shellfish."
I nod. “Good to know. Fortunately that won’t be an issue with this order.”
Everything feels a little awkward right now. I can tell that she’s apprehensive about being here with me. She feels out of her element, and mentally I’m kicking myself for not having asked her before ordering.
Thankfully the waiter arrives with our wine, breaking the silence. "I'll be right back with your salad,” he tells us as he pours us each a glass.
We both reach for our glasses and take a sip at the same time. The dry white wine is crisp, with a hint of something earthy, and I’m immediately pleased with the selection. The look on Lorelai’s face tells me she’s enjoying it, too.
She looks around the room and sets her glass down. "So tell me about you,
she says, her tone polite, but nervous, “You mentioned that you’re usually busy with work? What is it that you do?"
"I'm an investment banker. I love my job, so I spend a lot of time working at it. I'd say I'm pretty decent at the work I do." I reply with a little shrug.
I don't really want to go into details about my wealth or bore her with the details of my busy days.
"Well that's very modest of you. I'm sure you’re great at it. You have to be really smart or talented for that line of work. And, I mean…" she gestures around us, “Clearly you’re pretty successful.”
I chuckle sheepishly. “I do all right. So tell me about your business. What's it like owning a bridal shop?"
She sighs softly, and I wonder why her mood has suddenly taken such a shift. She looks sad, and she’s quiet for a long moment, staring at her glass of wine. Eventually she says, "Well, it's kind of a family business. I inherited the shop from my grandmother, and I love it. I always have. There's nothing like being able to add some magic to the biggest day of someone’s life and give them that happily ever after moment.”
The words make her blush, but her mood visibly lifts as she speaks and a smile blooms on her lovely face, albeit a slightly bittersweet one. She reaches for her wine and takes a sip. It's cute watching her cheeks turn pink.
"Well it certainly sounds like you have a passion for your work. That's something not too many people have these days."
Lorelai nods in agreement. We lapse into silence again and drink our wine. Her answer was sweet and a little surprising, and I found myself charmed by her. There’s something innocent and wholesome about her, in spite of the voluptuous, sexy exterior that has me thinking some very unwholesome thoughts.
In every way, Lorelai is the exact opposite of the girls that I usually look at, and it dawns on me that I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing here.
What could make me choose a woman like this?
I mean, obviously she’s beautiful and sweet, but she’s also too pure and too clean for filthy hands like mine. I look her over again. I realize that I have no idea why I'm here, but I couldn't stay away from her no matter how hard I try.
I put my wine down and want her to talk again. "Are you looking for your happily ever after? Your Prince Charming?" I ask.
The words are out of my mouth before I even realize they’ve popped into my head.
She almost chokes on her wine. Covering a cough with her free hand, she puts her glass down and looks at me. It looks as if she is unsure of how to answer. Finally she says, "Of course I am. Isn't everyone looking for love? Their better half?
I take another sip of wine before I reply. "Well, if that's how it is, then I guess that's not what I'm looking for. I guess I don't believe in that sort of thing anymore…."
I can see the confusion in her eyes. She opens her mouth to ask a question but is interrupted by the waiter. "Here are your salads, and your meals will be right out,” he says, putting plates down in front of each of us.
"Wonderful, thank you."
The waiter nods and leaves.
"Well, this looks delicious," she says, “Shall we?”
We both start to eat, and the food gives us a momentary reprieve from conversation or awkward silence. Honestly, I don't know why I started talking about such a serious subject. I'm really not ready to delve into that topic of conversation.
I never should have brought it up in the first place. I just couldn't help myself. Maybe I’m just a bitter asshole who wanted to crush her idealistic belief in love as a fairytale.
Now that I think about it, I definitely feel like an asshole. I guess I'm just not used to being around such innocence. I sigh as we eat our food. I don't want to spoil the night, but maybe I can change the subject or something. I look up at her and ask, "Are you enjoying your dinner?"
She chews and swallows before answering "Yes. You’ve made good calls so far,” she says with a shy smile, holding up her wine glass to punctuate the words, “Everything tastes wonderful.”
As if we’ve summoned him, the waiter returns with our entrees, and as we dig in , the look on Lorelai’s face is rapturous and I’m pleased to see that I made another good call with the food.
Well, at least I know I didn't ruin our dinner. Now it should be easier to have a conversation. I just need to remind myself not to bring up something so serious if I'm not ready to talk about it.
Still, she believes in true love and happy endings. That's cute, yet it makes me feel a little protective. She’s a g
rown woman, so I’m sure she realizes that there are people who can take advantage of that kind of innocence, but I don't want her to ever run across anyone like that.
Lorelai looks at me, and those shy hazel eyes and soft freckled face make something in my chest constrict. She deserves that fairytale happiness, and even if I want to protect her and keep her for myself, I’m the furthest thing from Prince Charming.
Chapter 8 - Lorelai
This is truly a magical evening. It feels like a dream, honestly. I never imagined that I would be dining in the most expensive or romantic restaurant in town. I look over at Gabriel. I just never thought the Prince who swept me off my feet would be so aloof and distant.
Can I even call him that? I mean, he’s made it pretty clear that he’s not after romance. But then…why me?
Our dinner plates are swept away and replaced by dessert and coffee. Again, the conversation is minimal, pertaining to the food or the restaurant. After we finish and our plates are cleared away once more, I think about what he said earlier.
I find it strange that he doesn't believe in love. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t believe in love, I didn’t know it was possible not to.
What happened to him to cause him to feel this way? I know I shouldn't, but I decide to ask him anyways. Not only am I curious, my heart goes out to him. Everyone has another half out there and deserves a chance at love.
Before the check arrives, I gather my courage and blurt: "What did you mean earlier? Why don't you believe in love anymore?"
He freezes for a moment, then sighs deeply. He surprises me by suddenly ordering another bottle of wine. Our glasses are refilled. He takes a long sip before he starts talking.
"It all started with my high school sweetheart. She was my first love,” he begins, "We were inseparable and deeply in love. We even went away to college together. Those years of us being alone together were magical. It was like our life had already started.”
The bitter scowl turning down the corners of Gabriel’s lips tells me things were not so sunny for long, but I stay silent and listen.
“I remember it was two weeks before our college graduation. I’d had this idea in my head for a long time already, but it felt like now was the perfect moment. I was so sure I wanted to be with her forever. There was no other woman for me, so I decided to propose to her on the night of our graduation. I thought it would be the perfect way to start our future together. I had the ring and everything. I was so excited, and I couldn’t wait, I had to tell somebody. So I decided to stop by my best friend’s dorm… " he stops talking long enough to sip his wine.
I have a sneaking suspicion I know where this is going, and my stomach roils with dread.
"I get to his dorm room, and I knock and walk in. That’s just how we were, we barged into each other’s places all the time. Besides, he never locked his door.”
He takes another sip of wine, clearly steeling himself for the next part of the story. “I walked in on them together. Naked. I'll never forget that. I don't even know if they tried to apologize, I just turned and walked away. That image of them together is forever burned in my memory."
He's staring past me as he speaks, draining the glass of wine when he finishes.
I realize I'm crying and hurry to wipe my eyes, embarrassed. My heart breaks for him after hearing his story. "I know what it’s like to be cheated on. It's happened to me twice," I find myself saying.
He looks at me in shock. "Really?"
So I continue talking. "But it wasn't that big of a deal. Neither relationship was serious. And it wasn’t my best friend, either, I can’t imagine that kind of betrayal on top of everything else," I feel a little embarrassed saying these things, but the way he is looking at me urges me to keep talking.
"I’ve dated and had relationships before, but it was never really serious, like I said. Maybe that's why they never worked out. I have no idea. I'm even still friends with one of my exes. I recently helped him plan his wedding to his new boyfriend." I reply with a sheepish little laugh.
His jaw drops and he pours us one more glass of wine. We both take a sip. I can see that he is trying to process our entire conversation. "How can you still be so optimistic after that, though?” he asks incredulously.
I smile to myself as I answer. "I saw so much love growing up. How could I not believe in it? My grandfather died before I was born, but the way my grandmother talked about him made it pretty clear he was her soulmate. And my parents were inseparable. Maybe it’s wishful thinking or silly, but I honestly believe that there is someone out there for everyone."
The waiter walks by with our check, bringing an end to our conversation. "Shall we?" Gabriel asks me as he pays the check.
He opens the door for me again as we walk out of the restaurant. He's quiet again, but I'm happy that I have gotten to know a little more about him. As we are walking to his car, I realize I don't want the night to end. Before we reach the car I ask, "Do you mind if we take a little detour?"
We stop walking and he looks at me, an eyebrow lifted in surprise. "Sure, what do you have in mind?"
"I know a little garden down the street from here where we can keep walking," I suggest.
He nods and we turn and walk in the opposite direction on the sidewalk. A little thrill races through me. I’m surprised that I decided to be bold like this, but I couldn't stop myself. I like spending time with him, despite how intimidating he may seem. I know that might sound silly, but it makes tonight seem a little more exciting.
I hope he doesn't mind the walk. Fortunately, though, he seems to be enjoying it. I try to think of other things that we can talk about. At least I know why he doesn't believe in love. I can’t imagine how much that must have hurt.
Each person reacts differently to it, though. When I got cheated on, I’d taken it as a lesson. I guess his response was to shut it and all his emotions out and throw himself into his work.
Chapter 9 - Gabriel
I follow as Lorelai leads the way down the sidewalk. Her red hair is still gleaming brightly, even in the dim moonlight. I wonder if I can still see her freckles? I shake my head and tell myself to get a grip. No time to get mushy or romantic now.
I'm thrilled that she wanted to spend more time with me, but I'm worried that we might be trespassing. It doesn't look as if this garden is open to the public, especially at night. I'm all for taking risks, but it seems a little out of character for sweet, innocent Lorelai to trespass.
Come to think of it, I have never noticed this garden before. I guess I’ve never had a reason to until now.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" I ask her.
She opens the gate and lets us inside. "It's fine. I'm here all hours all the time,” she assures me.
After a few seconds she lets out a giggle. “What's so funny?" I ask her.
She turns to explain to me. "One time I did get in trouble for being here. But I explained to them that I owned a bridal shop and was scouting locations for pictures and events."
I’m a little shocked and impressed. It's such an innocent lie, but it's still a bold, unexpected move from her. It’s fascinating to listen to her talk. I get the sense that she doesn't do this very often. It’s actually refreshing, the shameless honesty she’s shown so far.
She’s shared personal things, serious, heavy stuff, which is vastly different than the usual women I'm out with. All they talk about, if they ever get around to it, is their possessions or money. I suppose I kind of open myself up to that with the auctions, but I guess I didn’t realize before now how sick of it I am.
I'm enjoying this. Aside from Tim, and my ex, I don't think I’ve ever had such a genuine conversation with someone. Without all the flattery and pickup lines, it’s actually quite nice. We’re so wrapped up in our conversation that I didn't even notice that we’re inside the garden already. I stop talking and turn to look around. It really is beautiful, especially in moonlight. I've nev
er seen anything like this.
She leaves my side and walks around the garden. Her delicate hands touch different flowers, pointing them out to me. "Gardenias,” she murmurs, trailing her fingertips over a lush white blossom, "Stargazer lilies, and over there are some peonies. And here’s a tiger lily…”
I hurry to walk behind her, looking at the ones she just named. They’re all lovely, even if they don’t hold a candle to her. "How do you know about all these different types of flowers? Is it just that you’re here a lot?”
She keeps walking, but slows her pace. She half turns to me so we can talk better as we walk. "Well, it's funny but, I always wanted to own a flower shop. Naturally I had taken courses in botany and design, but I just never got around to pursuing that. So the knowledge is still there, it just collects dust most of the time.”
Wow, I never would have expected to have attended college. She still looks young, maybe only a few years out of high school. That's what gives her that innocent look, I suppose. I wonder briefly what she was like in school?
I tell myself to stop thinking that and get back into reality. I can't get more deeply involved with her than I already am. That's ridiculous. That's not what I set out to do tonight, yet it feels like that's what's happening. I need to fight these feelings.
Against my better judgement, though, I look at her. I want her to keep talking. Her voice is soft, but entrancing. I feel like it’s drawing me in. Making me want to hear more about her. To know her even more. Or maybe that's just her very essence, magnetic and making me crave more. Her eyes still manage to light up in the moonlight as she looks at the flowers. She obviously cares about everything that she does.
She starts talking again and I eagerly listen, "I’ve always kind of dreamed of expanding my shop and adding floral services to it as well. That's only a dream, though. It would be way too expensive to make it happen, trust me I've looked into it."