Francis winked at me, and I felt like he was my new best friend. He walked away, and I tried to focus on Johnny and not on all the people around us who were watching.
“You okay?” Johnny asked, looking a little sad. I got the feeling it really hadn’t occurred to him that I would find his notoriety unsettling. I didn’t blame him. Like he said, he was used to it, and it didn’t bother him. He was trying so hard to show me a good time, and I couldn’t bear the sad look on his face.
“I’m fine, Johnny. I’m a performer. I’m used to people staring,” I said, trying to sound confident. That was true, but I felt at home onstage, so I loved when people watched me perform. Here, I felt like a foreigner who didn’t know the language. I couldn’t help but look around at all the other dinner guests who were looking at us.
I was sorry I did.
I saw a group of three girls staring at me. Sneering was more like it. I suddenly felt like the unpopular girl in the cafeteria, being mocked by the mean girls. Johnny looked worried when he saw my expression, then he turned around to see what I was looking at.
The three girls, two brunettes and a blonde, brightened when Johnny turned around. One of the tall, leggy brunettes waved at Johnny and laughed. He waved half-heartedly at them, then slowly turned back to me. He looked a little pale. My stomach sank as the realization hit me.
“You’ve slept with them, haven’t you?” I asked quietly.
His eyes met mine, and he nodded slowly.
“All of them?”
Johnny nodded again, then said softly, “I’m so sorry.”
He looked so guilty and sad that it broke my heart. I knew he was worried that this evening would turn into a disaster, and I was determined not to let that happen. He’d been so enthusiastic about bringing me here just moments ago, and I wanted for us to enjoy our evening together.
“It’s all right, Johnny. You’re allowed to have a past before me, you know. Thank you for being honest with me.” I hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Have you ever taken them to dinner here before?”
Johnny shook his head vehemently. “Never.”
“But you did meet up with them here.”
“Yeah,” Johnny said with a sigh. He glanced over at the bar and whispered, “I’m such a fucking idiot. Rosemary, this bar used to be, you know, kinda my …”
“Place to pick up girls.”
Johnny winced and nodded. “Yeah. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about that when I brought you here. That there might be girls here that I … I mean, I love the food here. It’s, like, my favorite place to eat, but I’ve never been here on a real date. Never. Been here for lunch and dinner with my dad and his business partners and stuff, but never with—”
The sommelier was approaching our table, so I said quickly, “I understand, Johnny. Forget those girls. You’ve gotta help me with the wine thing!”
Johnny grinned and nodded. I was happy to see some of his excitement return. I could feel those women staring at me, but I ignored them for Johnny’s sake. It wouldn’t be easy. If I screwed something up at dinner, they would notice.
“Good evening, my name is Samuel and I will be your sommelier tonight.”
I nodded and smiled. Samuel was a young guy and pretty hot. He seemed nice enough, but I found myself wishing Francis could handle our wine order as well as our food. He was like a friendly grandfather-type, whereas Samuel looked like an underwear model.
“Are you interested in wine this evening?” Samuel glanced at me first, and then at Johnny.
“Rosemary probably is, but we’re not sure what to go with. What do you suggest?”
I relaxed a little, and smiled gratefully at Johnny.
“Well, what kind of wine do you prefer?” Samuel asked me. I felt my face flush. It was like standing in front of the whole class and being asked a question when you hadn’t studied.
“Uh, well, I—I really don’t know,” I said, picking up the wine menu uncertainly. I swore, I heard one of the bitches at the mean girl table giggle.
Samuel, God bless his heart, picked up on my discomfort immediately.
“Well, let’s see,” Samuel said, smiling kindly at me. “Do you like dry wine, like a red or a Chardonnay-type? Or do you prefer a sweeter wine like a Zinfandel? Or maybe something with a fruity kind of taste?”
I let out a soft breath. Okay, those were words I could understand.
“Hey,” Johnny said to me. “What’s that sweet, fizzy stuff you like so much?”
“Moscato?” I asked.
“Ah,” Samuel said warmly. “We have a number of excellent Moscatos to choose from. Would you prefer white or pink?”
“Ooh, I’ve never had a pink Moscato!”
Samuel smiled again, looking charmed just like Francis did. If he usually dealt with spoiled princesses like the ones who were currently eye-fucking Johnny, my naiveté was a refreshing change. “Would you like to try the Grain De Muscat Rosé?”
“That sounds perfect. Thank you,” I said, relieved that it was settled. Seriously, I’d been stressing about the wine selection all week. It was ridiculous.
“You’re very welcome. If you find it’s to your liking, you can stay with that. Otherwise, once you’ve chosen your meal, I’d been happy to offer some wine suggestions to complement your entrée.”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“For you, Mr. Creel?” Samuel asked. It was so weird how everybody knew who he was. Though he was a regular here, I still got the feeling half of them knew him from the entertainment headlines.
“Any beer you have on tap is fine,” Johnny said with a grin.
“Very good,” Samuel said, then scurried off to get our drinks.
“There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
I giggled at my own stupidity. “I know. I don’t know why I was stressing out so much.”
“At a place like this, you shell out a ton of money so you don’t have to worry about anything,” Johnny said, gazing into my eyes across the candlelit table.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girls at the other table laughing and looking right at me. I looked back at Johnny, who clearly hadn’t noticed that the girls were harassing me.
It was just as well. I refused to give them the satisfaction of knowing they were upsetting me. I ignored them the best I could while focusing on my sweet, handsome date. The wine turned out to be the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted in my life, and both Johnny and Samuel seemed pleased to hear me say that. Johnny and I chatted about the menu and then asked Francis for his input, which he eagerly provided. Johnny ordered the venison with escargot and artichoke, and I ordered the striped bass with eggplant.
I loved being with Johnny; it was fascinating to see him in his element. Still, the evening would have been a lot more enjoyable without those former members of the Creel harem judging every goddamned move I made. I put on my best performer face and tried to ignore them, but it was tough. It was stressful enough having them stare at me, but then I couldn’t help but picture them in bed with Johnny. I was sure they were a lot more experienced than me and probably a lot more exciting in the bedroom. Pain squeezed at my heart when I imagined Johnny in bed with that especially vicious brunette girl. On top of her. Inside her.
“You okay?” Johnny asked, and I realized my actress mask had slipped.
“Of course,” I said. “Johnny, this place is amazing.”
Francis brought out our entrées; they looked like works of art.
“Even the food is beautiful here,” I exclaimed, making both men smile. Samuel came over with a fresh glass of Moscato, and then Johnny and I tucked into our meals.
Those bitchy girls still made me incredibly nervous, so I reached for my wine to help settle my nerves. I must have reached too quickly, because I managed to knock over my full glass of wine and shatter it in the process. I gasped in horror, feeling my face flush deep red. I knew everyone in the restaurant was staring at Johnny Creel’s klutzy date. I felt tears of hum
iliation form in my eyes as the girls burst into quite audible laughter this time. Johnny was too focused on me to notice.
“Rosemary, it’s all right,” Johnny said, horrified by my expression. He reached for my hand and gazed at me with eyes filled with concern. “Oh, honey, please don’t cry. It’s not a big deal.”
A couple of servers started heading our way to clean up the mess, in front of everyone. Tears spilled out of my eyes, and I was powerless to stop them.
“I’m sorry,” I told him, stifling back a sob. Oh, how I hated myself for letting those awful girls get the best of me. “It’s just those old girlfriends of yours have been making fun of me all night.”
Johnny’s eyes flashed with a look of menace that I had never seen in him before. “What?” he asked, his voice nearly a growl. I glanced over at the girls who were practically doubled over with laughter. Johnny turned to look at them and caught them in the act. Just as the servers arrived at our table to mop up the mess I’d made, Johnny slammed his hands down on the table and jumped up.
“Johnny!” I whispered hoarsely, trying to stop him from making a scene.
A ripple of excitement went through me as I watched the man I loved charge up to those awful women. Though I didn’t want to get us thrown out of his favorite restaurant, I couldn’t help but want Johnny to shut those bitches down. All eyes were on him as he walked briskly over to their table.
“What the hell is going on here?” Johnny asked, glaring down at the women. “Christina?” he said to the Head Bitch. “You got something to say?”
She grinned, and oh God, I’d never wanted to slap someone so much in my life. I rather wished Johnny would, but he would never hit a woman, no matter how much she deserved it. “Johnny, baby, does your little girl over there know she has a lot of competition to contend with? She can’t honestly think she can have you to herself.”
“Of course she can have me to herself,” Johnny said through clenched teeth.
“Is she aware that you’ve pretty much fucked your way through this whole place?” the blonde girl said in a too-loud-for-a-fancy-restaurant voice. Several patrons seated around her gasped.
“Yes,” Johnny said sternly. “She is aware. And she loves me anyway.”
Christina snorted. “Sure she does. I’m sure she’s not after your money.”
I almost couldn’t blame her for thinking that. After all, most people were after Johnny for his money. If only they knew how much I wished he were poor again.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but she is not after my money,” Johnny said in a firm but quiet voice. Then his voice got louder. Much, much louder. “Rosemary isn’t just any girl, she happens to be the woman I love, and I will not have you disrespecting her! Whatever we all had was in the past,” Johnny gestured at the table of girls in annoyance, then turned to point directly at me. “And that beautiful woman over there is my future!”
I gasped slightly. Johnny was yelling at this point. Francis caught my eye and smiled at me before scurrying over to where Johnny stood, to do damage control. This was a huge restaurant, but it still had a quiet, intimate atmosphere. I was sure disturbances like the one Johnny was causing were pretty rare.
I bit my lip and smiled as I saw Francis glare at the women, then turn to Johnny with concern. It was clear whose side our waiter was on. “Mr. Creel, is everything all right?”
For the first time, I saw how money and power could be a good thing. He was Johnny Creel, son of the famous Walter Creel, and wealthy establishments like this one wanted to keep on his good side. Those awful, mean girls weren’t as important, so nobody cared if they refused to come back. Still, it was easy to abuse that money and power. Johnny could throw a tantrum in the restaurant, screaming at the waitstaff, and they’d still have to kiss his ass. It made me sad to think that stuff probably happened, and people like Francis and Samuel would have no choice but to take the abuse.
“No,” Johnny said. “I don’t think we have a problem. Right?”
Johnny glared at the girls, and they just nodded. They were seething with fury, but they weren’t going to win this battle. They’d get thrown out of the place if they pissed Johnny off again, and they knew it.
Johnny rushed back over to me. He stood at my chair and held out his hand, gently pulling me into a standing position.
“Oh, Johnny, we don’t have to leave!” I couldn’t bear to let our evening be spoiled when Johnny had been so looking forward to it.
He kissed me gently, then said, “We’re not leaving.”
He led me over to the other side of the table and sat me down in his seat. He plopped down in my old seat and glared over at the girls. Now I wouldn’t have to look at those bitches, and Johnny could keep an eye on them. Johnny started switching our plates and dishes over. Francis and two other servers I hadn’t met yet rushed over.
“Please, allow me, Mr. Creel,” Francis said, taking over the moving of all the dishes and silverware.
“Thanks, Francis. I’m so sorry for the disturbance.”
“Not at all, sir,” Francis said, shooting a harsh look over at the girls.
“I’m so sorry for the mess I made with the wine,” I said.
Francis smiled his sweet, grandfatherly smile at me. “Not to worry, Miss. I’ll send Samuel over straight away with another glass for you.”
“Thank you,” I told him as he and the other servers walked away.
“Johnny,” I whispered, “I can’t believe you said that in front of the whole restaurant!”
People probably didn’t even realize that Johnny Creel had a girlfriend, and here he had announced, in front of all these rich folks, that he loved me.
“I’m sorry, Rosemary,” Johnny said somberly. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”
I took his hand and squeezed. “I thought it was wonderful, Johnny.”
I gazed lovingly into his eyes and he smiled, looking quite relieved.
“This was more than you bargained for, huh?” Johnny asked.
I let go of his hand so I could pick up my fork. “It’s been an adventure, Johnny. Everything is, when I’m with you.”
The rest of our meal was peaceful and lovely. I glanced up to see Francis heading back over to our table to check on us.
“Everyone here has been so amazing tonight, Johnny. You’ll give them all a good tip, right?”
Johnny grinned. “Don’t you worry, baby. I’ll take care of everybody. They’ve all been real sweet to you, and that’s what matters most to me. I’ll make it worth their while. Believe me.”
“Did we save room for dessert?” Francis asked, as another server cleared our plates.
“Absolutely!” Johnny said excitedly.
“Oh, Johnny,” I moaned. “I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“No way. I told ya you gotta try my favorite dessert! Two slices of chocolate pistachio cake, please.”
“No!” I said with a laugh. “Francis, just one slice, and I’ll have a bite or two.”
“Okay, okay,” Johnny said with a laugh. “Just the one, then.”
“Very good,” Francis said.
“Seriously, you’re gonna love this stuff. It’s, like, my favorite thing in the whole world. Food-wise, anyway. You won’t be able to stop at one bite.”
“Oh, I’m sure I can. I can’t remember ever eating this much in one sitting.”
He grinned at me, and I was so happy to see the sweet, excited Johnny back. This night really had been an adventure. Crazy, but a lot of fun.
“Good Lord!” I exclaimed when I saw the size of the hunk of chocolate pistachio cake. “Good thing we only ordered one!”
Francis chuckled. “Can I get you anything else? Coffee perhaps?”
“I’m good,” Johnny said.
“No, thank you,” I said, and Francis nodded and walked away.
I reached over and stabbed my fork into the cake. Johnny watched me with great anticipation as I took a bite. I closed my eyes and said, “Oh, my God.
”
“Right?” he said.
Johnny chuckled as I immediately forked another bite.
“Told ya,” he said with a grin.
Once the meal was over, I was tempted to ask Johnny how much it cost. I decided I didn’t want to know. It was probably more than a month’s worth of groceries, and I felt a bit guilty about spending so much on one meal, even if he could easily afford it.
Johnny wrapped his arms around me as we waited outside for the valet to bring his car.
“I’m sorry for all the drama tonight, Rosemary.”
“It’s okay, really,” I said, snuggling close to him and looking up at him adoringly. “It wasn’t your fault, and you handled it beautifully.”
It had felt so good to see Johnny defend my honor out loud in the middle of that fancy place. It was sweet and oh-so-sexy the way he took charge. He was a far cry from the old clueless Johnny who used to let the door slam in my face at work.
Johnny leaned down and kissed me tenderly. His soft, warm kiss was the perfect end to a strange yet wonderful date. We kissed for a little while, and when Johnny finally came up for air he saw the valet waiting patiently, keys in hand.
“Oops, sorry,” he said.
The valet glanced at me and smiled. “Not at all. She’s a beautiful woman. I can hardly blame you, can I?”
I smiled and said, “Thank you. That’s so sweet of you to say.”
Johnny opened the car door for me and handed the guy a tip. Then he handed him an additional tip. “And that’s for making her smile.”
As I got into the car, I thought again about Johnny throwing so much money around. And yet, it felt amazing to be treated like a princess! I justified the extra expense by telling myself the valet was a hardworking guy who could use the money.
I sank back into the lush interior of Johnny’s fancy car as he drove toward my place. This sure beat taking the Metro. When we arrived, Johnny parked at the curb and leaned over to kiss me goodnight.
“This was wonderful, Johnny. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Soon I’ll take you back to see my new-old place. Whenever you’re ready.”
I nodded. Johnny’s old penthouse had remained vacant, so he’d moved back in. He knew the restaurant, the car, and his fancy apartment would overwhelm me. I loved that he understood that.
Losing His Shirt Page 22