Traian stood up, and the two men embraced as if they were father and son, reuniting after a long time being apart. I’d never seen Traian be so warm toward another person before, except for me.
“I’m being rude.” The man released Traian. “Who is this lovely lady?”
Traian’s face lit up when smiled. “This is Everly.”
“She must be incredible to bring you out of hiding.” The man slapped Traian’s back and then turned to me. “I’m Rolando and I’m at your service. You can call me ‘Butcher’. Anything you want to eat, it would be my pleasure to prepare for you.” Rolando bowed.
Traian sat down. “Order your heart’s desire. Butcher really is a miracle worker when it comes to food.”
“Are you Romanian?” I asked Rolando.
“Yes, though I consider myself more Italian, as I spent more years on the boot peninsula than in my motherland.” He placed both hands on the end of the table. “Name it, and I’ll make it.”
“Okay. I was going to ask you to make something Romanian, but then you mentioned Italy, and now I’m hungry for some ravioli or lasagna.” I licked my lips.
“Done. I’ll make you something Romanian too. What would you like to drink?” Rolando pointed at me. “I know what he likes.” When Rolando smiled, I could see some shiny, gold teeth in the back of his mouth.
“An Italian soda, of course.” I smiled back at him.
“You got it, sweetheart.” He turned to Traian. “You take good care of this one.” Rolando disappeared through the curtain, and I heard the kitchen door close not even a second later.
So many questions raced through my head, but I started with the most pressing one. “Is he a relative?”
“We’re not related by blood, but he’s been like a father to me ever since my parents died. I used to hunt for him and sell my meat in his butcher shop.”
“I see.” I understood the closeness. “What did he mean about hiding?”
Traian leaned back. “That is a long story, my love, one for a different day. Let’s enjoy our meal together, shall we?”
He’d called me “love.” I didn’t know what that meant, but I’d take it. That didn’t mean he was off the hook though.
“When is your class tonight?” he asked.
“At five.” I reconsidered pressing him for answers.
“Perfect. We have plenty of time to eat and catch the ferry back.”
The waiter returned with our drinks. I was about to sample the pink bubbly drink before me when my attention focused on the dark, crimson glass of wine sitting in front of Traian. My sister drinks red wine all the time, and I never gave the drink much thought, but the contents of this glass seemed different. I had a million questions, but I was on a date. Again.
My mother would be thrilled. Then I remembered I hadn’t called nor had I texted her or my sister today. Terrible thing to do on a date, but I pulled out my cell phone.
“What are you doing?” Traian asked.
“I forgot to call my mother, so I’m going to text my sister,” I said and sent a quick message to Stella, telling her I was okay. “She lives at home.”
“Put that thing away. You are in a restaurant.”
The skin on my face exploded with heat as I calmly tucked the phone back into my evening bag and unfolded the cloth napkin onto my lap. Why the sudden anger? I wondered at myself. I put both hands around the soda glass, mostly so I didn’t jump over the table and choke him, and then met his eyes. It wasn’t so much what he’d said, but how he’d said it.
“I want to make one thing clear and never have to repeat it again.” My jaw tightened with each word I spoke. “Never ever tell me what to do. Never. Ever.” I held his gaze for one more breath and went back to my drink.
Traian nodded calmly, though his eyes widened a bit at my reaction. “My apologies.”
We continued sipping our beverages without speaking. The silence felt awkward, but I welcomed it nonetheless. As the quiet period stretched on, my mind raced, thinking of ways to apologize for biting his head off. What I’d said hadn’t been necessary. Of course, it was rude of me to pull my phone out in the middle of a date in this somewhat fancy restaurant, but him telling me what to do had unleashed the same feelings of inferiority I always experienced around my family. If Traian would date me, he needed to treat me as an equal.
I sighed.
“I’m sorry. It’s just—” His hand was over my mouth as he leaned across the table.
“Do not apologize. You are an adult, and I shouldn’t boss you around.” He retrieved his hand and leaned back again.
I studied his face. His dark eyes, pale lips, and strong jaw awoke something deep inside my soul. There was so much familiarity, as if I’d known him all my life. But then he had told me what to do and, no matter how much my heart wanted him, my stubborn brain had rebelled.
A chill filled the air. I pulled my cardigan tighter across my chest with both hands. Should have ordered a warm drink, like tea or hot chocolate. The waiter returned with a wooden cutting board, on which sat a fresh loaf of bread and a knife. He set down a small platter laden with various cheeses, olives, and dips.
“Rolando said this is a special for you, miss.” The waiter pointed to two small bowls, one containing red spread and the other green.
I shivered a little. “Did someone leave a door open?”
“No, miss,” said the waiter. “I can get you a lap blanket, if you would like.”
“Yes, please.”
When the waiter disappeared, I turned to Traian. “What restaurant carries lap blankets?”
Traian took the loaf of bread and broke off a piece, handing it to me. “One that serves special people.”
“Right.” I wasn’t sure what he meant by ‘special’. I took the bread from him and grabbed the knife. “Which one do I start with?”
Traian pushed the green bowl toward me. “This one is a specialty in my country. We serve it on all special occasions, but some people have it as a staple in their homes.”
I dipped the knife into the saucer and slathered a glob of dip onto the bread. A smoky aroma reached my nose. In the dim light, the spread looked like an eggplant dish I’d had before at a Mediterranean restaurant. I took a small bite. Flavors of garlic, tangy eggplant, and onion danced across my tongue. The bread was still warm from the oven.
“Mm.” I took another bite.
Traian broke off another piece of bread and put the red spread on it.
“What’s in that?”
“Same as the salată de vinete, but with roasted tomatoes and peppers added.” He closed his eyes as he chewed.
The waiter brought a fuzzy, red throw. I tucked it under my thighs. With the red blanket, my green dress, and white cardigan, I looked like Christmas. That made me smile—I loved the winter holidays.
Traian and I continued to eat our appetizers in silence. The absence of conversation bothered me. We had always talked easily. Although the delicious spreads and cheese made up for part of it, I couldn’t keep quiet.
“This stuff is amazing.” I pointed to the green spread as I fixed myself another piece of bread.
Traian said nothing, but nodded.
After devouring several bites, I cleared my throat and attempted again. “Is something bothering you?”
He met my eye with a steely gaze. “Something has come up. I need to leave Friday.”
“Oh.” I dropped my attention to the plate in front of me.
The little fairytale that had been building inside my mind suddenly crashed to the ground. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how much I had hoped this little romance would continue. There had to be an end, though. Silly me, hoping for the best. Maybe he had finally grown tired of me. Had I really expected someone like him to fall in love with someone like me?
A cool hand reached across the table and took the fork from my hand. His fingers clasped my wrist. “I’m not going forever. I’ll be back Sunday night.”
And just like that, all
the self-pity drained away. I looked up. Traian smirked. “You were worried I was ditching you, weren’t you?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, embarrassed.
“My love, I don’t think I could leave you even if I tried.” His face shadowed.
“Then don’t.” I met his gaze. He called me ‘my love’ again.
“I won’t,” he whispered.
“Good.” I grabbed the knife and dipped it into the red dish, applying the spread to the corner of my bread without the green dip. I took a bite. The combination of all the roasted vegetables and spices was perfect.
“Oh.” I covered my mouth. “Amazing.”
Traian smiled again and sipped his wine.
The waiter returned a moment later with our steaming food, and the smells of herbs, cheese, and carbs filled the air. He placed an ornately arranged platter of ravioli in front of me and a plate of rare steak before Traian. All talk of leaving ceased as we both dove into our food.
With the blanket on my lap and warm food in my belly, my body stopped shivering. I felt more comfortable and relaxed as I ate. More questions swam in my head, though. Are we together now, like a couple? I’d never dated before—pathetic, I know. I had no idea how these kinds of relationships worked. I had more questions, but oh, my goodness, this was the best ravioli I’d ever tasted in my life.
I took my last bite and realized Traian had been watching me the whole time. I met his gaze. “What?”
“You take great enjoyment in eating,” he said thoughtfully.
I shrugged. “It is one of life’s simple pleasures.”
Rolando appeared at our table the next moment. “I was going to ask how everything tasted, but it must not have been too terrible, as your plate is empty.”
I wiped my lips with the corner of the napkin and set it on the table. “This was the best meal I’ve had. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome. Hope you left room for dessert.” He winked at me and then turned to Traian. “And you, my friend, is everything up to your standards?”
Traian nodded. “As always, Butcher.”
Rolando, aka ‘Butcher’, asked him something else in a language I’d never heard spoken before, and the conversation ended as fast as it started. Butcher disappeared again, taking my empty plate with him. Traian finished his steak and drained the rest of the wine, just in time for the waiter to return with a platter filled with different desserts and two clean plates. Slices of chocolate, red velvet, and vanilla cakes, and cheesecakes covered the center of the large plate, while chocolate-dipped profiteroles decorated the edge.
My jaw dropped, but I quickly closed it as my mouth watered. “There’s no way I can eat half of what’s on this plate.”
“Butcher loves desserts. You must sample everything. You can take the rest for later.”
The waiter came back with a teapot and two cups and disappeared again.
“I love chocolate cake,” I said as Traian put a slice on my plate. “You must come here often, now that you live in Seattle.”
“Agreed,” Butcher said as appeared next to me with a small to-go box. “This is for whatever you can’t eat. Please take the leftovers home.”
“Thanks.” I took the container and set it on the seat next to me. Butcher left again.
Traian filled my cup with tea. “As I said, it’s safer not to be around me.”
“Why? And if that is true, why did you bring me here?”
“Danger follows me everywhere I go.” The emotionless expression he wore most of the time returned.
“Am I in danger?”
“More than you realize, but not to worry. You now have me and Butcher, one of the few people I trust. That is why I brought you here. We will protect you.”
“Protect me from what?”
“How is everything?” The waiter returned.
“Good.” Traian and I replied at the same time.
“Excellent, let me know if you need anything else.” The waiter bowed and left.
I glanced at Traian and knew he wouldn’t answer my question here in the restaurant. I took a bite of the dark cake, followed by a sip of tea. I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped my lips. The perfect blend of bitter, sweet, and cream melted in my mouth.
“Tea and chocolate cake are a match made in heaven,” I decided.
The corner of Traian’s lips curled up. He transferred a piece of decadent red velvet onto his plate and closed his eyes as his lips closed over a forkful of cake. He then set his fork down on the table with such reverence. I watched him chew slowly, as if he didn’t want to miss a single note of flavor or texture. He performed the same ritual with the second bite. I returned my attention to the chocolate goodness before me.
An hour later, I’d sampled everything on the platter. Butcher came out several times to check on us and refill our teapot. I felt like a proper piggy. Thank goodness my dress had an empire waist and could accommodate my expanding midsection. When we’d had our fill, Traian placed the few untouched pieces of dessert into the small box and closed the lid.
Butcher walked us out when we were ready to leave. He hugged Traian again and then he opened his arms to me. I stepped into his embrace without hesitation.
“It was lovely meeting you, Everly. My restaurant is always open to you.” Butcher kissed my cheek and then handed me his card. “If you ever need anything, call me.”
“Thank you,” I replied and slipped the business card into my purse.
Traian took my hand, and we headed up the street the way we had come. I looked down at our hands, both pale in the grey daylight. Our fingers weren’t intertwined, but I wished they were. On the corner stood a man playing a violin. As we walked by, I stopped, pulling Traian to a halt.
He looked at me questioningly.
I touched a finger to my lips and then to my ear.
The man played a lovely classical tune. The melody soared around us like magic. While I enjoyed listening to the music, my body wanted to move, to dance and sway back and forth, but Traian stood still like a statue.
He pulled on my hand. “We must not miss the ferry.”
I slipped my hand out of his. From my purse, I pulled a dollar bill and placed it in the musician’s open violin case before Traian and I walked to the ferry dock. A few drops of rain fell from the sky, so we sat inside the boat in a booth to ourselves. Traian kept scanning our surroundings.
“What’s going on?” I whispered.
“Nothing. Just restless, I guess.”
“Am I boring you?”
“You could never bore me.” He shook his head and placed his arm around my shoulders.
I rested my head on his arm as he placed a small kiss on my forehead. As much as I wanted to tell myself things would be okay, I had felt a shift in the energy between us. I relished the closeness I felt at the moment, knowing this would not last forever.
Chapter 18
Back on the mainland, Traian hired a taxi to take us to my place, where I picked up my books and backpack. I expected him to ride with me to school on the Link, but the same taxi was waiting for me when I came downstairs. I wanted to argue about the unnecessary expense but held my tongue.
The taxi dropped us off a block from the science building. Traian walked me to the front steps and stopped. I turned to him, not knowing what to expect.
“I’ll be waiting here when the lecture is finished.” He squeezed my hand and let go.
I nodded and took two steps away before turning and launching myself into him. His arms wrapped around my body, and he held me close.
“My little doe, what is bothering you?” he whispered in my ear.
“I feel like something bad is about to happen,” I mumbled, afraid to say it too loud and jinx myself.
His hand smoothed the hair at the back of my head and trailed down to my lower back. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I’m right here, and will wait for you when you finish with class.”
“Okay.” I felt stupid and pathetic, throwing mysel
f at him like that.
“I will be here, do not worry.” Traian tightened his hold.
Not too tight, though, because I stood on my tippy-toes and plant a kiss on his smooth cheek. His whole body trembled around me.
“You must go to class before I change your evening plans.” Traian’s words quivered. He rested his forehead on mine.
Eventually he let go, and I composed myself enough to walk up the steps, into the building, and to my classroom. I sat down next to Jen in the lab.
“Wow, you look nice,” she whispered.
“Thanks, I just got back from a date.” I kept my voice low.
Her lips formed an ‘O’ and she wiggled her eyebrows at me.
Class with Professor Perry dragged on for two hours. It felt weird to be in class with him after he had been my doctor earlier that morning. How would we delineate our relationship as patient and doctor versus student and professor? He seemed to pop into my life more and more as time went on, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about any of this.
“Good evening and welcome to the last half of winter quarter,” Professor Perry began. “For the second half of the term, we will deal with more bacteria. We might as well jump right into your first lab assignment.”
As he spoke, he paced the front of the classroom. I caught a glimpse of his ears—they had pointy tips. When I blinked and looked closer, they appeared to be normal again. Professor Perry caught me staring at him and gave me a stern look.
This happened several times. I didn’t understand. Was it the medication? I didn’t remember seeing hallucinations listed in the side effects. Maybe I was just sleep-deprived.
No, I slept well last night.
Eventually class ended, and Professor Perry motioned for me to come up to the front as students were leaving.
“Everly, how are you feeling?” Perry asked. “Have you taken your medication?”
I glanced around, making sure no one was listening to us. “Are you my doctor right now or are you still my professor?”
“Both,” he said without missing a beat.
“I think I’m okay. How are you?” I didn’t know why I was asking him how he was, I didn’t really care. Might have been my inner smart-ass talking.
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