“Don’t get your hopes up. You haven’t seen how awful I am at first dates.” Evelyn stepped onto the concrete landing and started down the stairs.
A few minutes later, Candace’s Elantra rolled onto Highway 68, heading north toward Lexington. Grassy pastures and aluminum-capped silos slowly gave way to stoplights and tree-lined streets. Evelyn began to sweat uncontrollably, and she lifted her elbows to let the air conditioner fan her armpits.
“You need to stop that,” Candace said, giving her friend a sideways glance. “We’re almost there, and you don’t want Alek to see you airing out your pits.”
“But I’m a swamp-monster,” Evelyn groaned. “What if my butt sweat leaves an imprint on my chair? What if I start to stink? What if I get dehydrated and pass out? Maybe we should go home and reschedule.”
Though the doors had locked automatically, Candace depressed the lock button. “Uh-uh. I spent all afternoon making you look fancy. And I am getting some steak tonight.”
The steakhouse came into view, and Candace piloted the Hyundai into the parking lot. She pulled into the first available space, killed the ignition, and stepped outside. When Evelyn didn’t follow, Candace stuck her head back in and hissed at her to get out.
Evelyn remained frozen, clutching her leather purse like it was a life-preserver. The door slammed. Candace walked around the vehicle, opened Evelyn’s door, and pulled her out by the arm.
“Alright, alright,” Evelyn grunted. “I’m coming. You don’t have to be so bossy.”
A forest green awning stood over the restaurant’s entrance, and a cluster of people waited within its shade. Candace took Evelyn’s hand and led—or, rather dragged—her friend to the well-dressed congregation. As they arrived, a man in a black Saint Laurent suit and bow-tie welcomed them and handed out a pair of menus.
“Do you have a reservation?” he asked.
“We do,” Candace replied. “It should be under ‘Cary.’”
The man retrieved a palm-sized notepad from his jacket pocket, scanned the front page, then nodded. “Ah, yes. Your table is ready and some of your party has already arrived. May I show you inside?”
Evelyn didn’t hear him. Her eyes were bouncing back and forth between the stately decor and the man’s suit. If things didn’t go well tonight, she’d have to take out a loan just to pay for the meal. She felt a wave of guilt for not researching the restaurant before inviting her friends. None of them could afford a place like this, and neither could she. Her credit cards were maxed out, and she had less than sixty dollars to her name.
The host led the way, and Candace had to drag Evelyn once more. They passed through a walnut door with an inset stained-glass window, then they passed into a vast room lit with hundreds of candles. The air was redolent with the scents of woodfire-roasted beef, charred vegetables, and a lingering hint of cigar smoke. Waiters wearing red sports coats and black wing-toed shoes polished to a mirror’s shine floated between the tables, delivering entrees and bottles of award-winning wines and spirits.
“Candace,” Evelyn whispered. “We need to leave.”
Candace shot her an angry look.
“I’m serious. I can’t afford this place. If I order anything more than water and breadsticks, I’ll have to sell a kidney on the black market to pay for it.”
Without a word in response, Candace strode onward and waved at someone obscured in the shadows.
Evelyn’s heart dropped into her stomach. Aleksander was scooting out from a booth behind a long table. He wore a fitted charcoal-gray shirt, a black tie, black slacks, and Oxford shoes. Wiping his hands on a linen napkin, he gave a slight bow.
“The lady of the hour has arrived. Thank you so much for coming.” He gestured at the booth, then at a chair. “Where would you like to sit?”
Evelyn blushed. She still felt a strong desire to escape, so she chose the chair. “Thank you, Alek. You look better than you did in your photo.” She blinked at her own stupidity, then stammered. “Not that you looked bad in your photo, I just mean you look nicer, uh, dressed up. I like your outfit.”
Alek smiled warmly and gave a tiny shake of his head. “Thank you, but…where did you see my picture?”
Run! A voice in her head shouted. Leave the country and start over with a false identity.
Evelyn sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I…looked you up on your office’s website. And now that I’m saying it out loud, it sounds really creepy.”
A man and a woman seated in the booth leaned close together and exchanged whispered comments, which reinforced Evelyn’s desire to flee the country.
“It’s not creepy,” Alek said with a wave of his hand. “It’s smart. I wouldn’t want to go on a date with someone I’ve never seen before, either.” He glanced at the couple in the booth and cleared his throat. They sat up and beamed with guilty smiles.
“This is Gwenn,” Alek said. “She does acupuncture therapy at the clinic. And this is her husband, Mark. Mark, Gwenn, I’d like you to meet Candace and Evelyn.”
The married couple leaned across the table and shook hands with the newcomers. Mark held Candace’s hands for a few seconds too long, and Gwenn pinched him on the back of the arm. He winced, sat back, and took an awkward sip of water.
“So,” Gwenn said, doing her best to hide her irritation, “what do you do for a living, Evelyn?”
“I’m a manager at a hotel—but not a fancy hotel or anything. It’s more of a bed and breakfast.”
Alek nodded. “Do you own the hotel, then?”
Evelyn met his gaze and studied his eyes. They were brown, but not a shade she had ever seen before. The irises were like warm cinnamon, and they were bright even in the candlelight. “No. The owners managed it for nearly forty years and had to retire for health concerns.” She shrugged. “They advertised for the job in the local newspaper, and I was the only person in town with a degree in Hotel Management and Hospitality. It doesn’t pay as well as some of the hotels in Lexington would, but it’s a nice work environment. The customers are always friendly, and the bed and breakfast is beautiful.”
“I’ll have to book a room there sometime.” Alek’s eyes bulged even as the words escaped his lips. “Not because you’re there, or anything. I mean, I’d enjoy spending time with you, but I’m not trying to say we should—” He scratched the back of his neck, then added, “Now I’m the one being creepy. Sorry.”
Evelyn felt some of her unease fading away. It had been a long time since a man had been flustered because of her, and it felt nice. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll say something else embarrassing before we even get our appetizers.”
Alek took a deep breath, let it out, and smiled. “Speaking of which, would you like to order now or wait until the rest of your friends arrive?”
Evelyn glanced at the menu. She didn’t know what half of the items were, so she had to read the descriptions. Then she noticed the prices, and she swayed in her chair. “Uhmm. Maybe we could order a cocktail while we wait?”
“Here’s a drink menu,” Gwenn said, passing Evelyn a velvet booklet.
Evelyn cracked it open and scanned the prices first, looking for the cheapest item. She swallowed and wondered how a restaurant could stay open when the cheapest drink cost nearly thirty dollars.
As if reading her thoughts, Alek said, “I know it’s steep, but don’t worry about the price. The owner is a client and good friend of mine. The meal and the first round of drinks are on the house. And, if you don’t mind, I’d like to pick up the tab for anything else you order tonight.”