Chapter Four
As I approach Wine Liam orders the appetizer, we both order drinks and then he says, ‘And we’ll both have the fish.’
Then, we’re looking at each other and like the little fool that I absolutely am, I’m definitely wishing I’d worn the dress. He’d never have noticed the pilling in this low lighting. Or the little hole.
He smiles. ‘So. Margot. Tell me about yourself. Do you live in the city?’
‘I do,’ I say. ‘Um – you?’
‘I grew up in the suburbs. But the city suits me better. Always something to do, you know?’
‘Yeah, I heard you were at an art gallery event? Are you into art?’
‘Very.’ He grins. ‘I’m a total novice, though. No idea what I’m looking at, really. But excited to learn.’
A man who admits what he doesn’t know and is excited to learn? Total turn on.
‘That’s how you met Arjun, right?’
He grins. It’s a cute asymmetrical grin, his mouth turning up more on one side than it does on the other.
‘Arjun very kindly educated me on limited edition prints.’
‘That’s cool,’ I say, just as the server returns with our drinks. Wait – is this massive margarita mine? It’s about the size of my actual head. Did I just imagine ordering the gin and tonic? Fuck. I was so caught up observing Liam, I must have ordered the wrong drink.
The server slides the monster in front of me. ‘The Double Margarita Kong. And for you, sir, a dirty martini.’
Liam’s drink looks like a dollhouse miniature next to mine.
I’m about to tell our server I didn’t mean to order this when Liam says, ‘Thanks, Alex, appreciate it.’
Wow. He remembered the server’s name. I don’t even remember the server sharing his name. I fully admit that I came into this date expecting to check a box. But maybe I can work with this.
‘Cheers?’ Liam tilts his glass toward mine. ‘To a lovely evening with an intriguing woman.’
We clink and I sip. Mmmm – it’s smoky-sweet, balanced – not what I was expecting at all. And neither are you, I think toward Liam. He hasn’t told a single long-winded story about himself, which I have to admit is refreshing.
He sets his drink down. ‘Do you live alone? With roommates?’
‘With a roommate,’ I say, making a split-second decision not to talk about Zoe’s disappearance on night one. ‘She was – I mean, is an artist.’ Better to keep things in the present tense for now. I don’t want to ruin the vibes that are so unexpectedly excellent.
‘What medium?’
‘Oil.’
Liam leans forward with a teasing smile. ‘Does she do limited edition prints?’
‘Oh … no. She’s really just getting her start. She placed a piece in a gallery one time … but that’s it. Actually, it’s probably the same gallery you were at.’ It was a favor from Arjun, a huge breakthrough for Zoe. She was ecstatic, to say the least.
‘Mmm, that’s cool,’ he says. ‘I’ll have to check it out next time I’m there. What did you say her name was?’
‘Oh – it probably sold already. It’s been a while.’
The server – Alex – returns with our appetizer. ‘The polenta,’ he announces, sliding the plate of crispy golden wedges smothered in a rich ragu between us.
‘Thanks,’ says Liam.
For a second, we’re busy unrolling our silverware from our napkins.
‘So do you like living in the city?’ asks Liam as I take my first bite of the appetizer, which – oh my God. Crispy on the outside, the sauce silky and rich, buttery and meaty.
‘I love it,’ I say as soon as I’ve swallowed. ‘I grew up in the suburbs. Like you. I moved into the city when I was eighteen, and it was like love at first sight.’
‘Chemistry.’ Liam narrows his eyes in a sexy way, like he’s not just commenting on my feelings about Chicago, but on us. So he feels it too. I curl my toes inside my shoes.
We pause briefly as Alex returns with our fish.
‘And your family? What are they like?’ he asks.
‘Um … conventional, shall we say.’ I laugh lightly, and Liam laughs too. ‘Don’t get me wrong. We get along. They just seemed satisfied with so little.’
‘Sounds like a good thing?’