Read Online Anything But Mine by Barbara Justice - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Justice
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had never been married, and that, as chairman and chief executive officer of Penn Worldwide Investments, he was among the 25 wealthiest men in the world.
I don’t get it, she thought. He’s rich, powerful, and nearly old enough to be my father. What on earth does he want with me, and what will we talk about? As she continued to read, Jen learned that he was born in Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents, and that he had earned both his undergraduate degree and his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. I guess we have enough in common to get a conversation started, since we both went to school in Philadelphia, and we’re both from Brooklyn and of Italian descent, Jen thought, as she took a deep breath and began to relax.
Calm down , Jen told herself as she fidgeted nervously in the cab during the short ride to Peter Luger’s on Thursday evening. It’s just a blind date. Just get it over with, and you’ll never have to see him again. She concentrated on her breathing, trying to relax and ease her anxiety.
As she exited the cab, Jen ran her hands over her black suede pants, and checked her black wrap v- neck cashmere sweater to make sure she wasn’t showing too much cleavage. She took another deep breath and smiled at the doorman who greeted her as she entered the restaurant. Walking through the bar area, Jen felt the eyes of the men gathered there upon her, making her uncomfortable, but she didn’t see anyone who looked like Vince.
When she reached the desk and identified herself, the maitre d’ immediately said, “Of course, Miss LaBella. Mr. Moscolo is waiting for you at the table.” Jen was escorted to the room to her right, her favorite of the three possible seating areas in the restaurant, and to a table in the front corner near the window.
Vince rose to greet her with a smile. “Jennifer, it’s good to see you. I’m so glad we’re finally able to get together.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then pulled out a chair for her. “Please, sit.”
“Thanks, Vince,” she replied, inhaling the faint, woodsy scent of his cologne. “It’s good to see you too.” A waiter approached the table, asking for her drink order and, noticing that Vince had a mug of beer in front of him, she answered, “A mug of Beck’s, please.”
Vince smiled when Jen ordered her beer, and said, “I hope you like the choice of restaurant. I checked with your agent, and he said it would be perfect but, frankly, I was a little surprised.”
“Why were you surprised?”
“Because none of the models I’ve ever dated before were big steak eaters.”
Jen laughed, “Well, I’ve been told that I’m not a typical model. Actually, this is one of my favorite restaurants.”
Vince raised his eyebrows in surprise. “No kidding! Then I think I’m going to have to issue you a challenge: order for us.”
“Challenge accepted,” Jen said, smiling. “I’m happy to do the honors.”
“Do you need a menu?”
“Absolutely not! I’ve never seen the menu here in my life!” Jen laughed, and realized she was flirting, just a little, with Vince.
When the waiter returned with Jen’s beer, he asked Vince for their order, but Vince gestured towards Jen and said, “My lovely date will be placing our order tonight.”
Without missing a beat, the waiter turned to Jen, who grinned and said, “We’re going to each have a shrimp cocktail, and we’ll also split an order of tomatoes and onions and an order of bacon to start.” She smiled and batted her eyelashes at Vince, then looked back at the waiter, and continued, “then we’ll have the porterhouse steak for two, medium- rare , an order of creamed spinach, and an order of hash browns.”
“Is that all?” the waiter asked.
“Until dessert,” Jen said, smiling at him. As the waiter left, Jen turned to Vince and asked, “So, how did I do?”
“That was
I don’t get it, she thought. He’s rich, powerful, and nearly old enough to be my father. What on earth does he want with me, and what will we talk about? As she continued to read, Jen learned that he was born in Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents, and that he had earned both his undergraduate degree and his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. I guess we have enough in common to get a conversation started, since we both went to school in Philadelphia, and we’re both from Brooklyn and of Italian descent, Jen thought, as she took a deep breath and began to relax.
Calm down , Jen told herself as she fidgeted nervously in the cab during the short ride to Peter Luger’s on Thursday evening. It’s just a blind date. Just get it over with, and you’ll never have to see him again. She concentrated on her breathing, trying to relax and ease her anxiety.
As she exited the cab, Jen ran her hands over her black suede pants, and checked her black wrap v- neck cashmere sweater to make sure she wasn’t showing too much cleavage. She took another deep breath and smiled at the doorman who greeted her as she entered the restaurant. Walking through the bar area, Jen felt the eyes of the men gathered there upon her, making her uncomfortable, but she didn’t see anyone who looked like Vince.
When she reached the desk and identified herself, the maitre d’ immediately said, “Of course, Miss LaBella. Mr. Moscolo is waiting for you at the table.” Jen was escorted to the room to her right, her favorite of the three possible seating areas in the restaurant, and to a table in the front corner near the window.
Vince rose to greet her with a smile. “Jennifer, it’s good to see you. I’m so glad we’re finally able to get together.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then pulled out a chair for her. “Please, sit.”
“Thanks, Vince,” she replied, inhaling the faint, woodsy scent of his cologne. “It’s good to see you too.” A waiter approached the table, asking for her drink order and, noticing that Vince had a mug of beer in front of him, she answered, “A mug of Beck’s, please.”
Vince smiled when Jen ordered her beer, and said, “I hope you like the choice of restaurant. I checked with your agent, and he said it would be perfect but, frankly, I was a little surprised.”
“Why were you surprised?”
“Because none of the models I’ve ever dated before were big steak eaters.”
Jen laughed, “Well, I’ve been told that I’m not a typical model. Actually, this is one of my favorite restaurants.”
Vince raised his eyebrows in surprise. “No kidding! Then I think I’m going to have to issue you a challenge: order for us.”
“Challenge accepted,” Jen said, smiling. “I’m happy to do the honors.”
“Do you need a menu?”
“Absolutely not! I’ve never seen the menu here in my life!” Jen laughed, and realized she was flirting, just a little, with Vince.
When the waiter returned with Jen’s beer, he asked Vince for their order, but Vince gestured towards Jen and said, “My lovely date will be placing our order tonight.”
Without missing a beat, the waiter turned to Jen, who grinned and said, “We’re going to each have a shrimp cocktail, and we’ll also split an order of tomatoes and onions and an order of bacon to start.” She smiled and batted her eyelashes at Vince, then looked back at the waiter, and continued, “then we’ll have the porterhouse steak for two, medium- rare , an order of creamed spinach, and an order of hash browns.”
“Is that all?” the waiter asked.
“Until dessert,” Jen said, smiling at him. As the waiter left, Jen turned to Vince and asked, “So, how did I do?”
“That was
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