mine but it worked for him.
“Hi.” I stepped back to invite him inside. “I’m ready. I made a reservation at The Garden. Is Mack waiting in the car? I requested an outdoor table and made sure they were fine with a very well-behaved pet but—”
“I left him at home. It’s just us tonight.” He turned to go to his SUV before I could respond.
Oh. Shoot. No Mack was a deal changer. Possibly a deal breaker. I furrowed my brow as I followed him.
“Um… I don’t know if—”
Jake opened the passenger door and held it for me, his engaging smile still in place.
“We can go to my apartment later to say hi if you’d like, but restaurants aren’t really Mack’s thing. He’s a terrible beggar.” He winked and motioned me to hurry along.
When he was behind the wheel, I turned to face him. “You tricked me.”
“How so, and where am I going?”
“It’s on Beverly Boulevard. Turn left on La Cienega. And you know what I mean.”
“You mean I know where La Cienega is. Sure. I’ve only lived here for a few months but I’m beginning to get the lay of the land.”
“What does that have to do with anything? You tricked me! You said Mack was coming.”
“I talked him out of it. Sorry.” He stopped at a red light and glanced at me, his blue eyes twinkling with humor. “Will you still have dinner with me?”
“Hmm. I would have chosen someplace a lot more expensive if I’d known.” I grumbled, only half kidding.
Jake chuckled, looking decidedly nonplussed. I sighed and leaned forward to play with the volume on his car radio. If I was stuck without canine diversion, I had to think of other ways to occupy myself. I found a song I liked and hummed along, stopping to give directions or point out places of interest along the way. Anything to keep my mind off the fact this was beginning to feel like a date.
The Garden was a cute bistro with a large patio area. There was a pretty stone fireplace situated against an ivy covered wall, and fairy lights were strung in a crisscross fashion over the linen-clothed tables. People didn’t generally bring their pets to restaurants like this, but I’d pleaded with the owner, who was a friend and client of mine, and had requested a somewhat private corner table so Mack’s presence wouldn’t distract other diners. Without a dog, it spelled romantic table for two. Great.
I sipped the ice water the server poured and checked out the wine selection. Red or white, I didn’t care. I just needed a glass fast.
“Mind if I order a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for us?” Jake set the wine menu aside and peered across the tiny table at me. There was a mini succulent plant and a single votive between us, which wouldn’t leave much room for two plates when dinner arrived.
“Sure. That’s fine.”
Once our wine order was placed and the waiter had recited the evening’s specialties, we quietly perused the menu. I wasn’t one to let uncomfortable silences linger, but I was at a loss. I hadn’t planned on dining with Jake Westley by candlelight tonight. I’d counted on that damn dog to keep things casual and lighthearted. When the waiter returned with the bottle Jake ordered, I watched as he swirled, sniffed, and tasted before declaring the wine worthy. I rolled my eyes once my glass was full. Jake laughed and held his up in a toast.
“Wine should be taken seriously. There’s nothing worse than drinking crap you pay a lot of money for. Cheers.” He clinked his glass against mine and took a long sip. An almost blissful expression crossed his face, indicating the wine he’d ordered was indeed not crap. I took a small sip and felt my shoulders relax slightly. I wasn’t picky about my wine, but even I could tell this was quality stuff.
“You’re into wine?”
“Yes. I love it. I should have been a vintner.” He chuckled lightly and set his glass down.
“How’d you become a firefighter? It’s been a while, but I thought you were going into finance, like your
“Hi.” I stepped back to invite him inside. “I’m ready. I made a reservation at The Garden. Is Mack waiting in the car? I requested an outdoor table and made sure they were fine with a very well-behaved pet but—”
“I left him at home. It’s just us tonight.” He turned to go to his SUV before I could respond.
Oh. Shoot. No Mack was a deal changer. Possibly a deal breaker. I furrowed my brow as I followed him.
“Um… I don’t know if—”
Jake opened the passenger door and held it for me, his engaging smile still in place.
“We can go to my apartment later to say hi if you’d like, but restaurants aren’t really Mack’s thing. He’s a terrible beggar.” He winked and motioned me to hurry along.
When he was behind the wheel, I turned to face him. “You tricked me.”
“How so, and where am I going?”
“It’s on Beverly Boulevard. Turn left on La Cienega. And you know what I mean.”
“You mean I know where La Cienega is. Sure. I’ve only lived here for a few months but I’m beginning to get the lay of the land.”
“What does that have to do with anything? You tricked me! You said Mack was coming.”
“I talked him out of it. Sorry.” He stopped at a red light and glanced at me, his blue eyes twinkling with humor. “Will you still have dinner with me?”
“Hmm. I would have chosen someplace a lot more expensive if I’d known.” I grumbled, only half kidding.
Jake chuckled, looking decidedly nonplussed. I sighed and leaned forward to play with the volume on his car radio. If I was stuck without canine diversion, I had to think of other ways to occupy myself. I found a song I liked and hummed along, stopping to give directions or point out places of interest along the way. Anything to keep my mind off the fact this was beginning to feel like a date.
The Garden was a cute bistro with a large patio area. There was a pretty stone fireplace situated against an ivy covered wall, and fairy lights were strung in a crisscross fashion over the linen-clothed tables. People didn’t generally bring their pets to restaurants like this, but I’d pleaded with the owner, who was a friend and client of mine, and had requested a somewhat private corner table so Mack’s presence wouldn’t distract other diners. Without a dog, it spelled romantic table for two. Great.
I sipped the ice water the server poured and checked out the wine selection. Red or white, I didn’t care. I just needed a glass fast.
“Mind if I order a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for us?” Jake set the wine menu aside and peered across the tiny table at me. There was a mini succulent plant and a single votive between us, which wouldn’t leave much room for two plates when dinner arrived.
“Sure. That’s fine.”
Once our wine order was placed and the waiter had recited the evening’s specialties, we quietly perused the menu. I wasn’t one to let uncomfortable silences linger, but I was at a loss. I hadn’t planned on dining with Jake Westley by candlelight tonight. I’d counted on that damn dog to keep things casual and lighthearted. When the waiter returned with the bottle Jake ordered, I watched as he swirled, sniffed, and tasted before declaring the wine worthy. I rolled my eyes once my glass was full. Jake laughed and held his up in a toast.
“Wine should be taken seriously. There’s nothing worse than drinking crap you pay a lot of money for. Cheers.” He clinked his glass against mine and took a long sip. An almost blissful expression crossed his face, indicating the wine he’d ordered was indeed not crap. I took a small sip and felt my shoulders relax slightly. I wasn’t picky about my wine, but even I could tell this was quality stuff.
“You’re into wine?”
“Yes. I love it. I should have been a vintner.” He chuckled lightly and set his glass down.
“How’d you become a firefighter? It’s been a while, but I thought you were going into finance, like your
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