Chapter 23

I knew we were going to be dining in a higher-class restaurant than I had ever been in, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Danielle once again had her arm hooked around mine, and even though it looked like we both knew where we were going, she did all the driving.

A man in a tux greeted us. “Mrs. Stone, welcome back to the Vivre,” he said smiling at Danielle. Then he looked at me and something in this smile simply vanished. He was still smiling, but it didn’t have the same warmth. “And who is this?”

Danielle squeezed my arm and looked up at me. “This is my very special friend, Seth.” She looked at the man in the tux again, “Unfortunately, Paul, I’m having problems at home and he’s been a big help.”

Paul’ smile faded a touch when he looked at Danielle. “Is everything alright?”

He didn’t mean that. I had seen expressions like his before. He looked sympathetic, but he just wanted some juicy bit of news to share with his friends. I wanted to warn Danielle. If he told anyone what she was going to do, the news might get back to Roger before she set her plan into motion - whatever she had planned.

Danielle must have understood that already, because she said, “It’s nothing to worry about Paul.” Then she looked past him. “Is Jana here tonight?”

The disappointment in his face evaporated. “Of course,” he said. “Let me show you to your table and I will let her know you’re here.”

Danielle smiled and Paul led the way.

The Vivre was more than just a single room, but it looked like the other rooms were closed off for special venues. The main dining area had a couple of dozen tables, each with white table cloths that draped to the floor, plates with a folded napkin on each that stood up in a crinkled pattern, crystal clear wine glasses, and more silverware than I knew what to do with. There were four arm chairs to each table with wood frames and plush red velvet backs and seats. The floors were dark marble with a diamond pattern running the length and breadth of the room. Huge windows gave us a view of the city lights just outside and were framed by white curtains and red drapes to match the chairs and dining tables. I must have looked like a fish out of water and caught myself with my mouth open in awe.

Less than half of the tables were occupied, and most of those occupants were women. We drew close to one table with two women sitting and talking. As we passed them, they stopped talking and turned to look our way. I could have been mistaken, but it looked like they were watching me and the expressions on their faces wasn’t simple curiosity or even the haughtiness of spotting someone who didn’t belong. They looked a lot like they had the same hunger Danielle and Jordan had exhibited right before they jumped me.

I turned to look around the rest of the room. The last thing I needed, or really wanted, was for two more women to push themselves on me, whether from their own cravings or some inexplicable power.

Paul stopped next to a table not too far from the two women and pulled one of the chairs back for Danielle. She sat down and I took the seat to her right. Paul set two menus on the table for us, glancing at me with a mix of curiosity and something else, and walked away.

When he was out of sight, I turned to Danielle. “He really wanted to know what happened.”

She shrugged. “I know. Most of the staff here are all a bunch of nosey rumor-mongers, but they’re good people.”

“What about Jana?” I asked.

Danielle shook her head. “No, Jana could care less as long as it doesn’t affect the hotel or restaurant.” I nodded, relieved to hear that.

A waiter stopped at our table. He didn’t look much older than me and wore a uniform that looked like a tux without the jacket. “I’m William and I’ll be your server this evening.” He looked at Danielle. From his point of view, her dress probably showed off a fair amount of cleavage. I watched his eyes dart to her creamy expanse and up again. “What can I get you to drink?”

I sat there staring at him, feeling a touch of anger boiling up inside me. I didn’t like him looking at Danielle like that, not at all. I realized I had my hands balled up into fists. I blinked, relaxed my hands, took a deep breath, and let it out. I had to calm down. The last thing we needed was for me to make a scene in her friend’s restaurant.

Danielle smiled up at William. “I’ll have a glass of the house wine.”

I looked up when I realized neither of them were talking. They were both watching me. William looked almost bored and Danielle was patient. I don’t know what my face looked like, but William seemed oblivious to my reaction. My heart beat finally calmed, and I cleared my throat. “I’ll just have a glass of iced tea.”

William stared at me for a second before he nodded and wrote it down. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your orders,” he said and walked away. I watched him go, fighting off anger over the way he looked at Danielle and his subtle jeer at me.

Danielle reached over into my lap and found my hand. “Seth? Are you okay?”

I blinked at her. She already had enough problems; she didn’t need me doing something stupid. She certainly didn’t need me protecting her from the way William looked at her. I nodded. “Yeah, just feeling a little out of place.”

She smiled softly. “Yeah, I felt the same way the first time I ate here.” There was a touch of nostalgia in her voice, but then her smile fell and her hand squeezed mine. “And that was with Roger,” she added.

I attempted to turn my chair in her direction, but the weight made it difficult. I held her hand with both of mine. “He’s not here right now. He can’t hurt you.”

She looked at me and smiled, her hand squeezing mine in return. “No, he’s not, and you’re not out of place. You’re right where I need you to be.”

That fluttery feeling in my stomach returned and I smiled with her words.

Not long after that, a tall, slender brunette came out of the same doorway where Paul had disappeared. She wore a white blouse with a black tie, black skirt and black stockings that looked like they had some kind of floral pattern. She walked with an eager stride and a very happy expression. I was fairly sure her eyes were zeroed in on Danielle.

Danielle realized I had been watching someone and looked up. The pained aspects in her expression disappeared and her smile brightened considerably. I knew seeing her friend would cheer her up more than I could, and I couldn’t help smiling too, happy that she felt better.

The brunette walked up to our table with a big smile and her arms held out, offering a hug to her friend.

“Jana!” Danielle said with contained excitement. In an instant, she was out of her seat and hugging the taller woman.

More sedately, I stood up too. I didn’t want to interrupt them but I wanted to be on my feet when Danielle made the introductions. There was no telling what Paul had said, but I didn’t want any first impressions to be bad ones, especially with Danielle’s friend.

The redhead stepped back from their hug, beaming at her friend, and then she held out her hand toward me. I took it and she pulled me forward saying, “Jana, this is my very special friend, Seth Connors.” She turned to me and said, “Seth, this is Jana Perreira, manager of the Vivre, and a very good friend of mine.”

Jana held her hand out to shake and I was surprised by her strength. Anytime someone shook my hand like that, I knew they didn’t like me. I kept the smile on my face even though I didn’t want to. This was for Danielle. She needed her friends, even if we didn’t get along.

I helped Danielle with her chair and then went back to my own.

Jana sat in the chair next to Danielle and said, “Paul said something about problems at home?”

The glow in Danielle’s eyes faded a bit. “I’m leaving Roger.” She glanced at me and reached for my hand again. I let her have it and then looked up to meet Jana’s glare.

Danielle must have caught it too. “It’s not Seth’s fault. Roger brought this on himself.”

I looked at Danielle. “He should be in jail.”

Jana looked at Danielle too. “Jail?”

Danielle shook her head. “I don’t want to get the police involved.”

Jana tossed a glance at me. I could tell she wanted more of the story than she was getting. Honestly, I thought she should have it, but it was up to Danielle what to say and what not to. Jana’s expression softened when she looked at Danielle again. “Are you driving?”

I thought it was an odd question, but Danielle simply shook her head. “No, I’ve got a room upstairs.”

Jana nodded and looked around the room. She spotted our waiter and waved him over. “William, bring Danielle a scotch, on the house.”

He nodded and walked away.

Jana ignored me for the most part while they talked. Danielle, however, kept a death-like grip on my hand. She finished off the scotch William brought and Jana had him get her another. I had to admit that Danielle was relaxing and telling more and more of her story than she probably originally intended to. Jana probably knew this was the only way to get the redhead to open up with her problems about Roger. It only took less than ten minutes for Danielle to tell Jana enough for the brunette to be satisfied.

William returned with Danielle’s second scotch. Jana took it and set it in front of Danielle. “You drink that and order anything you want, on the house.”

Daniele started to shake her head no, but Jana grasped her other hand and said, “I insist. I know how egotistical that bastard is. He probably made you sign a pre-nup before you got married.”

Danielle looked up and then nodded.

Jana sighed. “Then you’ll need to save all the money you can. He’ll be forced to pay for your attorney, but you still have to live.” Then she looked at me. There was a mix of emotions in Jana’s face. The most prominent of which was concern for her friend. However, I could still see an underlying hatred being directed at me. Jana didn’t know me, so why the hostility?

Danielle downed her scotch and then caught the look on Jana’s face. She reached out for her friend. “Jana, no. Please. He has nothing to do with this.”

Jana pointedly looked at where the redhead was holding my hand, frowned, and then looked at the redhead. “You know how I feel.”

I was pretty sure she was talking about her own sexual preferences, and was expressing her reluctance to understand why Danielle had chosen to be with another man rather than her.

Danielle’s face softened and she reached up to rub Jana’s cheek. There was a lot of affection in that one delicate touch.

Jana’s eyes half closed with the contact. Her voice came across so soft I almost didn’t hear what she said. “I’ll take care of you, Danielle.”

Danielle blushed and withdrew her hand. “I know, but...” She looked at me. I could see her hunger, just under the surface and I worried briefly that she might do something if we didn’t get on with our meal and back up to the room.

Jana caught the way Danielle shifted her attention from her to me. For an instant, she glanced at me without any of the hostility or disgust she’d expressed so far. I didn’t know what the look meant and it didn’t last long enough for me to attempt to figure it out.

Danielle looked at her friend again and said, “Why don’t you come up for a night cap when you’re done tonight?”

Jana’s face softened but then she looked over at me. The hostility was back.

I considered the possibility of dissuading Jana’s hostility. I didn’t want my presence to cause a rift in their friendship. “I want the same thing you do, Jana.” Her eyes instantly narrowed and I went on. “I want Danielle to be safe and happy.”

She blinked and for another short minute, she looked surprised and then hopeful. I simply had no idea what she was thinking, but that quick flicker of hope had to be a good thing. She looked at Danielle again, her face solemn. “I’ll come up later to look in on you.”

Danielle’s head tilted to the side a bit while she studied her friend. “You can’t stay mad at the world, Jana. Yeah, there are some real bastards out there, like Roger, and Matt Edgewood.”

At the mention of the second name, Jana’s whole body went rigid and she closed her eyes. “You said you wouldn’t mention him.”

Danielle shook her head. “I never promised you anything like that. You need to get past your anger over him as much as I have to get away from Roger.”

Jana sat there fuming for a minute and then she looked at me. There was still some hostility in her look, but not as bad as before. I was willing to accept the change. It was more of an improvement than I had ever gotten at home. However, the smell of food in the air made my stomach rumble and I looked away in embarrassment.

Danielle said, “I think we should order. Neither of us have had much to eat today.”

Jana nodded, hugged Danielle, and said, “I’ll be up later for that night cap.” We both watched her get up and leave. When she reached the kitchen doorway, she stopped and looked back. From the expression on her face, I didn’t know if she was looking at Danielle or me.

Even though we both had menus to peruse, Danielle ordered for both of us. After William left, she looked at me and a tear formed at the corner of her eye. She blinked, trying to keep it from running and possibly ruining her makeup. “Lemme go fix this. I’ll be right back.”

I didn’t need to ask what was wrong. So many different emotions were running through her, she was being overwhelmed. I nodded and she slipped off toward the hotel.

For the first time since I met Jordan, I was alone. The world didn’t end and after a cursory glance, it didn’t look like anyone wanted to rape me. Maybe Jordan was wrong. Maybe it wasn’t true.

I sipped my tea and looked around the room. Like before, most of the other diners were focused on their meals or conversation. The two women I had seen watching me earlier were gone and nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.