Coffee in Common (20 page)

Her main course would be
Pollo in Porchetta
, chicken stuffed with ham, bacon, and herbs while Paul would enjoy
Stufato Manzo e Funghi
, a thick beef and mushroom stew prepared with garlic and white wine. Both dishes would be accompanied by
Spinaci alla Fiorentina
, spinach sautéed with olive oil and garlic, and
Risotto all'Uva e Chianti Rufina
, rice sautéed with onion, butter, and red wine, then mixed with parmesan cheese and ripe red grapes.

They each opted for a simple garden salad and shared a smile when they discovered they'd both selected the same dessert,
Zuccotto
, a rich cake made with chopped toasted almonds and hazelnuts, cognac, maraschino liqueur, Cointreau, semi-sweet chocolate, and whipped cream.

"Shall we order?" Paul reached for the button.

They had been sipping the champagne and Paul found the bottle getting low as he refilled their glasses. "Would you care for some red wine with dinner?" he asked, picking up the wine list.

There was a knock on the door and Gino entered. After taking their orders he said, "Wonderful selections, wonderful! I think you will be quite pleased…" A look of rapture came over him. "…especially when the
Zuccotto
arrives. Be sure to save room for it."

Both assured him they would.

"Would you prefer your salads before the main course or after?"

"When would it be served in Italy?" Paul asked.

"Almost always after."

Paul glanced at Jillian who nodded her approval. "After then, please. And would you also bring us a bottle of the ‘96
Ruffino Chianti Classico
?"

Gino's eyebrows shot up in appreciation of the choice. "Of course. It is an excellent wine! You will find it perfectly compliments the meals you've selected."

He excused himself and retired to place their order.

When the doors had closed, Jillian asked, "Are you a wine aficionado or just a lucky guesser?"

She hadn't thought the question all that funny, but Paul, who had been taking a sip of his champagne, had to choke back his laughter so he wouldn't completely spit out the bubbly liquid. Then Jillian couldn't contain her own soft laugh as she watched him blotting the drops of wine dripping down his chin.

"So suave, so sophisticated," she teased.

With his mouth and chin free of wine, Paul glared and grinned. "I am so going to get you back for that."

Jillian threw him a sassy
oh see how frightened I am
look, then touched his hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to be funny. I really
was
curious if you knew a lot about wines or just happened to pick a good one."

The glare softened but the grin remained. "I know a little about wines, but mostly I like to drink them. All that ‘nose' and ‘legs' and ‘finish' and stuff doesn't really interest me. The tastes interest me. I can usually tell the difference between a good wine and a cheap wine, but for the life of me I can't tell you what flavors I'm supposed to be tasting." He raised his hands, palms up, and shrugged. "I guess I'll never be much of a wine snob."

They kept the conversation light and filled with humor until the arrival of the wine and their first course detoured their attention back to the food.

The appetizers were delicious and they found themselves sharing commentary and bites - either one feeding the other or simply reaching into the other's plate with a fork - as naturally and effortlessly as if they'd been doing it for years.

The soup, too, was marvelous and they both drained their bowls, using small pieces of bread to sop up the last drops.

Jillian set down her spoon and glanced at her watch. Eight-twenty! How could the time have flown by so quickly? She told Paul she had to powder her nose and he rose as she did. She suppressed a smile at the old-fashioned courtesy and wondered if he'd be so gallant the next time they went out. As she opened the door to the room, she realized what she had been thinking.

The next time? I'm already wondering about the next time? Will he even want there to
be
a next time?

She entered the ladies room and sat on one of the cushioned chairs. Removing her cell phone from her purse, she dialed Liz and could hardly contain herself when she answered.

"Girl, you will not believe where I am. Casa de Luna. He picked me up in a limo and took me to Case de Luna."

"No way. On your first date? That place costs a fortune! Either this guy has a serious problem or he really, really likes you. Or maybe that
is
his problem."

"Ha ha ha. You're
sooo
funny.

"Oh Lizzie, it's so beautiful. It's almost like being in Italy. And get this, we have a private dining room."

"A private…"

"And he's been so charming and funny and sweet. And the food is unbelievable." She paused. "Lizzie…"

"What?"

"I, ahh, I think I'm glad I shaved my legs."

"Hold on girl. It's way too early to be thinking like that. It's only eight-thirty. Anything can happen and…"

"I know, I know, but I can't help it. It keeps getting better and better."

"You be careful girl. Just because he drops a pile of cash on you doesn't mean he's worth dropping your pants for."

"Hah. You're one to talk. Need I remind you about a certain blond Adonis named Timothy?"

"Okay, point taken. But seriously, Jilli, don't rush into anything. Don't let him hurt you. You've had enough hurt for…"

"I'll be careful. I promise. But I have to get back. I'm sitting in the ladies room and I haven't even peed yet."

8:30 PM

With a well-practiced smoothness, Liz's thumb released the
END
button and speed-dialed Jenna. On the second ring, she heard, "Hello?"

"Hey! I expected voicemail. I thought you and Roy were going to a movie tonight."

"We were, but he's sick. He didn't even show up at work today. What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Kevin had to work a double tonight."

"Bummer. You want to do something?"

"Sure. Beats sitting around thinking about Jillian and… Oh! You will not believe where coffee boy took Jilli tonight!"

"Where?"

"Casa de Luna."

"No way!"

"That's what she told me not five minutes ago. She called me from the ladies room and told me he picked her up in a limo and they were in a private dining room at Casa de Luna."

"Holy crap. Is this guy rich or something? But that is
soooo
romantic. Casa de Luna." Jenna grunted. "Looks like coffee boy's getting laid tonight."

"Don't laugh. She told me she was glad she shaved her legs." Her voice became serious. "But I'm worried about her. She's had such a run of bad luck with men since college. I don't want her to jump into something with this guy and end up hurt again. Especially after what happened last night." She paused for a second and sighed. "I think she feels really bad about spying on him and everything. I hope she won't end up sleeping with him because she thinks she owes it to him or to make up for some guilt."

"Jillian's not like that."

"Not usually, but something is different with this guy. I mean, she hadn't even gone out with him and she was crying over him last night. Whatever
is
going on, I…well, I hope this guy isn't playing her."

"I know, I know…but there's not much we can do about it now. So what do you want to do tonight?"

They'd run through several options when Jenna said, "Hey, you know I talked with Holly a while ago and she told me she and Jamal, and Gloria and Chuck were going for drinks and dancing to some new place Chuck found. She asked me and Roy to go, too, but with Roy sick, I didn't want to go alone. What do you think?"

"Drinks and dancing. That sounds like fun. Sure, why not. Where is this place?"

"I don't know. I'll call Holly after we hang up and find out where it is and what time everyone's meeting there."

"Any idea what it's like so I'll know what to wear?"

"All I know is that it's supposed to be dark and romantic. I'm thinking maybe my blue pantsuit. Or…oh!." She started laughing. "I have a great idea! Do you still have that suit you bought for the costume party last Halloween?"

"Sure, I have the whole outfit."

"Excellent! How ‘bout I dress up all slutty and you dress up all butch and I'll be your girlfriend for the night?"

8:35 PM

As she returned from the ladies room, Jillian realized heads were turning to follow her. It made her feel both sexy and self-conscious.

I wonder if he'd be jealous if he saw all these guys checking me out?

Her self-consciousness vanished as she reentered the alcove to Paul's appreciative gaze. She could see the wonder in his eyes…and something else…hunger. Hunger for her. A thrill ran through her as she imagined what he must be thinking.

Oh yes, he'd be jealous.

The thought pleased her.

Paul jumped up to hold her chair. As he returned to his seat, his finger trailed lightly across the back of her neck and shoulder, sending a shiver of excitement down her spine.

Liz was right. I have to be careful.

"You were going to tell me about Rob and Lisa."

Paul began the saga of Rob and Lisa, from how they'd met to his talk with Rob Wednesday night, and of the surprise blind date.

"That was why I called so late. I was ready to leave when the girls showed up. I really didn't want to stay, but I couldn't abandon him. And I kind of felt sorry for Marianne. If I had gone home, she would have been the third wheel. She was pretty cool, though. She told me she knew right away I was her babysitter and once we both realized there were no expectations on either side, we had an okay time."

"Just okay?" she asked, surprised to feel a slight, green twinge.

"Just okay. She's a cop in Seattle, and had some really good stories to tell, but she knew my head was somewhere else. She even asked me who I'd been thinking about all night. I guess she really is good at her job."

"So who were you thinking about."

"Some girl I met in a coffee shop. Some girl who played me like a violin, broke my heart, and then gave me a reprieve a few seconds later."

The green became guilt at how she had treated him that morning.

"Why did you, by the way? You were walking away. Why did you tell me where you'd be for lunch?"

"It was the look on your face. When I said goodbye and started walking by you, I saw your face and I knew it wasn't the look of a player who hadn't scored. You looked like a wounded puppy." She saw the color rise in his cheeks. "And I guess I decided if meeting me was that important to you, I should at least give you a chance."

A knock signaled the arrival of the pasta and main course but Paul's eyes remained fixed on her. "I'm really glad you did."

He was rewarded by a shy smile. "Me, too."

They attacked their meals with gusto, once again sharing and stealing bits and bites. After Rob and Lisa, their conversation remained light, but focused on learning about each other. In between morsels, they explored likes and dislikes. They discovered they both preferred baseball to other sports, shared a strong distaste for Brussels sprouts, and dreamed of one day, living in the country.

"Yellow, Cherry Garcia,
The Godfather
,
Claire de Lune
, shower, and Italian cold cuts with everything and extra hot peppers," Paul said in answer to Jillian's asking his favorite color, ice cream flavor, old movie, song, bathing preference, and sandwich. "And you?"

"Red, Heath Bar Crunch,
Groundhog Day
,
Always and Forever
, 80/20 shower, and grilled pastrami on dark rye with American cheese and dark-brown mustard."

"Mmmm." Paul regarded her with imaginative eyes. "Yes, you'd look good in red. Really good. I can see you sitting on a sofa next to me wearing a red dress, eating Heath Bar Crunch ice cream while we watch
Groundhog Day
.

"Yes indeed, but, oops, you have a little ice cream right here." He reached over and caressed the corner of her mouth with his finger, trailing it along the bottom of her lower lip.

She almost gave in to an impulse to grab his hand and hold it to her cheek, but was saved by the knock that presaged the arrival of their salad.

Get a grip girl! You shouldn't even think like that on a first date.

Both had thoroughly enjoyed, but only half eaten their dinners. Each was uncertain where this date was going or how it would end, but neither wanted to chance feeling bloated and lethargic from overeating, no matter how good the food.

They picked at their salads as they traded stories of their high school and college years. Although they felt comfortable together, comfortable enough to confide, to confess, to share their most intimate thoughts, they each held back a little, sensing it was too soon.

When coffee and dessert arrived, they found their fingers intertwined, although neither remembered actually taking the other's hand.

"Oh my!"

Paul watched Jillian's eyes slowly close as the sinful flavors of the
Zuccotto
blended in her mouth for the first time.

Whoa! I wouldn't have believed it possible that she could look lovelier than she has all night, but look at her enjoying that first bite! I wonder how much more beautiful she'd look stretched out in bed, in the middle of a giant…Stop it. You're getting yourself all worked up and it's way too early for that. Just eat your dessert.

At his first taste of the rich cake, he understood her rapture.

Slowly, respectfully, they savored each bite as a silent homage to the genius who created the masterpiece. Jillian finished first and felt a loss that could only be assuaged by reaching over and stealing a forkful from Paul's plate.

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, but it's sooo good and mine is all gone and I just
had
to have one more bite."

He understood and told her so. He took another bite then offered her the last luscious nibble. She started to refuse, but he brought the fork back, gently kissed the sweet confection and offered it again.