Chapter 10
“Thank you, darling,” she said.
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Tony’s was a good place for spotting political figures, and Selina and I went there often, so my arrival didn’t create much of a stir. Several people did find a reason to walk by our table, and I ended up shaking a few hands.
Selina was in her element, and when a friend of hers stopped by for a little small talk, I took a moment to look out the window and realized we weren’t across the street from the gallery where Iris had been working the day before.
“Arthur?”
I saw Selina’s friend had left and my fiancé was staring at me.
“Sorry,” I said with a smile. “What was that?”
“I asked if you had any preferences regarding the catering.”
“We’ll be using my personal chef. I’ve told him to present me with a menu, and I imagine he’ll have preferences about the wait
staff.”
“I’m assuming we’ll be having an open bar,” she said.
“Naturally.”
The waiter came up with our food, which I only vaguely remembered ordering.
“What shall we have for our first dance?” she asked me, smiling coquettishly, which I found annoying.
“Considering this is a business arrangement, there’s no need to flirt with me.”
She pouted. “Maybe I want to flirt and you just happen to be there.”
I chuckled. “Maybe.”
We nailed down a few more details, deciding on a live band instead of a DJ and debating cake flavors. Selina excused herself to the ladies‘ room, and I went back to looking out the window.
I didn’t even why I kept staring. But as soon as Iris emerged from the gallery, I realized whom I was expecting to see. To my surprise, she rushed into the restaurant. She didn’t see me, but I could hear as she went to the hostess’s stand and made a
reservation for the evening
I
“We’re celebrating children’s birthdays tonight,” I heard her say. “We’ll need a table for five.”
So, Iris was having dinner with her family, and the image that sprang to my mind filled me with envy. I saw her leave the restaurant with a wide smile on her face, and my envy turned sharply into jealousy.
I went to the hostess’s stand and asked for the owner, whose name was Frank, not Tony. He came up to the stand and asked how
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he could be of help.
“I’d like to book the restaurant for tonight,” I said.
“Certainly, Alpha President Table for how many?”
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“Not a table, the whole restaurant,” I explained. “You’ll need to cancel whatever other reservations you have.”
He looked like he wanted to object, but instead he just nodded and conveyed instructions to the hostess. I knew he was thinking
that hosting an event for the Alpha President would be great for his business.
I squashed a niggle of discomfort. I didn’t usually play my Alpha President card for something as trivial as a reservation. In fact, I
was aware that spoiling Iris’s plans was more than a little childish. I was about to tell Frank to forget it if it were too difficult
when my phone rang.
When I saw Jose’s name on the screen, I held up a finger to the owner and stepped aside to answer.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Sir, Iris Plano and Brian Eldridge are not in a romantic relationship. In fact, he’s married to a man named Liam Cartier, and the two children are theirs through a surrogate. The family lives in Bo’Arrocon and has for many years.”
“I see. It seems likely Iris has been living in Bo’Arrocon as well.”
“It would explain why I’ve been unable to find her, sir.”
“Good work, Jose.”
“Thank you, sir.”
I ended the call and went back to the owner, who told me it looked like I’d just heard some good news.
“Yes, Frank. In fact, I’ve had a change of plans. I don’t need to book the restaurant, but if you would, I’d like a reservation for a
table.”
“For how many, sir?”
“Just one.”
