Valente

The Meet

...

Spring has always been my favourite time of year. Everything is new, growing, thriving. Walking along the trail leading up to my final examination before finishing law school, I thought only about spring. I would be graduating in a few days (granted I pass this exam) and all I could think about was how spring meant new beginnings. I was ready for a new beginning and something about this day felt new.

...

"Gia, where is all the wine?" my best friend Katrina yelled from the kitchen. I swear that woman is borderline alcoholic at this point.

"You finished the whole bottle last night, I never got to go to the store my exam ran late this morning" I finished clasping my high heel and walked over to her. "We don't have time for this, the Dean's celebratory dinner started already, let's go" I pulled Katrina out the door and locked it behind her.

"I don't understand why graduating with honours means we have to attend this stupid dinner anyways; shouldn't they not torture their brightest stars" she complains as we walk down the poorly lit sidewalk to the dean's office building.

"Katrina, all of the Universities benefactors will be here. It'll be a great opportunity for us to network, maybe get you a job?"

Katrina and I have been roommates since our first day of law school and best friend's since we were children. Both of us graduating at the top of our class earned us an invite to one of the most elite dinners of the school year. I have already secured a spot with one of the top law firms in Toronto, Canada starting in a few months but Katrina refuses to even try.

"Maybe I don't want a job" we arrived at the front doors and I sighed. "Just try to network, okay?" she stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed.

...

"Ah, Gianna Gravino! Come, let me introduce you to some of our benefactors" Dean Parsely said. He looped his arm in mine and pulled me away from the table where Katrina was currently stuffing her face with mini quiches. He led me up to a group of some very old looking people. "Everyone, I would like you to meet our newest graduate Gianna. She graduated top of her class and will be joining Vicasso & Vicasso law firm in Toronto in the fall! Unless one of you want's to offer her a better salary" the dean laughed, and I smiled. It wasn't the salary that made me choose Vicasso & Vicasso law firm, but they didn't need to know. "Gianna, this is Vanessa Barone, partner at Barone & Kusha law firm. This here is my good friend, Ricardo Frambini, he owns two law firms right here in NYC." I shook all of their hands and smiled.

"Dinner is served!" a waiter announced as everyone went to take their seats at the long dining table. Place cards sat in front of every seat and I searched for mine. I noticed Katrina flagging me down and I hurried over. Thankfully, we were placed next to each other. As everyone took their seats I noticed the one across from me was empty. I looked around the room to find one man standing in the corner on the phone. His back was turned to us but from what I could tell her had a rather large demeanor. He seemed to be angry with whoever he was talking to as I could slightly hear his tone from across the large room. He hung up and threw his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose. For some reason, I knew that whoever made this man mad must have had a death wish.

I don't know why I was staring at him; I'll blame it on the fact that he was most definitely supposed to be sitting in front of me and I felt rude to eat when not everyone was at the table. But as he began to turn around, I wished I hadn't been staring. He locked eyes with me the moment he turned, and I felt the room slow. His blue eyes stared back at me and the expression of anger that was once on his face softened.

I broke eye contact as I decided to commit every inch of this beautiful man to memory. Brown curly hair sat atop his head and it looked to be tousled, like had ran his fingers through it a few too many times today. He looked to be in his late twenties. He had broad shoulders and looked to be well over 6 feet tall. He had firm but plump lips that slowly pulled back into a smirk. I looked back up to his eyes and sure enough he was smirking at me. Oh no, he knows I'm checking him out. I quickly broke eye contact and looked down at the dinner in front of me.

"Ahem, um yes well, Mr. Valente, if you would like to join us, we can get started." The Dean spoke in a nervous tone that I had never heard him use before. Nervous? This is your dinner party. The tall man strode over to take his seat in front of me. As he sat down I looked over at Katrina who looked like she was in awe. She looked at me and mouthed "oh my lord". Who is this guy? The man now sitting in front of me looked directly at me, seemingly caught off guard. Oh no, did I say that out loud?

"and who, exactly, might you be?"