"So, this is going to be our first stop?" Alex murmured, pulling the sleek white Lamborghini up to a bustling pier. His eyes scanned the crowded waterfront for a parking spot. Through the black-tinted window, Lily could make out the silhouettes of various boats, their masts piercing the inky night sky.
Parking the car with practiced ease, he climbed out and opened her door. "Follow me, beautiful," he said, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. Lily followed, her heart quickening. A few feet away, illuminated by the pier lights and the glow of the city beyond, she saw it: a magnificent, luxury yacht. A small dining table was set up on the deck, a single candle flickering softly in the center, casting a warm, inviting glow.
He grinned at Lily's stunned reaction, then gently took her hand, leading her up the gangplank onto the yacht. He pulled out one of the chairs for her, and she slid into the plush seat. He pushed her in gently before settling into his own across from her "This is amazing," Lily breathed, her gaze sweeping across the panoramic view of the sparkling city lights and the vast, dark ocean. "I've never been on a date this fancy." She chuckled shyly. "The fanciest date I've ever been on was Red Lobster, and he didn't even pay afterwards."
They shared a genuine laugh, the sound mingling with the soft lapping of waves against the hull. Lily picked up a napkin and placed it neatly on her lap just as the yacht began to glide smoothly away from the pier, moving further into the open water "Well," Alexander said, his grin widening in a way that made her heart do cartwheels, "I wanted to make the best first impression I possibly could."
Suddenly, a door leading from below deck swung open, and out walked a figure Lily instantly recognized – a celebrity chef she adored watching on Food Network "Ah, fabulous! You made it!" the man boomed, his voice carrying clearly over the gentle hum of the yacht. "I have a lovely dinner in store for the pair of you." Lily's jaw dropped. She stared, wide-eyed, at the man standing before her. She couldn't believe her eyes. How was this possible? He seemed a lot nicer in person than his TV persona suggested. "Are... are you... Gordon Ramsay?" she stammered, barely able to form the words.
Alex took a slow sip of his wine, watching her face, clearly amused by her stunned reaction.
Gordon Ramsay smiled, a genuine, if slightly intense, expression. "Yes, love, I am. And I have a stunning three-course dinner planned. Would you like to know what it is, darling?" Lily nodded her head so rapidly she felt dizzy. She couldn't believe this was reality. Gordon Ramsay, the notoriously fiery chef, was about to serve her a five-star meal on a yacht, of all places. In her wildest dreams, he'd be yelling at her, calling her a "dumb donut," not planning a decadent meal.
"Alright, love," he continued, rubbing his hands together with a satisfied smile. "For your first course, I have for you a juicy pan-fried sea trout with a peas & chorizo fricassée. Your second will be a fragrant spaghetti with seafood velouté. And last, a decadent strawberry & white chocolate millefeuille." Lily had no idea what any of those dishes truly were, but they sounded utterly delicious. "If you don't mind me asking," she ventured, unable to hold back her curiosity, "how did you get him to serve us this dinner tonight?"
Gordon Ramsay's face suddenly turned serious, a flicker of something dark passing through his eyes. "He promised he would put in a good word for me with the Big Guy," he said, his voice dropping to a low, almost conspiratorial tone. "I may enjoy working at Hell's Kitchen, but I don't want to work for the actual Devil for the rest of eternity after death."
For a split second, his gaze flickered to Alexander, then back to Lily. Lily's eyes immediately darted to Alex, but by the time she looked, his expression was perfectly neutral, betraying nothing. Gordon Ramsay let out an awkward, strained laugh, the moment of seriousness vanishing. "Just kidding, love, of course! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go get started on your meals." With that, he practically bolted back underneath the yacht, disappearing with surprising speed.
Lily raised an eyebrow, watching him practically run. She looked back at Alex, who simply offered a casual shrug.
"So," he asked, his smile returning, "am I making a good first impression?"
"I would say yes," Lily replied, a genuine warmth spreading through her. "Everything has been absolutely amazing, and the night has just started." She looked down at the beautiful cut of fish placed before her. It looked so exquisite, she almost didn't want to disturb it. Picking up a fork, she brought a small bite to her mouth, moaning softly at the incredible, complex flavor.
Alex smiled, digging into his own food. Throughout the dinner, they asked each other random questions, laughing at each other's "dumb" jokes. You'd think they'd have nothing in common, an angelic being and a human, but they discovered surprisingly similar tastes. For instance, they both loved to read to pass the time, and they both enjoyed comedy movies above all others.
Alexander knew, deep down, that he shouldn't be on this date. He should be maintaining his distance. But Lily was so genuinely nice and sweet. And she was incredibly intelligent; when she started talking about planets and stars, her whole face would light up, a true passion radiating from her. He found her intellect profoundly attractive; she wasn't just a pretty face, which he appreciated. He could hold genuine, stimulating conversations with her. His eyes drifted over her emerald dress. It was a tight fit, embracing her curves perfectly. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his thoughts veering into territory that was anything but angelic. It was going to be much, much harder to stay away from her when she looked this good.
He couldn't believe Gordon Ramsay had almost let slip their agreement. In exchange for this extravagant dinner, Alex had promised to put in a good word for the volatile chef with God himself. Alexander wasn't even sure if that would secure Ramsay a place in Heaven, considering how he regularly treated people, but a deal was a deal.
He was just immensely relieved Lily hadn't pressed for more details on the subject; no explanation he could offer would have sounded remotely real to a normal human. As they finished their incredible meal, Alex took her hand, leading her off the yacht. Their next destination awaited.
YOU ARE READING
Miracle
Storie d'amore***** Lily has always been a clumsy unlucky person all her life tripping over chords bumping into walls where a normal occurrence for her in her verily normal life but a traffic light falling on her head, was a whole new level of unluckyness who kne...
