Against the Odds

Chapter 10

Harry is standing in front of the Lincoln when I exit the tower. The water in the flower vase ebbs and flows as I walk toward the Towncar. Please don't spill.

"Let me help you with that Miss Sterling." Harry reaches for the vase and brings it around to the trunk. I hope he doesn't squish the flowers. I observe carefully as he places the arrangement in the trunk. It seems to fit perfectly. Harry opens the passenger door for me and I slide inside.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Sterling." Harry adjusts his rear-view mirror. "Mr. Carlisle has made reservations at L'amour. He should already be there when we arrive." I nod.

The drive to the restaurant was quick, I could've walked there in fifteen minutes. Although with the vase I would have shown up looking like I just won a wet t-shirt contest. Harry opens the door for me and I get out.

There's a large chalkboard menu propped up beside the hostess stand. I can't read a single thing on it, except the word baguette. I quickly grab lipstick from my purse and reapply one more time for good measure.

"Do you have a reservation ma'am?" the hostess asks as she punches something into an iPad screen.

"I'm meeting someone here," I say quietly. "Mr. Hunter Carlisle."

The hostess' head jerks up immediately and she smiles. "Miss Sterling, of course. Please follow me."

The restaurant is intimate, with dim lighting and European décor. Each table is covered in a red and white checkered tablecloth and a white overlay. The hostess leads me down the restaurant and through a set of swinging doors. Where is she taking me? We enter a private room. Hunter stands up from behind a large old-fashioned walnut table.

"Thank you, Claudia," Hunter says to the hostess. Claudia nods and disappears. Hunter walks around the table and pulls out the black Parsons chair.

"Thanks," I mutter as I sit down. Hunter runs his hand through my hair before taking his seat, my body shivers at his touch.

"I'm very glad you could join me tonight, Lilah." He speaks eloquently and slowly, drawing my eyes to his lips like a black hole. 

A waiter enters the room with a bottle of wine, Hunter nods after tasting it, and the waiter pours us both a glass and leaves silently. Hunter raises his glass by the stem. "To your new job." We clink and both drink. The soothing taste of red wine relaxes my body.

"Thanks again for the flowers, Hunter. It was a really nice surprise."

Hunter studies my face as I swirl my wine around nervously. "How was the rest of your day?"

"It was fine, nothing too exciting happened," I sigh. "Although, I met my boss. She didn't really seem to like me."

Hunter's jaw tightens slightly. "Did she say something?"

My eyes soften. "No, nothing like that. She just has an... Ice Queen vibe about her."

Hunter laughs as if I made a joke I'm not privy to. "Why is that funny?" I ask, confused.

"What made you decide to go into Marketing?" Hunter asks, avoiding my question.

I narrow my eyes in frustration. "I was debating between Marketing and English, but my mother said she wouldn't pay my tuition for a degree that would result in zero job offers."

The waiter approaches our table with two thin bowls of green soup in hand. I look at the waiter as he places the bowl down in front of me. "Potage aux Legumes to start," he states.

I shift my perplexed gaze towards Hunter.

"It's a green vegetable soup. Very popular," he clarifies. "There is a set menu for this evening, the chef's specials."