Chapter 4: The Arrangement
The driver door opened and a man stepped out.
He walked around the car and stood in front of her. Nori blinked. This man was way more handsome than his profile picture. He was pale, but his strong jaw exuded masculinity. His black hair was on the longer side and he had it combed back neatly. He had to be at least 6'3, if not taller.
His broad shoulders flexed under his black blazer. Dark eyes rimmed with thick black eyelashes peered out from under strong eyebrows. His clean-shaven face spread into a tightlipped smile and Nori noticed he had dimples. Her heart did a swoop and she rallied herself.
“Are you Brad?”
“Yup,” Brad’s voice was rich and deep.
“You can call me Nori.”
Brad paused and raised an eyebrow, “Like the seaweed?” he asked. His face was humorless. His voice was stiff but his movements were graceful, calculated. Brad frowned and shifted.
Nori’s mind conjured an impression of a silverback gorilla in a tux and she giggled.
“Yeah, it’s a nickname and a long story,’ she said, and waved her hand. A moment passed between them.
Brad cleared his throat and said, “Let me get the door for you.”
When they were both in the car, Nori marveled at the car’s interior. There were buttons everywhere. The design was sleek and the car smelled new.
“Our reservations are at Chateau Feu,” he said. His eyes caught hers and her tummy did a little flip. Then she heard what he’d said.
"Chateau Feu?” she asked. She made very good money, but not enough to eat there. They only served the most rare, expensive delicacies.
“Is there something wrong?” he said.
“Uh, no,” she said hurriedly, “It’s just a little expensive.”
How could he afford such an expensive restaurant on an IT Tech salary?
“It’s nothing,” he said. The car pulled away from the curb and glided onto the road.
Nori was completely aware of Brad. His presence was everywhere. She could smell his cologne which tantalized her nose with a heady, fresh and slightly warm scent that made her slightly dizzy. An image of snowy pine trees and dark mountains formed behind her eyes and she had to blink a few times to come back to reality.
“So what do you do for fun?” he asked.
Nori’s face flushed and she waved her hand, “I’m currently expanding my horizons... Uh, where do you work?”
One of his eyebrows rose, “At Hilmark Logistics,” he said.
“Must be fun tinkering with computers and stuff,” Nori could feel sweat sprouting under her armpits.
Brad’s face darkened.
“Hate the things,” he said, “Can’t stand them. I prefer good old-fashioned paperwork.”
What did he just say? Nori swallowed and tried to save face, “Uh, yeah computers are overrated, give me a notepad and pencil any day.” Yikes, well this date was off to a stellar start. “Have you ever been to Chateau Feu before?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
The void stretched out before them and Nori covertly hyperventilated until they got into the city.
The restaurant glowed as they drove near, but the front parking lot that lined the street was packed. Brad pulled up under the awning, left the car running, and opened the car door for Nori. He offered his hand to help her step out. Nori’s skin ignited when she took it and felt a pleasant spark tickle her fingertips.
A valet took Brad’s keys and parked his car in the parking lot behind the restaurant. Brad held the door open for Nori and they stepped into the foyer.
A gorilla with manners, she mused.
The lighting inside was dim and big marble booths with cushions lined the dining area. Everything in this restaurant spoke of modernity and taste.
The hostess flashed a cosmetically whitened smile as they approached. Her breasts bulged out of a red cocktail dress and her hair was piled high and starched into a chignon. A white tag on her shoulder read, ‘Barbie.’
Nori straightened her dress, shifted, and glanced at the floor. The hostess gave Brad an appreciative scan as he said, “Holmes. Two.”
“Right this way sir,” she purred and motioned for them to follow. She led them past occupied tables and around a gigantic bamboo fountain with elegant lighting that gurgled softly and up some marble stairs to the next floor.
Barbie sat them at a booth near the towering French-style windows that looked out onto the lit streets. The booth had a lovely view of a small park.
“Gordon will be your server tonight, and should you need anything,” she paused and waited until Brad’s gaze met hers, “anything at all, just let me know.” He frowned and nodded.
“Uh-uh, yap we’ll do that,” Nori snapped.
Barbie’s eyes slid to Nori and the corners of her mouth turned up. She made a small noise in her throat and sashayed away from their booth.
A flood of shame ran through Nori and she started to distinctly regret her life choices. She was definitely going to kill Mindy when she got home. A busboy placed two glasses and a pitcher of lemon water on their table, poured some into each glass, then left.
Brad’s phone pinged and he pulled it out of his jacket pocket, his attention absorbed.
“You know it's rude to be on your phone in the company of others.”
“Work,” he grunted. He continued to type.
Nori opened the menu and scanned the entries. Her eyes bulged and she made a small choking noise.
“What now?” Brad’s fingers tapped a text, but he didn’t look up.
“Half the stuff on here cost more than my rent.”
“This is a four-star restaurant, all the five-star one’s were booked solid.”
Nori’s blood ran cold. Unease flooded her body and she reached for the lemon water.
“F-five-star?” she said and bile churned in her stomach. Why were they here? Was this some sort of ploy? Take a girl to a ridiculously overpriced restaurant, knowing that going Dutch won’t be an option. Maybe he expected her to be so grateful that she would be guilted into... certain things?
Brad paused his typing and lifted his eyes to hers, “If I’d known sooner, I’d have planned something more appropriate—”
“I don’t think this is—”
“Good evening, I’m Gordon your server tonight.”
Nori jumped as he spoke. Where the h*ll had he come from?
Gordon was short, hairy, and sweaty. His nose was red and his eyes were glazed. “What can I get you to drink?”
Brad paled as he registered Gordon’s nose and glassy eyes. He scooted farther into the booth and away from Gordon.
“Old fashioned, chilled, no ice.”
“And for you miss?”
“Uh, red wine?”
“We have an imported 2018 Bordeaux, a 2017 Proprietary Red from Napa Valley…” Gordon droned on and Nori’s heart rate skyrocketed with each new name she didn’t recognize.
Her stomach twisted and her cheeks flushed. Nori picked her wines at gas stations by the pretty pictures on the bottles, and she considered it a bonus if they tasted good.
“Uh the f-first one?”
“Excellent choice miss,” said Gordon swaying slightly, “I’ll have that right out.”
Brad was turning a slight shade of green and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there. He raised the lemon water to his mouth and took a gulp. Nori couldn’t bear the tension any longer.
“Look,” she said, “You seem like a nice guy and all but if you think that buying me things will guilt me into putting out then you’re barking up the wrong tree pal.”
Brad choked. He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face. His forehead creased and he coughed while Nori continued, “I just got out of a really long heart-stomping, life-wrecking relationship and I gotta take things slow—”
“Why would you say that?” he sputtered, “I thought you knew what this arrangement was about.”
The audacity stunned Nori and her mouth gaped like a fish as she scrambled for words.
“Arrangement?!” What arrangement? What do you take me for? I may be desperate but I’m not desperate enough to do that. I have standards, which are being exponentially redefined as we speak.”
She leaned over the table and fixed her gaze on Brad, “But hear me now,” she growled, “I will never NEVER spread my legs for a dollar. Especially not for you. Understand?”
She grabbed her purse and stood, “You pervert, who the h*ll do you think you are?”
Brad sat with his mouth in a frozen “O.”
He blinked his eyes and shook his head. He stood and ran after her.
“What? Wait—What the heck are you talking about?”
Nori marched through the aisle of booths and toward the stairs. Her skin burned from her toes to the roots of her hair. Her cheeks flamed and her fists clenched.
Brad caught up with her at the bottom of the staircase and grabbed her wrist, “Can you just wait a minute?”