Chapter 9

I devoured a crisp salad and moved on to the sandwich I had made from the plethora of ingredients in the refrigerator. I tried to utilize the items that would go bad first to cause less waste. While enjoying my lunch, I thought to myself, I'm going to gain a few pounds if I continue to eat like this, not that I couldn't stand to put on a little extra weight anyway. The fresh items only elevated the flavor of the club sandwich. I washed and rinsed my dishes and set them on a towel to dry.

I didn't know what I should do in the meantime; James was definitely resting, especially at this time of day. I decided to unpack my bag. I wasn't sure where I was allowed to venture, and I didn't want to anger anyone by intruding. I placed what few clothes I had in the drawers and put my books on the nightstand. I tidied up my space and organized the room, making it truly my own. There were still about four hours left until sunset; I was tired but feared where my mind would take me if I laid down again.

I wandered around aimlessly, exploring the different rooms of this wing. There was a massive sitting room and library when you immediately entered the wing. Followed by a large kitchen and dining room, there were four guest rooms and two bathrooms. Mine was the closest to the first bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. Following the other rooms, a large living space opened out of the hallway. The runner divided the living room before leading to the master bedroom. All the rooms were spacious and decorated eloquently. The Victorian furniture was old but maintained so well that they still seemed new. This entire place was breathtaking. 

The library, of course, was my favorite part. There were so many novels, many of which I had never even heard of. The books were old; the majority were first editions. One, in particular, piqued my interest; the spine was especially worn, and I found it resting on the end table, in between the two chairs near the fireplace. It wasn't the title that intrigued me per se. Instead, I was curious because James was obviously reading it. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

I loved the author's voice and her ability to draw me into the scenes. I was a fly on the wall, so to speak, with her descriptive language. I had lost myself in the story and felt a connection with Jane. I wished that I had half her courage. I was interrupted by the sound of James clearing his throat. "Evening.", he said coolly as my eyes met his gaze. " How long have you been standing there?", I asked, too enveloped in the story; I hadn't been aware of my surroundings for quite some time.

"Not too long.", he said, "I thought you might like to join me for dinner, perhaps ask your questions. Maybe get to know each other a bit more." "I'd be honored, but I don't really have any clothes to wear out.", I replied as I looked down at my sundress. It was the nicest thing I owned, as far as clothing went, but it wasn't suitable for freezing winter evenings. He paused for a moment, looking me over, "I'll be back in a moment." He turned around and walked down the hall.

He returned holding a garment bag. I sat the book down and approached him, taking the clothes from him I said, "Thank you." He smiled, "The reservation is in an hour." I headed to my room and opened the bag. There was an entire styled outfit in the bag. I removed my dress and changed into high-waisted skinny jeans and a long-sleeved cream-colored shirt. After I tucked the shirt in, I put on the belt and fastened it. Lastly, there was a chocolatey brown knee-length double-breasted peacoat with a large lapel collar. I looked myself over in the full-length mirror, making a few minor adjustments, and headed out my door.

James held a pair of boots in his hand; they were the same chocolatey color as my coat. Sliding my feet into them, they reached my mid-calf. With that, I was ready to go. I took James' arm as he led me out of our wing. As we walked down the winding staircase, I made a mental note of the questions I wanted to ask. When we walked outside only my exposed face felt the sting from the winter air. We traversed the courtyard in comfortable silence. As we came to the edge, a sleek black town car pulled up to the curb. James opened the door for me and led me into the car, his hand resting gently on the small of my back.

"Modesto Trattoria.", James told the driver as he climbed into the back of the vehicle with me. The driver took off after giving James a nod. James reached for my hand, interlocking our fingers together, his piercing red eyes met mine. He let out a smirk, "It's our first date," I nodded in agreement and a smile briefly appeared on my face.

We arrived at the restaurant shortly, and the driver exited the car and opened the back door for James and I. James stepped out first. Before extending his hand to help me out, he retrieved something from the front passenger side. Keeping his right hand hidden, he reached out for me with his left. Upon leaving the car, I was gifted a single rose, lavender in color. It was beautifully wrapped in a delicate, sheer, creamy fabric with a small purple ribbon.

We walked into the restaurant at 7:30, and were greeted by the host. She took our coats and handed them off to a red-headed gentleman who whisked them away immediately. "Follow me.", she said, leading us through the building. To my surprise all of the other tables were empty. The room was eerily quiet. She turned back to us and gave us a warm smile before extending her arm to a small clothed round table, "Here you are."

James pulled out the first chair and guided me into it, before seating himself across from me. He smiled, "I bought the place out for tonight." Answering the question before I could even ask. He waved his fingers, beckoning our waiter over. He came quickly, a wine list in hand, and presented it to the table. "I'm too young.", I blushed. He nodded, "Sparkling or still?", he asked. I looked at James, confusion spread across my face. "Both.", James stated; the waiter nodded before leaving us. "I'm sorry.", I said, embarrassment crept up from my chest and onto my face. I buried my chin into my chest, "I'm not used to all this." He grabbed my nervous hands and pulled them toward the center of the table. "You have nothing to apologize for."

The server came back a few moments later with my drinks. The bubbly one was served in a flute glass, and the other liquid in a chalice looked like plain water. The embarrassing feeling returned. The server explained that he would return shortly, but my humiliation blocked my ears from hearing him clearly. I looked at James dejectedly, "I didn't know he meant water." He let out a comforting chuckle, " Don't worry, you'll get acquainted with this in no time."

"So.", he probed, "I had an idea for tonight. I know you have your questions, but in order for us to become acquainted, I thought we could take turns." He paused to read my facial expression, "I was thinking that you could ask two questions: one about the situation, then one about me. Of course, then I get to ask a question of you afterwards." "That sounds fair.", I chimed in. "Rules, to make it more interesting; first, our answers have to be honest; second, we each get one free pass; lastly, if we use our pass and refuse to answer a question, there will be a consequence." I thought momentarily, digesting the rules, "What kind of consequence? " "Hmm.", he pondered. "A dare with a 24-hour time limit.", his red eyes seemed to glow brighter upon making his statement.

We were interrupted briefly as the waiter returned carrying a silver tray. He placed a bowl of soup and a spoon in front of me and declared, "Sugar baby watermelon and heirloom tomato gazpacho.", before turning to leave. "Well?", James asked, eagerly awaiting my response. I took a bite of my soup, I forced myself to swallow, why was it cold? I slid the bowl to the side. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't my cup of tea. "Deal.", I said. The odds were in my favor, and it's not like I had anything to lose. He smirked, confidently, his red eyes gleamed. I gulped deeply, feeling timid, after I saw the demeanor of his eyes change so rapidly after hearing my reply.