Who Wants to Marry A Billionaire?(14)
They threaded out onto a little peninsula, and Nina could hear the water slapping at the shore. Wooden clapboard houses with interesting tilts and signs attesting to their age—1779, 1801, 1794—were jammed together like matches in a box. At the very end of the spit of land, she could see a dock with several fishing boats, and a lobster shack. Daniel rolled up to the little seafood shanty and cut the engine. He lifted his eyebrows at Nina, “Fresh lobster without a side of paparazzi?” Nina smiled back.
The tables on the tiny restaurant’s deck were old wood, polished from decades of people’s elbows, the seating just plain picnic style benches. It was close to closing time, so only a few customers lingered, sipping at draft beers and picking through their shells for the last tender morsels of crustacean.
A weathered, middle-aged waitress with a broad Massachusetts accent approached the table. She wore a polo shirt with a cartoon lobster logo embroidered over the pocket, faded jeans, and a small canvas apron. “Wicked nice out here tonight…what can I get you kids?”
Daniel hadn’t bothered to open a menu, “A small pitcher of whatever you have on draft, two lobsters, fries…some malt vinegar, and a side of fried clam strips.”
The waitress nodded as she jotted. “Be about fifteen minutes. You want the clams first?”
Feeling like she was back in her own element, Nina answered, “Yeah, clams first, thanks.”
The waitress made a note. “Tartar sauce or ketchup?”
This time Daniel answered, “Both.”
“Okay dolls, I’ll have your beer in just a minute.”
Daniel studied how at home Nina seemed to feel. “Your kind of place?” He took off his suit coat, unbuttoned his shirtsleeve cuffs and rolled them back.
Nina looked at him happily. “What’s not to like about beer and cholesterol?”
Loosening his tie, Daniel’s eyes swept over Nina, taking in how delightfully her breasts filled out the silk of her blouse. A button had come undone in the wind during the drive, and he could just catch a teeny glimpse of cleavage and a lacy bra. He bit his lip, pushing back the desire to see more.
The waitress smacked the pitcher down on the table with two frosted mugs, “Here ya go kids. Enjoy. Clams will be up any minute.”
Nina liked seeing Daniel loosening up. It was as if she’d stepped up to his world with her new car and clothes, and now he was stepping down to her world of cheap beer and small pleasures. It made her feel like getting through the next few months might not be so horrible if they could keep accommodating each other.
“I love this place.” Daniel poured the beer as he talked. “I can come and stare at the water and just feel like a normal guy.”
“Normal guys don’t wear bespoke suits.”
“I generally change first, but we had to make our getaway, so there was no time for that.” He winked and they clinked mugs. “I’m really sorry you had to go through all that. It never occurred to me that the hint of a new woman in my life would put the tabloids into fits. It’s only going to get worse from here.” He took a sip of beer, “But I hope you at least had a little fun shopping today? By the way, you look great. It’s perfect for the part.”
“Yeah, it was fun, and umm, I kind of hired a part-time stylist today.”
“Awesome, that’s nickel and dime stuff…it was on my list.”
Daniel licked a little beer foam from his lips and Nina thought he looked amazingly sexy. She tried to refocus on business. “I saw Elsa today.” Suddenly Nina was interrupted by a little paper boat of sizzling hot fried clam strips hitting the table between them.
“Tartar, ketchup, lemon juice…” a mound of little plastic packets appeared next to the clams, “You kids need anything else right now?”
“We’re good.” Then Daniel added, “Let’s wait a little bit before you put in the lobsters.”
“Just tell me when you’re ready, no problem.” As the waitress started to clear a nearby table, he added, “I know it’s near closing time, but I will definitely make it worth your while to stay late tonight, tell the kitchen I’ve got them covered too.”
“Sure thing doll.” She gave him a little quirk of a smile. “You seem trustworthy.”
Nina struggled to open one of the packets of tartar sauce gracefully, but the end of it refused to open. Daniel rolled his eyes and gave her a look of mock disbelief, “Don’t you know how to open one of those?” He grabbed it out of her hand, and tore the end of it with his teeth, squirting the sauce into one end of the container with the clams. He dipped a clam in and popped it into his mouth. “Delicious.” He dipped another clam strip into the tartar sauce and waved it in front of Nina, “Open up, your turn.” Nina dutifully opened her mouth. Daniel shook his head, “Wider! I need a better target.” She opened wider, and a clam came sailing in. They both started laughing as she chewed and swallowed.
“I’m not the guy the tabloids make me out to be Nina. I know I’ve done some dumb stuff, but if you want, we can have some fun while we’re closing this deal, and then you can get back to the life you want.”
Somehow the last part of Daniel’s statement made Nina feel disappointed. What life did she want? Working for the DeVere Foundation? Taking care of her dysfunctional family? Playing house with a billionaire playboy?