Bad Liar

Chapter Seven

Billie pulled up at a small Italian restaurant that she normally stopped at when she drove this way. During dinner, Billie kept the conversation completely neutral. She discussed her idol, Elizabeth Arden, who was also interred in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Buried under the name of Graham with only a simple foot plaque. No one would really know that there lies one of the first brilliant woman billionaires. Or at least that's what she would have been worth in today's money.

Quentin kept up with the conversation. He found it easy to talk with Billie and asked if she knew the spot where they buried the Ramones alive during the video Pet Sematary, and, of course, she did.

They covered just about everything except religion and politics because both knew better than to bring up such topics during a first date. The food was well prepared, and the owner seemed pleased to see Billie there, not dining alone.

Mama Bellini said this to Billie as she brought them some of her famous Tiramisu, on the house. Billie wanted to crawl under the table. "He's a handsome one, Bella," Mamma Bellini said with a wink at Quentin that made him grin.

The older woman walked back to her husband. "He better not hurt my Billie." Quentin heard Signore Bellini say when his wife passed him, earning him a playful slap on the arm by his wife.

"Leave them alone, Angelo. It is good to see our, Bella out and having some fun for once."

Senior Bellini just narrowed his eyes in distrust at Quentin, causing Quentin to shake his head. "How do you do that?" Quentin asked Billie after she took her first forkful of Tiramisu.

"Do what?" Billie mumbled her mouth still full. A bit of the creamy mascarpone filling caught at the corner.

"You got something right here," Quentin said pointing to his own lips.

Billie's tongue darted out to swipe it away, a simple movement that she thought nothing of until she could see Quentin's expression change to one of desire.

"Do what?" Billie asked again, wanting to steer them away from whatever it was that caused that look.

"Carlos, Mitch, Mr. Bellini. You have such loyal men surrounding you at all times."

"Oh that," Billie waved the question off as if it were nothing.

"No, seriously. What is it about you?"

He was asking because Quentin really wanted to know as he was only with her a day and he too wanted to protect her and her father. To make her wish of saving Mr. Dupree and his company a reality. What sort of spell does this woman cast over the men in her life?

Billie laughed. "I'm a short, petite woman who looks like she can't take care of herself. I bring out that instinct in the men around me to shelter and protect and in the good ones, their conscience, I guess. They want to take care of me and so I let them."

He found it interesting... her choice of words. "You let them?"

Billie nodded her head yes as she savored another fork full of dessert. "Men like Carlos, Angelo, Mitch don't look at women like possessions. They look at them as someone to cherish. They need to know they are doing the right thing by women in their lives. It's... important to them.

I don't need them to look out for me. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself but I'd be doing them a disservice if I acted as if I didn't need or appreciate their ways. There really aren't enough good men left in this world, in my opinion, men who know the proper way to treat a woman. Especially a woman they love. They are becoming a rare breed. So, I like to encourage such behavior instead of squashing it like a bug."