Dream

Chapter 20

           

Lucy felt Zeb's hand in the middle of her back as he guided her from the car and into the restaurant. He had filled her in on what was going on in the car. The woman he was attempting to make a deal with was pretending to be unsure of herself, but she knew exactly what she wanted. Zeb was waiting for her to tell him what it was. However, in the mean time he was dealing with a lot of feminine power plays.

The reason he had asked Lucy to accompany him to dinner was to try to make the meeting less about business and more social, he admitted that it was a power play on his part, one he wasn't sure would work.

Lucy looked around the restaurant, listening to the jazz trio as she did. It was housed in an old warehouse that had been completely gutted and rehabbed. The rough brick and stained concrete floor were muted by candle light, plush seating, and crisp white table cloths.

There was a healthy mix of couples and business parties scattered around the restaurant all talking in muted tones. She couldn't help but note the flurry of activity as Zeb entered the restaurant. The hostess glided up to him and whispered something in his ear before he nodded to the maître d' who led them to a table by one of the oversize windows in the back. 

"Marissa," he greeted, holding out his hand.

A very short and round woman rose from the table they were led to and took his hand. Her hair was a wild wavy mass that had a multitude of highlights in it. She wore a stylish pair of glasses and her outfit was well tailored.

"Zebadiah, I was wondering if I had made a mistake about the date," she said in an overly sweet voice that immediately rubbed Lucy the wrong way.

Zeb gave a charming smile, but Lucy could see the hand by his side clenching and unclenching as he kept careful control of himself over the passive aggressive comment.

"Zebadiah is too much of a gentleman to pass on the blame, but it is completely my fault," Lucy said just as sweetly as Marissa had as Zeb held out her chair. Lucy could play passive aggressive and insincere sweetness just as well as the next person. She was born in the south after all.

"Marissa Langford, please meet Lucy Monroe. I hope you don't mind my bringing her this evening, but I don't get to see enough of her, and I wanted to have this evening be less about business and more about enjoying good food with friends," Zeb smiled as a waiter appeared by his shoulder.

Lucy watched as he said something softly to him and he disappeared.

"I was excited when you mentioned this restaurant for dinner. I've been hearing wonderful things about their chef for months, but it's almost impossible to get a reservation." Marissa looked around her, noting a few of New Orleans's well-known citizens.

"I was lucky," he said, not really answering the questions as some menus were delivered along with glasses of water, and a few minutes later a bottle of wine.

They took their time looking over the menu and savoring the delicious wine before placing their orders. Lucy was sure that it didn't matter what she chose because everything would be delicious, delicious and expensive.

Marissa turned her attention on to Lucy, looking at her over her glass of wine. "What do you do my dear?" she asked.

Lucy heard the witches voice from the Wizard of Oz in her voice, saying 'I'll get you my pretty...'. It was ironic since she was the one that was supposed to be the witch.

"I restore furniture," Lucy responded, keeping it simple because she really didn't want the woman to know anything about her.

Zeb must have picked up on her unease because he directed the conversation away from her and back towards more mundane things such as current city events and people that they both knew.