What in the world was uni egg? Or foie gras?
Was that even English?
“Do you know whatabaloneis?” I peered over the top of my menu. I was wound tighter than a spring, and Noah looked ready to work on his tan.
“It’s a type of sea snail with a chewy texture,” he said. “The natural flavoring is buttery with a hint of salt.”
Snails? Hard pass.
“What about, umm,iwashi?” I asked again, sounding out the foreign word as carefully as I could. “And… uni egg?”
“Sardines,” Noah answered, as if he was discussing ham sandwiches instead of seafood delicacies I’d never heard of before. “And uni egg is sea urchin.”
What the hell?I mouthed behind the menu, wondering what sort of alternate universe I’d dropped into.
Where were the cheeseburgers?
I tried to hum pleasantly in acknowledgement, determined to fake it until I could make it. “They sure do give you lots of options.”
Odd, stomach-churning options with no prices listed next to them.
“If you’re not sure what you’d like, we could do the tasting menu?” Noah offered, and I peeked over the menu to see him looking my way. I couldn’t help but notice his suit looked good—reallygood—against the fancy chair and backdrop. “They bring samples of different popular appetizers, main dishes, sides, and desserts. We’d each get nine courses, so there’s plenty to try. If there’s something you really enjoy, we can order a full platter as well.”
“Uh, okay. That sounds good.” I set the menu down. The sense of relief was small, but at least I didn’t have to worry about embarrassing myself while ordering. I reached out and gripped the water glass tightly, feeling the condensation cling to my fingers as I took a quick sip for my nerves.
Even their water tasted expensive. Did they charge for it?
God, I hoped not.
Noah was still browsing his menu, so I took a chance to slide my chair back. “I’m just going to take a quick trip to the restroom.”
“All right.” Noah set down his menu and got up as well.
I panicked, freezing halfway to standing as my brain raced into overdrive. Did he intend to go to the ladies’ room with me? Was this some sort of fancy restaurant protocol?
I stumbled the rest of the way out of my chair and cleared my throat as I tried to figure out a polite way to say I was old enough to pee by myself.
But apparently it was for naught, as Noah sat back down as soon as I was standing. I shook my head, convinced I would never get a handle on his manners.
I plastered on a polite, closed-lipped smile as I began my newfound mission to find the powder room. Three wrong turns and an almost disastrous collision with a waiter carrying a tray of lobster tail later, I was swinging open the shiny bamboo door, which was at least fifteen feet tall.
What exactly was the point of having doors as tall as giraffes? I couldn’t think of a single reason for that.
The scent of potpourri invaded my nostrils as I strolled as delicately as possible into the ladies’ room. I purposely triple-checked the female sign next to the door, because I wasn’t about to willingly walk in on any dudes making friends with urinals again.
Five times was more than enough.
The bathroom was as opulent as the dining area. Relaxing music streamed from unseen speakers, complimentary perfume sat on a mirrored table with pastel mints resting beside them, and there were even little packets of toothbrushes, floss, and feminine hygiene products.
“Cool,” I whispered, impressed, as I trailed a finger over a bouquet of carnations. I may or may not have wondered if I could fit three of the floss packets into my bra. My dentist always said I needed to floss, and now was as good a day as any to start.
Laughter sounded behind me, and I turned to see a familiar redhead touching up her makeup at the vanity with another girl. Dressed in what looked like a couture cocktail dress—looking absolutely glamorous as I fingered the hem of my cotton skirt—Blaise Rousseau was rocking some heels that looked perfect for stabbing a man through the heart with.
Her eyes met mine in the mirror, and she handed a tube of lipstick to the brunette girl with her.
“Oh good, the bathroom attendant is here. Miss, you’re running low on towels,” she said before tacking on a little smirk. At least I assumed she was talking to me, since I was the only other one there.
Her friend laughed, and I blinked back at them. “Blaise?”
