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“A little place on Third. It had a French name but Thad kept calling it a perfect bwaht, whatever that means.”
Jake nodded. “Chez Louis?”
“That’s it. But I’ve no idea what a ‘bwaht’ is.”
“It’s French, Em,” he said gently. Oh, she was so innocent. Her mouth was trembling, and he thought about kissing it. Just to soothe it, of course, not for any other reason. “A boite is a box. Jennett meant the restaurant is like a little jewel box. A special sort of place.” Indeed, it was. Jake knew it well. Chez Louis was one of midtown’s most romantic, most seductive restaurants. His jaw tightened. “He was trying to impress you.”
“Oh, it was impressive, all right. Soft lights. Not a word of English from the waiters or on the menu...” She looked up at him. “I was never very good at languages. I took a lot of science courses. I wanted to be an anthropologist. I thought I did, anyway, until I decided I’d like to try my hand at business...” Her words trailed away.
“Well,” he said briskly, “dinner must have been nice.”
Emily shrugged. Her eyes glittered again and she lifted his handkerchief to her nose and blew.
“It wasn’t?”
“I guess. But Thad ordered snails.” She shuddered and folded her hands in her lap, the handkerchief bunched in her fist.
“Yeah.” Jake smiled. “Well, some people love ‘em. Me, I’ve never been able to get past the idea that they leave a trail of slime behind them when they... What?”
“He ordered them for me.”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. She’d let Jennett order her meal, when she wouldn’t even let him give her advice?
“I see,” he said coldly.
“No. No, you don’t. ‘Why not let me order for both of us?’ Thad said, and I said, fine, because the menu was in French and the only language I ever took was beginning Spanish and...” She paused, took a deep breath. “He said they were es cargo.”
“Escargots,” Jake said helpfully.
“Yes. Well, I’d heard the word. I mean, of course, I knew it was some kind of French dish...”
“Of course.” Was it possible his little sparrow regretted her first flight? Jake squatted down beside her again and took her hand. “But you didn’t know exactly what.”
“Not until the waiter put the plate in front of me.” A shudder ripped through her again. “Oh, when I saw those slimy shells...” She sighed. “I couldn’t eat them. And I felt so silly. I mean, I should have known he’d asked for snails.”
“Lots of people wouldn’t.”
“I’m twenty-six years old,” Emily said sternly. “I live in New York City. I’m going to meet lots of sophisticated people, now that I’m your exec. Don’t you think it’s time I could make my way through a restaurant menu, even if it’s written in French?”
“It’s probably a good idea, but it’s not—”
“I made a fool of myself, is what I did, Jake!” Emily snatched back her hand, plucked some papers from her desk and got to her feet. Jake stood, too, and followed her slowly into his office. “I turned green at the sight of the snails, I nearly gagged over the drink he’d ordered for me...”
“What was it?”
“I don’t know. Thad said it was an aperitif but it tasted more like cough medicine.”
So much for Jennett’s Let-Me-Thrill-You-With-My-Sophistication suaveness, Jake thought with satisfaction. That had obviously been the plan, but it had fallen flat on its cosmetically enhanced face.
“So,” he said, trying to sound sympathetic, “it wasn’t a memorable meal, huh?”
“I guess it depends on your definition of memorable.” Emily blushed. “I felt like an idiot by the time it ended. You know, the poor little country mouse? That was me.”
“Don’t be silly. There’s nothing wrong with not being familiar with menus deliberately written so you can’t understand them, or with a drink that tastes like you ought to have somebody clamp your nose shut with one hand and pour it down your throat with the other.”
He’d hoped for a smile. Instead, Emily dumped the papers on his desk and swung towards him, her expression taut.
“Don’t patronize me, Jake. You said I’m going to have to attend business functions with you. Well, you won’t think it’s so amusing if I end up making an ass of myself when we’re together.”
Jake sighed, eased a hip onto the edge of his desk and folded his arms.
