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Later that night, Mason sat across from Simon in the dimly lit restaurant. He'd rolled up his pearl snap shirt sleeves and unbuttoned the first few buttons, but left it tucked into his pressed jeans.
The waiter brought their drinks, and Simon looked at his phone, texting with a small smile on his goofy face.
Mason lifted his glass and sipped, surreptitiously looked around, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary.
Simon put his phone down and looked at the menu. "Sorry about that. Melissa says hi by the way."
"How is she?" he asked politely. Simon talked about his wife and their teenagers. Mason listened with half an ear because the conversation made him think about Lucy.
The heaviness in his chest hadn't abated all day, not since his talk with Ray. He'd worked hard for five months to keep the hope at bay. He'd kept his head down at training and did a lot of soul searching.
But he'd been afraid to hope that Lucy would want to try for a real relationship. He hadn't talked with her in months. What if what they had was only a holiday thing?
He thought back to the wedding and talking with her, after the frat party when he'd taken her home. It had always been so easy to talk with her, like coming home or putting on his favorite shirt.
"What's with that look on your face?" Simon asked, jarring him from his thoughts.
Mason sighed, "How do you and Melissa make it work? The long hours, the unpredictable schedule."
Simon's eyes glinted in the soft light and a smile spread across his lips. "Not going to lie. Some days are harder than others. Clear communication is important. I also trust her to handle just about anything life throws at her. She's so strong and independent, but you know that."
Simon chuckled, then added, "Are you thinking of settling down? Who's the lucky lady?"
Mason gave him a summary of how they'd met, of the wedding, the frat party, Christmas, and Hawaii. He finished the glass of wine and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
"I'm just not sure this is the life she wants, you know?" he asked.
Simon nodded. "But if it is, it's so worth the risk, Mason. To be honest, I was afraid that what happened with Amanda would've turned you into a bachelor for life," Simon said quietly, frowning as he swirled his wine in the glass.
Mason nodded somberly, glancing around as the waiter arrived with their order. "Me too, me too. But Lucy is like a breath of fresh air."
Mason saw a tall, leggy brunette in a red blouse and black tight skirt to her knees walked from table to table, laughing and smiling. The waiter filled their glasses of wine, then walked away as Mason dove into his pasta.
Simon nodded toward her and took a bite, looking down at his plate. "That's her, DelVeco."
Mason let his eyes slide from her and over the rest of the restaurant before he turned back to his plate and took another bite. It was delicious pasta but reminded him of the private dinner he'd had with Lucy in Hawaii. It had similar flavors and took him right back to that night.
He wished he could bring her to this place. It was a pub, but had a soft, quiet atmosphere for a pub. It was more of an old-world place with leather booths that provided seclusion to most of the room. He couldn't even hear the voices from the booth behind him.
The woman stopped at the booth behind Simon and talked to those patrons. He could faintly make out her words as she smiled and then turned and lifted a hand. One of the waiters arrived as if by magic.
"Refills, Johnny, right away," she said. She moved on to their table and smiled. "How are you two doing tonight?"
She had brown eyes to match her hair, but that was the only similarity with Lucy. This woman was dressed to the nines with bright red lipstick to match her shirt. Simon smiled and waved a bread stick.
"Delicious, simply delicious. This is homemade, isn't it?"
She beamed and nodded. "Yes, sir, my grandmother's recipe. I'm so glad you love it. It's one of my favorites. And how about you, sir?"
Mason lifted his wine glass and swirled it around as he sat back in his seat. "The wine pairing is great, but I was thinking it needed something less sweet. Maybe a 1978 Sarmiento Merlot? Do you have anything like that?"
Her eyes widened, and she looked from him to Simon and back again. Her smile fell a little, and she paled then nodded. "Yes, sir. I certainly do think I have a bottle of that in the back. Would you care to join me to sample a few merlots? Perhaps I can help you with a selection."
He nodded as she lifted a finger and turned slightly. The waiter appeared again, and she said brightly, "Don't clear their tables. We're going to the wine cellar to see if we have a specific brand. We'll be right back."
The waiter nodded, then moved to another table. Simon and Mason slid out of the booth and followed her through the restaurant. They went through the kitchen to a heavy oak door. She opened it and waved them inside, saying loudly, "The merlots are in the back on the right-hand side. I think I have just the thing."
She shut the door behind them and leaned against it with a sigh, seeming to wilt. "Oh thank God, I was afraid I was going to have to disappear on my own."
