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“I don’t suppose I do,” David said. He had already watched the men in the room, noticing their ages and demeanor. The place reeked of unending want and desperation for something they couldn’t have. “But I only came in here because you invited me.”
Noel sat back as the bartender put down his glass. “I did?”
David nodded. “You said that if I wanted to see you, I should buy a ticket. Or something to that effect. So I did what you asked.” David lifted his glass. “Are you done for the evening?”
“Yes,” Noel answered, to David’s surprise. He would have figured Noel would be performing later into the evening. “The others will come back on stage, but I’m off for the rest of the night.”
“Then would you like to have dinner?” David asked. “I’m hungry and I haven’t eaten yet.”
Noel set down the glass he’d been holding. “I don’t think so.” He began to stand.
“Why not?” David asked, though if he thought about it too much, he’d wonder why he was doing this. Lord knows his father would throw a fit. But at the moment, David didn’t care. There was something intriguing about the man sitting across from him, like an onion that he needed to peel away the layers of.
“Like I said last night, I don’t do private shows,” Noel said.
David shook his head. “I’m not asking you to strip for your supper. I’m asking if you want to go down to Water Street with me and have dinner. I’m hungry and I need something to eat. You’ve got to eat as well….”
“And that’s all?” Noel asked.
David nodded. “And my family thinksI’mskeptical.” He contemplated finishing his drink, but it was awful and the whiskey was cheap and bit on its way down, so he left it.
Noel snorted, an undignified sound that fit the surroundings. “You’re skeptical. Have a look around,” he said, leaning over the table. “Look at where I work. Okay? Every eye in this room is on me right now. Half the men are wondering why I’m sitting at your table and not theirs, while the others are trying to figure out if they have enough money to get me to sit with them… or go home with them. Which I never do. And you wonder why a guy I met for, like, five minutes—granted, you were very kind to offer me a ride home last night… but still—why is a guy like you here?”
David blinked, because all of that came at him so fast that he could barely parse the words. “First thing, you’re sitting at this table because I issued an invitation and because you’re curious as to why I offered that ride last night. Second, and for the record, I don’t make it a habit to visit places like this. Third, I have access to more than enough money to have most anyone I want sit at a table with me, but no, I have never paid anyone to spend any amount of time with me… and I don’t intend to start now.” David stood and lifted his coat from the back of the chair as Noel sat still, his mouth hanging open. “Are you ready to go to dinner?”
Noel nodded. “I need to get my coat. Meet me around the side in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay. Give me your number, and I’ll text when I’m out front.” David got an assessing stare, and then Noel wrote down his number and passed it over. Then he turned and headed back toward the stage, the other heads in the room following him like they were watching a game of tennis.
David reached into his pocket and passed the bartender a couple of twenties to make sure his bill was well covered. He left the club, returned to his car, got inside, then pulled out of the lot and drove to where he had seen Noel the night before. He got out the scrap of paper and texted that he was out front. Noel came from around the side of the building, bundled up like last night. David lowered the window, and Noel came over. “Get in before you freeze.”
Noel opened the door while David raised the window. “I was looking for the limousine.”
“Antoine has the night off, so I thought I’d drive myself.” He pulled away from the curb and out into traffic, his Tesla Model S making no sound at all.
“Who are you?” Noel asked as he settled back into the seat. “Last night you were in a limo—today you’re driving an expensive car. And let me guess, you’re only driving this one because the Ferrari is in the shop.”
“I’m driving this car because I like it and because I care about the environment. And no, I don’t have a Ferrari. But the Lamborghini is at home in the garage.” David grinned, and Noel rolled his eyes.
“Really?”
David chuckled. “No. This is the car I use when I drive myself.” He made his way south before turning into a parking garage. David parked, and they got out of the car, exiting onto Water Street before walking together.
“Do you usually drive yourself places?” Noel asked.
“Not a lot, no. Antoine does most of the driving. I tend to work in the back seat while he makes sure I get where I’m supposed to be going. There never seems to be enough time to do what I need to, so I make the most of what I have.” He paused and smiled. “This is the place.”
Noel looked through the window and then went inside. The Havre was a classic French-style bistro, and David loved it. The place always reminded him of what he got eating on the Left Bank in Paris. It wasn’t so much fancy as hearty, delicious, and approachable. David loved it here and thought Noel would be more comfortable than at one of the snootier restaurants.
They were shown to a nice table right away, and Noel took off his coat and sat down. He had put on a sweater that seemed at least a size too big over his shirt. David wondered if he had borrowed it, but said nothing. Good manners involved making sure others were comfortable.
“Have you been here before?” David asked.
Noel shook his head as he looked at the menu. David easily chose the duck. It was his favorite, and he got a salad to go with it. Noel ordered the steak frites, and David got a bottle of wine. Once their orders were placed, Noel watched him. “I keep trying to figure out why you’re doing this.”
“What does it matter?” David countered.
“Because what if you want something I don’t want to give you?” Noel asked as the server uncorked the bottle of wine. David tasted it, and then the server poured them each a glass.
