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Chapter Ten
“How do I look?” Marina asked when Jenna arrived to pick her up for dinner. She twirled around in her newly purchased ivory lace dress. Off the rack from her favorite second-hand vintage dress store.
“Wow, Marina,” Jenna said with a low whistle of approval. “Where did you find that dress? It’s stunning. You look like Lady Mary Grantham fromDownton Abbey—except you’re blonde and she’s dark-haired. Too bad we don’t have any dates with us tonight so we can show off how fiery hot we are.”
Marina linked her arm with Jenna’s and shook her head. “Don’t even go there. Men just complicate life. I’m looking forward to having a care-free dinner with my best friend. Did you make reservations, or are we winging it? You look fabulous yourself. I mean,” she added in an exaggerated New York accent. “You’re the bee’s knees, darlin’.”
Jenna giggled. “Why, thank you, Miss Cormier. We shall be two fancy free ‘dolls’—as the old-time movies liked to call women—and pretend it’s 1935.”
“Too bad there’s no historic movie theater in town showingCasablancaorThe Philadelphia Story,” Marina lamented.
“Hey, come over to my place. I have all the streaming channels. And my big screen TV Christmas present with surround sound. Courtesy of my techie baby brother.”
“You got yourself a deal, I’ll bring the popcorn.”
“I hope my classic yellow VW Bug is good enough for you, Lady Grantham.”
“I’m sure I can manage,” Marina said airily. “I’m not that much of a snob. Only on Fridays and Sundays. And it’s still Thursday.”
Still laughing, they crawled into the small car and Jenna revved the engine.
“By the way, where are you taking me tonight?” Marina teased. “I require sustenance—and not a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with cheese.”
Jenna stuck a finger against her chest. “Imade reservations at one of the nicest places in town. Just you wait. I figure why not celebrate in style.”
When Jenna maneuvered the car through the New Orleans city streets and pulled up into the circular drive ofThe Toulouse Garden, Marina let out a yelp. “Are you kidding me? This place is only for the rich and famous. They’ll kick us out.”
Jenna pursed her lips in a pout. “Not tonight, I’m afraid, dearie,” she replied with a posh British accent. “I have my brother’s Platinum Amex card. He lent it to me by way of threats to Mummy. He’s such a dear, jolly fellow.”
Marina burst into laughter again. “You are too much. Okay, but it’s almost seven-thirty and I’m starving. Let’sgo.”
After a short wait, the parking valet greeted them and took Jenna’s keys with a bow.
“He didn’t even bat an eyelash over your antique Beetle,” Marina said, nudging Jenna with her shoulder.
Her friend lifted her chin in a haughty gesture, trying not to giggle. “I’m sure that Bug will be perfectly at home sitting between a Rolls and a Mercedes.”
“You sure know how to woo a girl,” she said, laughing. “But I’m not sure I have enough in my bank account for dinner at this high-end eatery.”
“My treat,” Jenna said simply. “Your overhead is quadruple what mine is—and it’s such a relief to have aniceevening out that’s not fast food. Especially for such a big celebration.”
As they entered, themaître d’greeted them warmly, then led them to their table for two. A cozy corner with beautiful linens and crystal goblets filled with ice water. There were fresh flowers and a glowing white candle in the center of the snowy white tablecloth.
“Your waiter will be here shortly,” he said with a slight bow, handing out the fancy calligraphy-printed menus. “Enjoy your meal.”
When Marina picked up her menu an instant shock wave reverberated through every one of her bones. She sucked in air and began to tremble. Her line of sight lasered straight into the eyes of Wade Kennedy.
She gripped the edge of the thick tablecloth, her palms beginning to sweat. Marina took a sip of water to soothe her dry throat, but her hands still shook.
Wade’s eyes remained on her face. He appeared just as surprised to see her, and yet he was better at hiding it.
The rest of the dining room bloomed back into Marina’s vision. Wade was sitting next to a gorgeous woman and an older couple. Had to be his fiancée and her parents. Every one of them dressed to the nines.
Marina glanced down at her off-the-used-store rack old-fashioned dress and tried not to flush. The fiancée wore dangling diamond earrings that sparkled like fire under the magnificentrestaurant chandelier. The woman’s hair was swept up into an elegant chignon and her makeup flawless.
“I feelsoout of place, Jenna,” she whispered without moving her lips.
“We have every right to be here,” Jenna insisted fiercely. “My credit card is as good as anyone else in this place. You look fantastic, so stop fretting.”
