Read Groomless - Part 2 for Free Online Page B

not as fancy as where Mr. Blue Eyes took you, but it’ll still cost a fortune. That place is a freaking tourist trap. They put an automatic 18 percent gratuity on everything. Heck, I bet they even charge you for the Splenda packets you put in your iced tea. If you’re trying to keep it simple and casual, you’d be better off to go somewhere else.”
    “Well, Ron’s driving and paying, so it’s really up to him.”
    “Yeah. Speaking of him, what made you decide to go out with this guy anyway? I thought you were dead-set against it.”
    “My dad says he’s a great nurse. I love a caring guy.”
    “He sounds sweet.”
    “Yeah, and he’s sexy too.”
    “Really? Do tell.”
    “He has pretty eyes and this gorgeous smile.”
    “Well, I want a full report when you get back. You know me. I’m all about the kiss-and-tell.”
    I grinned. “Sure thing.”
    When my cell rang, I answered it. It was Ron, calling to tell me he’d changed our dinner plans. “Looks like we’ve gone from casual to fancy,” I said when I hung up.
    Kate smiled, squealed, clapped her hands, and jumped up and down like a little some tween who’d just spotted Justin Bieber. “Ooh! Good! Now you can get out of that nasty old frock and wear something a little less…decent,” she said, winking at me. She walked into her room and came back out with the very little black dress in hand. “You sure you don’t wanna give this little number a shot?”
    I shot her a huge smile and shrugged. “What the hell? Why not?”
    Within minutes, she had me all dolled up in that tiny remnant of fabric, strappy and sinful heels, and a sparkly necklace that seriously put the spotlight right on the valley between my twin peaks. I wore my hair down in tiny ringlets, and she made sure my makeup was perfect.
    When the taxi pulled up in front of our building, those familiar first-date butterflies began waltzing around in my stomach. I waved at Ron when he jumped out to hold the door open for me.
    “Hello, Julia. You look stunning.”
    I climbed in. “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”
    “That’s only because you’re used to seeing me in scrubs or a white uniform.”
    “Well, there’s nothing scrubby about you now,” I said, laughing and appreciating his sense of humor.
    “Cabbie, take us onward!” he said. “Milady awaits her supper!”
    * * *
    We drove to the West Village and took a private entrance through an unmarked door on a small side street that led to Hudson Clearwater. There, a beautiful courtyard greeted us, with stairs that led into the main restaurant.
    “Wow. This is quite the hidden gem,” I said. “What is this place?”
    “American Nouveau, with Chef Wes Long at the helm.”
    We sat at a quaint table in the courtyard, and I tried to remain calm while I scanned the wine list, but it read like a French phonebook, and I had no idea what I was looking at.
    “Cabernet merlot is great with grilled beef,” Ron offered. “On the other hand, cabernet sauvignon is fantastic with pasta, or Chianti is perfect with rich, tomato-based meals.”
    “Quite the sommelier, aren’t you, Nurse Ron?” I asked teasingly.
    “Not really. I’m more of a connoisseur. See, a sommelier is someone who selects and serves wine, like the people who work here. I guess you could also call me an oenophile, as that’s a wine lover, but that would make me a connoisseur as well. You can be a connoisseur without being a sommelier, but you can’t really be a connoisseur without being an oenophile,” he recited like a pro.
    “Uh, okay, Mr. Webster. Tell me though… What goes good with a big, fat, juicy steak?”
    “Shiraz.”
    “And with dessert?”
    “Merlot, with chocolate and cheese.”
    I could tell by the look on his face that we really connected, and it seemed like the perfect night was ahead of us. In spite of his confusing diatribe on the matter, Ron dazzled me with his impressive knowledge of French wines, so I allowed him to order for us,