Page 97 of Dessert Flirt Repeat
I nod and admit that it does. Soon our first course arrives: a slice of raw yellowtail with delicate shavings of jalapeno on top. The fish sits in a miso lime juice reduction and is dusted in dried seaweed.
“Mmm, oh my god,” I say as I finish it in two bites.
I chuckle as Tori picks up her shallow plate and slurps the reduction. I copy her.
Next course is a white bean and endive salad dressed in a citrus vinaigrette, then a seared scallop in a pool of piping hot cauliflower and gouda soup.
“Oh my god, I wanna bathe in this soup.” Tori moans as she licks her lips.
My eyes roll to the back of my head as I take a bite of the perfectly cooked scallop. I hum at the rich flavor and the crispy sear.
When the server drops off the fourth course, I cover my mouth and hold in a gasp. On the plate sits two lamb chops on a bed of roasted potatoes with herb gravy. A perfect sprig of mint tops the dish. This looks exactly like the dinner Gage cooked me the first time we had dinner together.
“Are you okay?” Tori asks.
I nod without even looking at her. “Yes. All good.”
When I take my first bite, I’m transported back to that night. It’s the same burst of flavors as the meal Gage cooked me.
I make sure to take my time as I finish the dish. I chew slowly, savoring the perfect blend of salt, fat, and herbs.
The server returns with dessert menus. “Ladies, the last course is your choice.”
When he walks off, I look at the menu. As I skim the list of offerings, I halt at the very last one. My eyes go wide as I read the text.
This evening’s featured dessert: chocolate torte with espresso ice cream from local shop Sweet Cheeks Creamery.
“What in the…” I look up at Tori. “H-How is my ice cream on the menu?”
She sips her water glass before taking a deep breath. “I have a confession.”
“Okay…”
“I didn’t plan this dinner. Someone else did. My job was to get you here.”
“What?”
I hear footsteps behind me. When I look up, I see Gage standing in front of us.
I almost choke. For a second all I can do is look at him. My heart lodges in my throat as I take in the sight of Gage. He’s wearing dark dress pants and a black dress shirt, no tie. The top two buttons are undone. Wow. That…that’s super hot. Why have I never noticed just how hot unbuttoned men’s dress shirts are?
I shake my head, annoyed with myself at how I’m focused on how sexy he looks.
“Wh-what are you doing here?”
His smile is slight, like he’s hopeful but hesitant at the same time. “I wanted to talk to you.”
Just then Tori stands up. “I’ll give you two a sec.”
She slips out of the room. Gage’s chest heaves as he takes a breath. “Can I sit?”
I nod, still in a shocked daze at seeing him. “Gage, what is going on?”
“I, uh, planned this. This dinner. I asked Tori to bring you here so I could surprise you. And talk to you.”
I go quiet. My mind is a cluster of shock and confusion. As happy as I am to see him, I’m also annoyed. He asked my best friend to bring me to some random restaurant so he could ambush me when we’re not even on speaking terms.
“If you wanted to talk, you could have just called me,” I finally say.
