Page 60 of The Dark Hiss of Magic
I was already running late when I darted out of the door towards the middle of Coldstream. Perhaps I’d enjoy myself; perhaps this would become the true romance I’d been missing out on all these years. Stranger things had happened. Then I thought of Thane and grimaced.
The scene was set before I crossed the threshold of Vallese. Red roses framed the doorway, filling half the street with their perfume; tiny candles lit the red carpet that led to the front door. A violinist wearing a tuxedo was playing in the guests; the poor guy must have been freezing his balls off, even with thermal long johns and a sprinkling of magical heat to keep his fingers moving.
I turned to the maître’d who was greeting me. ‘This is still January, right? I’ve not fallen asleep and woken up on Valentine’s Day?’
He smiled with such professional suaveness that I felt like the most important customer in the world. ‘No, ma’am, alas this is still January.’ He tapped the side of his nose with a white-gloved finger. ‘Although at Vallese we like to think of every day as Valentine’s Day.’
I returned his smile sweetly. ‘I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.’
The maître’d didn’t miss a beat as he rolled his eyes and whispered, ‘Try working here every day.’
‘Oh, you’re good.’
He winked. ‘Let me show you to your table, Ms McCafferty. Mr MacTire is waiting for you.’
Jeez. The maître’d knew my name. MacTire had probablytold him so he could do this performance. That was why I preferred cafes like Pork Pies: I was far more comfortable cloaked in anonymity.
Alexander MacTire was sitting in a dark, intimate corner wearing a navy suit and a pink shirt that was open at the collar. The colours suited him; he looked as if he’d put far more effort into dressing for the evening than I had. I swallowed and walked towards him, feeling even more uncomfortable when he stood up to pull out my chair. ‘Kit,’ he murmured. ‘You came.’
‘I said that I would.’ Realising I might have sounded slightly defensive, I smiled to soften my words. ‘I like to keep my promises.’
‘Something that I already know about you.’ He kissed my cheek and his designer stubble brushed against my skin. We both sat down. ‘I trust you’ve not been for any more cold water dips lately?’ he went on.
I snorted. ‘I’ve been avoiding swimming sessions.’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’ His eyes danced and, not for the first time, I realised just how good looking he was. ‘I thought I’d wait before I ordered drinks. Would red wine suit you?’
‘Sure.’
‘They do a wonderful Tuscan merlot here if you like something full bodied. It has notes of fig and blackcurrant.’
‘Does the bottle have a pretty label?’ I asked.
MacTire blinked. ‘Huh?’
‘That’s how I judge my wines,’ I explained. ‘The aesthetic appeal of the label.’
His brow furrowed faintly then he flashed a white-toothed grin and managed a laugh. ‘I’m sure it’s a beautiful label.’ He raised a finger. In an instant, a waiter was by our side.
Unsurprisingly the wine was delicious, even though the label was shockingly ordinary. The food menu was confidently short and we both ordered a starter and maincourse. Once the waiter had gone, MacTire leaned back in his chair. ‘What have you been up to the last few days?’
‘I’ve been … busy.’ I pulled a face. ‘To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not been much fun and I’d like to have a few hours thinking about something else.’
He shrugged. ‘Fair enough.’
I eyed him. ‘What haveyoubeen up to?’
‘Paperwork, mostly. People seem to think it’s glamorous being head of a werewolf pack, but there’s a lot of bureaucracy and form-filling and not much adventure.’
‘You should do something about that.’
‘Perhaps I should. Nicholas is always telling me that I lead a very boring life.’
I smiled. He smiled. It was all very pleasant and polite.
I looked away and gazed at the other diners. There was an interesting collection of well-heeled people, and I wondered if Fetch Jackson had ever dined at Vallese. Probably: it seemed the sort of place he’d appreciate.
‘How are the cats?’ MacTire asked, when the starters arrived.
