Page 48 of For the Boys
“I love country,” she said. “What I don’t love is not knowing where we’re going!”
He could sense her glare on the side of his face and laughed. “We’re almost there,” he promised. They were only a few blocks away from the restaurant now. He turned right at a light and then took a sharp left into the nearest parking garage.
“You don’t mind a short walk, do you?” he asked, suddenly nervous she would make a fuss about having to walk a couple of blocks in her heels.
“Not at all,” she said. “Although I might have worn pants if I’d known an outdoor stroll was involved.”
“I promise it’ll be quick. Less than a minute.”
He pulled the truck into a parking space, killed the engine, and quickly jumped out to help her out before she could do it herself. He nearly burst with joy when she grabbed his offered hand and didn’t let go once her feet were on the ground. They walked hand in hand down the small staircase to street level and up the sidewalk to their destination.
“Clink?” Berkley asked, shocked. “You’re taking me to Clink? This place is impossible to get into. How did you manage this?”
Brent smirked at her and shrugged, displaying a swagger he didn’t quite feel comfortable with. “I’m Brent Jean.”
Berkley giggled. “So you are.”
A maître d’ opened the door for them. “Welcome to Clink!” he said, spreading his arms wide as if he were a king showing off his kingdom. He moved behind a sleek mahogany stand where an iPad sat. “What is the name on your reservation?”
Brent gave his name, and the man’s eyes widened.
“Of course! Welcome, Mr. Jean and guest. Your table is right this way.” He retrieved two menus from the stand behind him and led them through the restaurant toward the back, where a semi-secluded table sat ready for them.
Brent had chosen Clink for his first date with Berkley for a few reasons.
First, it was easily one of the fanciest restaurants in the city. He felt compelled to flex his fame and wealth a bit for Berkley’s sake. If previous relationships had taught him anything, it was that women liked it when he tossed his money around, that they enjoyed being wined and dined. It made them feel special, and he definitely wanted Berkley to feel special.
The second, and perhaps most important, reason he’d chosen Clink was because of its exclusivity. Nobody here was going to slyly take photos of him and Berkley enjoying a candlelit dinner and send them to local media outlets, or post them on social sites.
“So, what do you think?” Brent asked Berkley after they were seated and had ordered their drinks—a bottle of Duckhorn Cabernet to share.
“It’s incredible!” Berkley said, her blue eyes moving quickly around the room, taking it all in.
“I’m glad you like it,” Brent said. “I’ve actually never been here either, but the chef has been begging Warriors management to send one of us here forever, and our first date seemed like the perfect time.”
Berkley’s responding smile seemed strained, but their server showed up with their wine and a plate of house-made bread with oil, so Brent dismissed the thought.
Brent reached out to grab a piece of bread at the exact same time Berkley did, and the brush of her fingers against his sent a jolt up his arm. He quickly pulled his hand back and gave her a small, sheepish smile.
“So,” he said, wiping his clammy hands on his pants under the table, “tell me about yourself.”
Berkley huffed out a laugh. “Really?”
Brent frowned. “What? I want to know about you.”
“So ask me something specific,” she said before popping a piece of bread into her mouth. A drop of oil landed on the table, and she brushed it away with her thumb.
“Okay, fine,” Brent said, willing his brain to come up with a question. “Where are you from?”
“Traverse City. What about you?”
Damn, Brent thought.Too easy. “I’m from New York, near Albany.”
Berkley giggled. “I know,” she said. “I don’t know why I asked.”
Brent laughed too, relaxing a bit. “Okay here’s a harder one: why did you want to become a lawyer?”
“To help people. I’ve really always wanted to be a lawyer. But I became pretty good friends with a few of your old teammates while I was at MSU, and when they got signed to entry-level contracts, I felt like they didn’t really have anyone looking out for them that knew the ins and outs of the law and contract negotiations. So that was the initial reason. Then, the more I studied contracts, and dove deeper into all of the things involved, the more I loved it. I’m actually hoping to open my own agency down the line.”
