Page 7 of Breadwinner
“Do I ask about your dates, Nate?” She lifted her brow a fraction of an inch as her steel-blue eyes met Nate’s green gaze.
“You don’t have to,” he said dryly. “My love life is nonexistent.”
Nell gave him a flat, vaguely amused look in the mirror. “It’s not business, golden boy, but it’s still a negotiation. Now, let’s go.”
Upon her arrival, Nell was greeted by the maître d’, who led her through the softly lit restaurant without exchanging any additional or unnecessary words.
The private dining accommodations kept them secluded from the rest of the restaurant, and the lights were dim enough to set the right mood. Textured linen wallpaper and artfully chosen decor muffled the sounds of the restaurant beyond the walls of their dining room, and ambient music of her choosing floated around. Nell strategically positioned herself with her back to the wall, wanting an unobstructed view of Sarah when she arrived.
Another check of her watch. 8:00 p.m.It’s showtime.
Nell’s satisfied smile formed at the corners of her mouth when she spotted the familiar outline of a woman moving toward her.
She stood as Sarah entered the room, taking in her cream cardigan layered over a black turtleneck tucked crisply into tailored black trousers. Understated, professional, but still thoughtful. Exactly the right mix of precision and restraint, just like Nell.
Sarah was devastatingly beautiful in a rare way only trained eyes could spot. It was subtle, but to the right person, the magnetic pull she emanated was powerful. She could see it in how Sarah carried herself, the power in her presence when she was in a room. Was that the feeling that spread through Nell’s body whenever Sarah was near?
“Sarah,” she said warmly, leaning in to greet her, pressing a brief, deliberate air-kiss to each cheek. The smile she’d been fighting finally broke through at the smoothness of Sarah’s cheek against hers. “It’s good to see you again.”
Sarah, for her part, didn’t flinch. She mirrored Nell’s greeting, and when she pulled back, Nell was pleased to see confidence reflected in Sarah’s eyes. They were a pretty hazel, a true murky green that seemed to swirl almost like something was lurking beneath the surface.
They took their seats opposite each other, but the sommelier approached as Sarah was about to speak.
“A bottle of the Cabernet Franc, 2020, from Hasting Cellars, please,” Nell said smoothly, without looking at the wine list. She didn’t miss the glance Sarah shot her over the rim of her water glass.
“I pegged you for a Burgundy purist.”
“I am,” Nell said, resting her chin lightly on one hand, “but excellence doesn’t always match the price tag, nor the passport stamp. Washington wine has its moments. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.”
“You guarantee?”
“I do.”
Sarah’s lips curled slightly, causing the familiar pulse of satisfaction Nell only ever got from reading someone correctly and knowing they knew it.
A moment of considered silence stretched between them as they each tested the other in search of boundaries.
“Thank you for joining me tonight,” Nell said sincerely.
“Was there a choice? I don’t recall there being a question in your invitation.”
Nell couldn’t help but grin at Sarah’s question. “Everything you do in life is a choice, Sarah. You would have said no if you wanted to dismiss my offer.” Nell held her gaze as her smirk stretched into a genuine smile. “I’m a busy woman, as are you. You’ll have to excuse the brevity in my communication occasionally.” Nell let her voice flatten slightly, reminding Sarah she was in control here but not reprimanding her. Nell liked the way Sarah challenged her. “But I will always make time for the things that interest me,” she said delicately.
Nell watched Sarah consume her words like they were the appetizer to their main course. Sarah didn’t blush or shift, only tilted her head slightly, a playful smirk already on her lips.
“And you don’t think that comes across as pushy?”
“I think,” Nell said slowly, carefully and meticulously selecting her words, “that when women know what they want, it gets called many things. ‘Pushy’ is the polite version. But let’s not fall prey to that kind of thinking, Sarah; we’re both more evolved than that.”
That earned her a genuine smile, sharp and a little rueful. “Fair enough,” Sarah said, with a chuckle, as they settled into conversation the way fencers settle into a match: with small movements, subtle feints, and fancier footwork.
VYSE Technologies came up. Sarah, it turned out, had a high level of knowledge of the company through her proximity to Jamie Lyons. Even with that prior knowledge, she had made some insightful observations about its scalability and IP that Nell was kicking herself for not seeing sooner.
A waiter appeared with their first course, placing dishes before them.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, unbridled curiosity written all over her face. “First, you order the wine, and I’m assuming you’ve taken care of our dinner menu also? For someone who said everything in life is a choice, you seem to have removed mine.”
“I did. Does that bother you?” Nell asked, never breaking Sarah’s gaze.