The Suite Life (8 page)

Alec squeezed my thigh gently under the table and addressed the gathering. “Shall I order for everyone?”
Will anyone say no?

“Would you have it any other way?” Victor asked, waving an arm for him to proceed.

“Let's start off with the mussels in white wine sauce, Paolo, some garlic bread, and my usual Sauvignon Blanc.”

“Will you be having the black truffle risotto?” Paolo asked.

“Do I ever come here and not order that?” Alec asked, as if he'd been insulted.

What's a ninety-dollar dish between friends?

“Just wanted to be sure, so we can get it started.”

“No one's in a rush here,” Alec said. “I'll let you know about the second course in a bit.”

“Very good, sir,” Paolo said, then silently retreated.

The evening proceeded much as it began, with Alec doing all of the ordering as well as most of the eating. It became clear as they bantered back and forth that, despite their constant teasing, they all respected Alec for his fierce competitiveness as well as his willingness to take calculated risks that, more often than not, paid off.

When they momentarily took a break to concentrate on their food, the women had a chance to get a word in edgewise. During one of these moments, as yet another course arrived at the table, Patricia spoke up. “Enough, you guys,” she said. “We've heard it all before. What about you, Samantha? You don't strike me as a Wall Street type.”

“She's a writer.” Alec beamed. “Just working there until she gets her big break.”

“Hush, Alec,” Pat said. “Let Sam speak for herself.”

“It's just something I've done for as long as I can remember,” I said softly.

“Good for you!” Pat said with a wink. “You won't be getting your hands soiled with all that filthy lucre.”

Alec leaned toward Pat and smiled. “I don't see you giving any of yours back,” he taunted.

“Of course not,” Pat said, not the least bit intimidated, as she looked toward her husband. “Our families have earned every dime, and we aren't slouches, either. It's just that stocks and mergers and acquisitions aren't for everyone.”

They're not my cup of tea, that's for sure.
“Being happy no matter what you do is what counts,” I said.

“I'm happy digging into these mussels,” Alec said, and everyone dove in with him.

I was starting to understand what made this Wall Street crowd tick. The boisterous way these guys carried on reminded me of the Brooklyn Boys, but what Alec and his contemporaries shared seemed to have much more substance behind it than the macho posturing of the wannabes in Bensonhurst. The Boys thought muscle cars and muscling “marks” were where it was at, and that Ariel's was the pinnacle of the dating scene. Alec and his friends, on the other hand, knew what a “score” was all about in the real world of Manhattan and how to entertain a lady. I was happy that he had such loyal friends, and happy to be among them. I must have met with their approval because, just a few days later, he informed me that we'd be having dinner with his sister, Gianna, and her fiancé. Was this some kind of test, or was he just eager to show me off? Although I was fairly certain it was the latter, I couldn't help being a bit nervous.

As usual, the limo was waiting outside my office, and before I could remind myself not to become too attached to the luxuries that had become more or less routine over the last several weeks, Alec jumped out sporting one of his biggest smiles.

The driver took off, heading for the FDR Drive, and, with Alanis Morissette singing in the background:

You treat me like I'm a princess

I'm not used to liking that

We had a couple of glasses of champagne and finished off a few crackers slathered with goat cheese.

“You're gonna love Mr. Chow,” Alec assured me.

“I'd love any place you took me, Alec,” I bubbled.

He leaned over and gave me a peck on my cheek. “You're gonna love my sister, too, Sam.”

“I'm sure I will,” I said, even though I was secretly intimidated by the very thought of meeting any member of Alec's family—his sister in particular . . . the sister he had described as being so perfect, who had the college education I'd dreamed of having and a childhood straight out of the secondhand Disney books I'd read to myself as a child. “I hope she likes me,” I added, bringing the glass of champagne to my lips. “From what you've told me, she's got it all.”

“Including a fiancé.”

“You get along with him?”

“Gary's from Brooklyn, although he isn't Italian. He still lives in the Heights. Seems like a nice, sincere guy. I helped get him his job, so we'll find out soon enough what he's made of.”

He fell silent then, and I was content to watch the yachts, some with helicopters on the aft deck, that were moored in the East River.

I'd found out a lot about Alec, and myself, over the previous month. I did love every minute of every experience we'd shared, loved the way he courted me and the fact that he was driven to make a name for himself.

As the limo deposited us, hand in hand, on the sidewalk in front of Mr. Chow, I smiled up at Alec, realizing that I would have been just as happy if he were a schoolteacher who took me to a deli for Hebrew National hot dogs and kosher pickles—I just wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, no matter where we went or what we did.

The Asian décor of the restaurant and fresh-cut flowers on every table were inviting, but the dining room was more spare and open than other restaurants we'd been to. The stunning Chinese hostess, with long, straight, jet-black hair, pearly skin,
and a champagne-colored satin gown that was open to the waist in back, led us to a table in the middle of the room.

“Xudong will be with you shortly,” she said as we took our seats. The simple, darkwood-stained, low-backed chairs seemed almost too delicate for Alec's massive frame, and I wondered if his would give out before we'd finished the first course.

“Thank you, Lijuan,” Alec said. “To save him a trip, please tell him to have a bottle of Perrier-Jouët Rosé in hand.”

“Yes, Mr. DeMarco,” Lijuan replied. “Enjoy your dinner.”

“No need to stand on ceremony,” Alec said as Lijuan moved away; he kept one eye on her swaying hair.
Can't say as I blame him.
“We'll order something to tide us over until Gianna and Gary show up.”

The staff here, as everywhere we'd been, knew Alec well. Crispy seaweed-wrapped squab and pork satay were delivered with a flourish soon after the champagne was poured. Halfway through this “nosh,” as Alec referred to it, he smiled ear to ear when he spied a young couple following Lijuan to our table.

Gianna was tall and quite zaftig, with shoulder-length dark hair, large brown eyes like her brother's, and a loose-fitting flowery sundress. Gary was barely as tall as she, but good-looking despite a receding hairline.

Alec wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood to greet them. “Sis, Gary, this is Samantha.” He beamed.

Gary offered his hand as Gianna bent over to give me a peck on the cheek. “It's about time we met the girl who's stolen my brother's heart,” she said as they took their seats.

I breathed a sigh of relief that my jitters about this meeting had apparently been unwarranted.

Alec filled their flutes and topped ours off. “Lose the tie, honey,” she said to her fiancé. Gary obediently unknotted it and tucked it away in a jacket pocket, as Gianna reached over and opened two buttons of his shirt.

Alec raised his glass. “A toast,” he said, and the rest of us raised ours. “To the happy couple.”
I assume he means Gianna and Gary.
We took a sip and started to put our flutes down. “Hold on a second,” Alec continued as he tipped his glass my way. “We also have to toast the newest member of our family.”

I swallowed.
What is that supposed to mean?

“You making an announcement, Alec?” Gianna squealed.

“No”—he grinned—“but I'm working on it.” He clinked my glass, Gary and Gianna tilted theirs toward me, and we all sipped again.

“How's work going?” Alec asked Gary.

“Not as well as yours,” he replied.

Gianna beamed at her brother and leaned toward me. “Not many can keep up with Alec,” she said. “He's quite a catch, Samantha.”

I rested a hand on Alec's arm and looked into his eyes. “I'm blessed.”

“I'll drink to that,” Gianna said, sampling the champagne again.

Alec pointed with his chin to the appetizers. “Why don't you guys finish those? Meanwhile, I'll order some Peking duck and a sea bass.”

“Get me a lychee martini, too,” Gianna said. “You want to order a drink, honey?” she asked, turning toward Gary.

“That's okay. I'm good with the champagne,” he said.

“When are you two tying the knot?” I asked, looking at Gary.

“Late next year,” Gianna responded, as she toyed with the four-carat round stone on her finger.
Does Gary from the neighborhood have that kind of money?
“Haven't made my mind up where yet.”

“You have any ideas, Gary?” I asked as Xudong arrived at Alec's side.

“Whatever Gianna wants is fine by me.” He smiled.

As Alec orchestrated another epicurean spread, everyone engaged in some light conversation about work, our backgrounds, and the DeMarco family, and I managed to go on a bit longer than usual about my writing when it appeared they were genuinely interested. Gary did more smiling than talking, but I was happy to learn that he and his German family were originally from Bensonhurst.

When the main course was just about finished, Gianna pushed her chair back and announced she had to go to the ladies' room. “You want to join me, Samantha?”

“No need,” I replied, hoping to take the opportunity to chat with Gary about our old stomping grounds. Alec, who was happy enough to be alone with his food and drink, didn't seem to mind the couple of minutes Gary and I spent exchanging stories about old times. We reminisced about Coney Island, the neighborhood pizzerias and restaurants, Sugar's shoe store, and Cue Ball, the billiard parlor and bar that my friend Janice's father had owned, a favorite hangout of the Brooklyn Boys and the mobsters they sucked up to. Gary had even been to the Feast of Santa Rosalia, and we wondered if we had actually met before without knowing it. I looked forward to getting to know him better.

“Let's see what they have for dessert,” Alec said after Gianna returned to the table. He waved Xudong over, and soon enough the Chinese version of the wedding dessert buffet was set before us. I was blown away by the green tea ice cream and vowed to try skipping the main course next time so I could do the fancy desserts more justice. Alec and Gianna were happy to dig in with gusto, and I was happy that Gary was more of a hunter and pecker, as I was.

“Wait until you meet the rest of the family,” Gianna said to me between mouthfuls.

“I'm looking forward to it.”
I think.

“I'm sure Alec told you about our older brother.”

“A plastic surgeon of some renown in the city,” I said.

“Franco was a real catch, too.” Gianna beamed again. “Monica sure hit the big time with him.” She turned to Alec. “Why don't you bring Samantha to the beach house to meet everyone?”

Alec faced me. “You have plans for Labor Day weekend?”

As if.
I shook my head.

“Then that's the perfect time to do it.” He turned toward his sister. “Don't blab to Mom and Dad.”

“I wouldn't think of it, Alec.”

“Then how did they know about Samantha before I told them?” Alec growled.

Gianna blushed and Gary grinned from ear to ear. “I was just so ecstatic when you told me. I knew they'd be, too.”

I smiled, flattered that I was a topic of conversation within their family. “I'm sure she meant well, Alec,” I said.

Gianna grabbed my hand and smiled softly at Alec, a playful glint in her eyes. “It'd be nice if I had a sister, instead of just a big oaf of a brother.”

“You're lucky I'm in a good mood, Gianna, or I'd wring your neck,” Alec said, his signature grin back in place.

Gianna nudged Gary with an elbow. “Let me pick up the check, Alec,” he said.

“It's taken care of,” Alec replied, rising from his chair, which had managed to survive his weight. “Maybe next time.”

I stood and put an arm halfway around Alec's waist. “It was nice meeting you two,” I said.

“Likewise, Samantha,” Gary said.

“See you at the beach house,” Gianna said, smiling softly.

Alec took my hand and headed for the exit. “Sisters,” he muttered. “Can't live with them; can't live without them.”

Alec called me at work the next morning to invite me to his apartment for dinner that evening. I was excited because this was the first time I'd get to see the place where he lived. But I was a bit nervous, too. Would this be the moment he finally put the major move on me?

“You've been a dynamo around here today,” Priti said from her side of the partition late in the afternoon. “You turned down lunch on our bench and you've waved me away every time I tried to talk.”

“Sorry, P,” I said as I reached for the phone. “I just wanted to clear my desk so I could get out of here on time.”
And without any guilt for a change.

“I would have covered for you.”

“You've done that plenty already. Can't let the boss think he could do without me completely,” I said as I dialed Alec's number. “At least not yet.”

“Haberstein here,” said the voice on the other end.

“Hi, Roger. It's Samantha. Is Alec available?”

“ 'Fraid not. He bolted out of here a couple of minutes ago. I'm covering for him.”