"You get to choose..." He leaned over, bumped shoulders and smiled sideways at her.
She ran her hand lightly over his cheek and down his forearm. Her eyelashes flicked up and down in that way
he knew that she was thinking something before she said it.
"I choose...anywhere?"
"Anywhere."
"Montaldo's!"
"Seriously? But, Shane, honestly..."
She turned to face him straight on. "I want to share an evening there with you where we thoroughly enjoy our dinner, dancing
and each other. We have to get back up on that horse..."
"And ride?" he interjected with a chuckle.
"Yes, "she whispered. "This time, let's ride!"
"Shane," he tilted his head to the side. "For someone who now believes in miracles, sometimes you can be so..."
His eyes twinkled.
"Practical?" they said at the same time, with the exact same inflection and much laughter.
Oliver grasped the hand resting on his arm and kissed it. "You win. Shall I collect you at 7?"
"Your fiancee awaits you on the porch at 645 for a few moments on the swing. Then we can leave by 7."
Oliver added," Or at least by 715...?"
That time on the porch swing gave Oliver time to catch his breath because Shane had pulled out all the stops to look
about as beautiful as he had ever seen her. She chose a simple blue dress that matched her eyes with a skirt that flowed
when she walked, and what did she call those..."cut out shoulders"? He tried to take it all in on their swing.
Shortly thereafter they pulled up at the now familiar front of the restaurant and the valet strode to the car door and helped
Shane out. Oliver, not quickly enough, was beside her and held out his hand.
"So far, so good," she thought, and let out a long breath.
"You're not really nervous, are you, Shane?"Noting the sigh, Oliver handed his keys to the valet.
"To be 100% honest, Oliver, just a bit. But I want to beat our track record here and redeem this place for us."
He whispered quietly as he held the door for her, "I have every confidence we will make many more fine memories here
from now on."
They stood side by side at the maitre'd station, holding hands and gazing around the familiar room. It had been quite a while
since their last visit here. When Oliver gave his name, the maitre'd smiled, greeted "Ms. McInerney," and led them to the same table they'd
sat at before- near the dance floor on that infamous date not so long ago. Oliver pondered how amazing it was that the maitre'd
remembered Shane's name from so many months ago. But he shrugged it off. "She certainly is memorable, " he thought to himself,
as he feasted again on her lovely profile.
The next thing Shane noticed was the flowers on their table where they were being seated...
She laughed with delight,"Yellow roses! Oliver, there are yellow roses only on our table!"She smiled brightly at him.
He nodded, a bit self-consciously, wondering if that was too sentimental for Shane. The look on her face alleviated
any such thoughts.
After sniffing and admiring the flowers, Shane reached for her clutch and pulled out her cell phone.
"I plan to put this on silent mode, Oliver, but excuse me while I check one thing quickly." She scanned the phone
and smiled and remarked, "Oh good," and placed the phone back at the bottom of her clutch.
"It's off and my attention is totally on you, my favorite postal singing detective guy!"
"What was so important" Oliver asked off-handedly as he looked at the menu.
"I asked Rita to call Bistro Ramon," she replied matter-of-factly looking casually around the room.
Oliver raised an eyebrow, surprised. "And why did you do that?"
Shane made eye contact with him. "Rita confirmed for me that Ramon is incredibly busy tonight with a new menu and
a new woman and there is no WAY he would show up here...for ANY reason!" She grinned at him.
"Are you serious? That is too funny," and they both laughed out loud. More of that low level tension Shane had been feeling
was quickly evaporating. Oliver seemed relaxed, happy and jovial. This was going to be a very different dining experience at
Montaldo's- not just tonight, but from now on.
A young waiter showed up and Shane and Oliver engaged with him. They inquired if he knew Nikki and Graham, and found that
he was new, but promised to ask the manager, Daniel, for them, about the former staff members. While they chatted with him over
the dinner selection, the members of the quartet began to arrive , arranging themselves around their instruments and preparing
to play.
"Do you have any musical requests this evening?" asked Joel.
Oliver said clearly, "Yes, we would like to hear an old favorite entitled, 'The Water is Wide.' Would you ask them for us?''
'The Water is Wide,' said Joel, repeating it slowly as if it were very unfamiliar. "That's a new one on me. I definitely will. Thank you!"
"What lyrics will you be using tonight, Mr. O'Toole?" inquired Shane.
"The most meaningful ones, Ms. McInerney," came the response from behind the menu.
Enjoying their ice water, their conversation turned to wedding plans, Joe's recent date that he had been unusually reticent to
discuss, and Oliver's intentions to purchase a cell phone. Or as he referred to it, "a communication device."
"Oliver, I hope you don't feel any pressure from me to buy a cell phone."
"Oh no, I don't feel any pressure. But I believe that being married soon obligates me to consider those things that are
important and valuable to you. I want you to be able to be in touch with me easily any time, and I'm more than willing to have
you at my beck and call," he emphasized with a slow smile.
Before dinner arrived, they heard the strains of the song they were waiting for and made their way to the dance floor. This time
their dancing was physically closer to one another and slower. They recited the lyrics in hushed tones and after saying,
..."and both shall row, my love and I...," they sealed that new memory with a quick kiss.
After another song their meal was delivered to the table. Joel informed them that the manager would be stopping by when
they were through and he would be glad to tell them about Nikki and Graham.
There wasn't a care in the world at this table, this time. Oliver often reached across the table and instead of just missing Shane's
hand, it was lovingly offered.
Shane let herself think briefly about the heartache that had existed here at one time; both Nikki's and her own. Truth be told, Oliver
had been suffering as well. What a difference God had made in their relationship over time. Why had she avoided Him for so long?
What a comfort to know and to be known.
As dinner ended, true to his word, Daniel, the manager, discreetly joined them tableside. He not only remembered the waiter and
waitress, but he had Nikki on his phone on Facetime. There appeared her smiling face and red hair and they were so pleased to
hear how well the auditioning process was going and their young marriage. Nikki was thrilled, too, to see Shane's ring and know
they were back to redeem their time at Montaldo's - to celebrate.
At the end of the call, and after thanking the manager, Daniel said that he would be back with their dessert and hurried off. Oliver
tried to stop him, but the manager was too quick.
"Anything wrong, Oliver?" Shane asked.
"I just wondered what dessert he intended to bring. We hadn't ordered and I noticed, in addition, that lemon curd cake, is regrettably, not
on the menu tonight," he gave Shane a shy smile.
Shane said quietly, "Perhaps he will replace it with an amuse bouche of chocolate?"
Oliver looked at her to ascertain if she were joking. Noting the smile in her eyes, he knew he was being teased.
"I'll just check it for rose hips, just in case, if you don't mind!"
Their laughter greeted the manager as he brought one plate and two forks to the table.
It was a beautifully plated lemon curd cake.
Oliver looked up at Daniel, who smiled secretively at Shane, and then moved off. "Shane?"
She took the fork and dipped it into the creamy dessert and offered it to Oliver. "I called ahead and ordered it
specially prepared. You see, Oliver, I only eat lemon curd cake, with you."
"Oh I am so glad we finally returned to Montaldo's, my love."