"Wow." said Bridget as she looked around the elegant restaurant. "This is beautiful."
"Glad you like it." replied Deacon.
They were led over to their table which was covered in a light blue line tablecloth and with matching light blue chairs. Deacon went over and pulled Bridget's chair out for her.
"Thank you." She smiled as she sat down.
"You're welcome." He said as he lightly touched her shoulder causing that chill to once again go up her spine.
As Deacon sat down Bridget picked up her menu. "Wow. These prices are..."
"Don't you worry about that." said Deacon. "Order whatever you want. It's on me."
"But..."
"It's okay. Go ahead. Order what you like."
Bridget set her menu down. "So what are you? Some rich mogul or something"
"No. Not exactly."
"Well what is it that you do?"
"I own a nightclub here in Vegas."
"Really? That's great. How long have you had the club?"
"About four years."
"What's it called?"
"Lucky Hearts."
"Lucky Hearts? I like it"
"I thought it was a good Vegas type name"
Bridget smiled."Yeah it is." She agreed.
"So what do you do?" asked Deacon.
"I'm a doctor"
"A doctor"
"Yeah for about a year now. I work in a hospital."
"Wow. That's terrific. You enjoy it?"
"Yeah I do. I mean it's different than what my family does but.."
"What does your family do?"
"They're in fashion." said Bridget taking a sip of water.
The waiter came over. "Good evening. Are you ready to order?"
Deacon looked at Bridget. "You decided yet?"
"Yeah you know what I could really go for a steak."
"That sounds great. Two steaks. Medium."
"Very good." replied the waiter. "Anything to drink?"
"Yeah we'll have a bottle of your best champagne"
"Very well." The waiter said taking the menus.
"So." said Deacon. "You said your family is into fashion."
"Yeah. My father is a designer."
"I see. And you didn't want to get into that?"
Bridget sighed. "Well I sort of did but.."
"But what?"
"It's complicated."
"Try me."
"My stepmother...she always...she wanted me to be just like Taylor."
"Who's Taylor?"
"She's uh..the ex-wife of my brother. She's a doctor. Stephanie, my stepmother, practically worships her."
"Do you like Taylor?"
"Yeah I do. I guess"
"You guess?" asked Deacon.
"Well...she you know..She's a doctor...She helps people."
"And you've always wanted to be like her? Help people by becoming a doctor?"
"I like what I do." said Bridget. "I enjoy being a doctor."
"It doesn't seem that way"
"What do you mean?" asked Bridget.
"I mean it seems to me that the only reason you decided to get into medicine is because your stepmother wants to mold you into Taylor."
"Mold me into Taylor?"
"You said yourself that she worships her. So obviously she wants you to be just like her."
Bridget thought about what he said. She supposed there was some truth to it.
"What about your real mom?" asked Deacon. "Is she into fashion too?"
"Yes." replied Bridget. "She is."
"Did she support your decision to be a doctor?"
Bridget nodded. "Yes she did. Very much. But I..."
"What?"
"I sometimes wonder if...maybe...I don't know...she wishes that I would have followed in her footsteps.
I mean not that she's not proud of me or anything...she is.. I just...I don't know.." Bridget looked at Deacon. "Enough about me...what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What's your family like?"
The waiter came over and set down their champagne and then poured the two glasses.
Deacon took a sip. "Well.." started Deacon. "My mother was a showgirl."
"A showgirl?"
"Yeah..she loved it." Deacon said fondly. "She loved being in the shows and dancing. She was the best."
"You still keep in touch with her"
"No not really."
"Why not? Don't you get along?"
"We do it's...Look I don't really like talking about it."
"You can tell me." said Bridget taking his hand. Deacon looked down and saw her little hand grasp his. Her touch was like magic.
"My father...I didn't' really know him...actually I never new him. He wasn't around when I was born or anytime after that. My mom had a habit of picking the wrong men. She was looking for someone to help pay her bills and not much more. The last guy...he was a real lowlife. I don't know what Mom saw in him or why she married him. His name was Daryl. They didn't have a real marriage. Mom would kick him out and then he come back around and she would let him back in. Finally they did divorce but I think she still lets him around."
"That's terrible." said Bridget sympathetically. "You never had a real father growing up."
"No I guess I didn't."
"I guess I was lucky. I had two fathers."
"Two fathers?" asked Deacon. "What do you mean?"
Bridget sighed as the waiter then brought their food out and set it down. Bridget took a sip of her champagne. "It's a long sorted story. Suffice to say the man who I had thought was my father for the first six years of my life turned out not to be. Another was."
"Do you get along with him"
"Yes I do. I love my father and I still love my other "father". "
"You get along with everyone in your family?"
Bridget nodded. "I'm close to my brother Rick. I don't get to see her as often as I would like but I am close to my older sister Kristen. Felicia on the other hand...not so much."
"What about your mom? You get along with her?"
"I'm very close to her"
"So it's just your one sister you have issues with?"
"Looks that way." said Bridget taking a bite of her steak. "You have any brothers or sisters"
"No. It was just me."
Bridget took a drink of her champagne and set it down. "I grew up in a pretty big family." She said. "I have two aunts and an uncle on my mom's side. My one aunt is a model. The other works in PR. My uncle is a lawyer."
"You close to them?"
"My Aunt Donna I am. I don't get to see my Uncle Storm too much but he's great. My aunt Katie...I do love her but she can be a little...I don't know...a little annoying. Do you have any relatives?"
"Well I can't say on my father's side but my mom does have a sister. They were pretty close. I don't see her very much although she was the one who thought I should open a nightclub."
"And do you like it?"
"I do. Very much. It was a lot of work but it was worth it. I love it. It was named of one of the best nightclubs in Vegas"
"That's great." smiled Bridget.
"Thanks." said Deacon proudly.
They finished up their dinner and headed out. Bridget got into the car and shut the door. As Deacon got in she turned to him. "Hey..how about you show me your club? I'd love to see it."
"You want to see my club?"
"Yeah it would be fun."
"Okay." He said as he started the car. "By the way...I suppose this is late but...what is your name?" He asked.
"Bridget"
"Bridget. That's a pretty name." Like you. He added to himself.
"Thank you. It's actually a combination of my mother's name and...well the man who WAS my father name. What's yours?"
"Deacon." He replied.
"Nice to meet you Deacon." replied Bridget holding out her hand to shake his. He instead took her hand in his and gently kissed it. That sensation ran through her body again. Deacon pulled out of the the parking spot and drove off towards the club. This was perfect. He had a private suite above the club. He could take her up there later. He didn't care what it took..he had every intention of seducing her and getting her into his bed. Once he did she was never going to want to leave it..he would take her all night long. He would take away the hurt and pain that her bitchy sister and that loser inflicted upon her. She would see that she was a beautiful and sexy woman. He didn't know how much longer she planned to be in Vegas but she wasn't leaving without knowing she was desirable and deserved to be loved.