“Oops,” and he took advantage of the situation to place his hands very casually on either side of her arms, as if to steady her.
“Sorry – my fault. Wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Not at all. Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes I’m fine, thanks.” Adalia felt her cheeks flush at his touch, and she discreetly moved out from the grip, although she found it difficult to turn away from the twinkle in his eyes.
“And I think the Hidalgo La Gitana is a wonderful suggestion, although considering my brother’s tastes, a good beer would be more to Bud’s liking.”
“Nothing wrong with a good beer, if you like beers.”
“Well, if I ever get a chance to try your Hoosier Banon,” and Kim gave her his biggest smile, watching for any indication that she was affected by his action, “I was thinking I may accompany it with Domecq La Ina.”
“A very good choice. Classic Spanish sherry, although...with that one...I might pair it with a Muenster.”
“That would be agreeable as well, and considering you are the sommelier, I shall rely on your expert opinion ....So...have you had the opportunity to open the Ducru Beaucaillou?”
“As a matter of fact...Tina and I were enjoying some of it earlier, and we asked a few other wine fans to join us. It uh...It lived up to the hype I’m happy to say.”
“Wonderful! Sometimes you just don’t know, do you? You pay an exorbitant price for something allegedly that exquisite and then get your heart broken. I was hoping it didn’t taste like red wine vinegar.”
“A very expensive red wine vinegar? No...No it was fine. There’s probably still a bit left if you’d...uh...if you’d like to try a glass of it before it’s gone.”
“I would very much like that.” Say it Kim – say it.
“And…” Adalia continued, “I have a recommendation for you, to thank you for the Ducru Beaucaillou, but I’m afraid you may want to wait until after 2008 to drink it.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Chateau Pichon Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville.”
The French flowed off her lips with the greatest simplicity, and Kim smiled again in spite of himself. “The Chateau Pichon-Baron. I know it well.”
“Not as pricey as the Ducru Beaucaillou, but I had a sampling of it during a tasting held by The Wine Spectator, and uh...and it was surprisingly...surprising.”
“Sid mentioned how delightful it was. So you plan on stocking it in the Point cellars?”
“As many cases of the 2002 as I can get my hands on. I wasn’t overly impressed with the 2001, but I think this one will go over very well. Well, it will with anybody that likes that sort of Bordeaux.”
“Do you?”
“Do...I? Well...Yeah...Yeah it’s...it’s worth it and especially since it’s not all that expensive. The tannins are silky; it doesn’t kick you in the behind but it’s still ambitious; and I love the tobacco and currants and the cedar.” She found that if she continued discussing the wine, it was less likely she would feel flabbergasted being in his company.
“Just promise that you will acquire a few bottles for both Sid and myself. We both have our own little wine collections. Better yet...”
“Better yet, just get you a few bottles and make Sid pea green with envy?”
“You’re reading my mind.”
“No...I just figure that you’d love to play a bit of one-upmanship with him.”
“I was right – you are reading my mind.” Say it Kim – ask her. “Well, if I may be so bold, be it this year or next year, or sometime after 2008...I hope you will give me the honor of arranging a dinner around the opening of a bottle.”
“Sure Kim – I’d be happy to. I’ve planned dinners around a wine. You just want to show it off more than you do the food, but of course they need to complement one...”
“Only if you promise to complement my table with your presence, Adalia Rabinovich.”
The remark caused her to drift back onto her heels as she looked aside, praying that her expression was not obvious. “I...” and she paused, feeling incredibly stupid and awkward. “I...”
Kim nearly reached for her hand, but realizing that it might be taken as some act of aggression, he held back, whispering instead, “At the least...think about it...all right? After all, you have a year or two.”
“I...” Nothing would emerge. She had been doing fine until he made that bold proposal, leaving her feeling quite small and delicate in his shadow. It’s not that I dislike you. It’s not that I think you’re a monster...but you just don’t....Please God...I need to tell him something that won’t make him think I hate him or.... “Kim I....” Her breath increased and the throbbing in her temples intensified. He was so close right now, the eyes eager, welcoming, pulsing with fervor….
“Excuse me you two.”
This is the Lord’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. Perhaps the memory of the ancient Psalm was over reactive, but it blessedly broke the spell that Barrett had seemed to cast. “Tina...hi!” Adalia tried not to look too relieved.
“Look I’m sorry to interrupt, but...could I tear Adalia away for a moment?”
Kim sighed, hiding his disgust and smiling as a way of assuring the Keeper that this was fine. “Of course. Thanks to you, Tina, our Adalia is a very popular lady. I don’t think she’s had more than five minutes alone with anybody.” At least you’re discrete – your husband would have escorted me out the door for simply looking at her. He now looked at the chef again. “Just...remember what we discussed...please. And I’ll see you later.”
“Sure...Sure Kim, yeah. Maybe...Maybe later...okay?” and with a final glance over her shoulder, Adalia walked away. “Oh my God,” she said when they were out of earshot.
“You all right?”
“Oh I’m fine...I’m fine. He wasn’t...He wasn’t harassing me or anything, but thanks for coming along. It’s just exhausting feeling as if you’re on guard all the time.”
Tina raised an eyebrow. “What was he saying? I didn’t catch any of it except something about a year or two.”
Adalia simply shook her head. “It was nothing...It was just...I was telling him about a Bordeaux I thought he might enjoy, and he said something about having me create a dinner around the wine itself...and then...”
“Then he invited you to dinner?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll give him one thing...” Tina said, smiling in spite of everything, “he’s a whole lot subtler than Sid would have been.”
“Meaning he didn’t knock me in the head and kidnap me?”
Sid hasn’t kidnapped anybody in ages she thought, wondering if Adalia had read about their resident cyber being’s little stunt with Laura. But instead of saying it out loud, Tina answered, “Kim’s not...Kim’s never been like that thank God. He’s smarmy, that’s a fact...and arrogant too...”
“But you’re going to tell me he has his moments?”
“No, not actually,” Tina laughed, offering the chef a glass of Chardonnay. “The only moments he’s had have been on the nasty, mischievous side, and I think that was his way of making sure we all still knew he was around.”
“How would you not know he’s around?” Adalia admitted, giggling slightly. “But yeah...I guess it’s as hard being ‘Sid Lite’ as it is just trying to stand-out among...well...”
“The better known ones?”
“Exactly, and look...Tina...I’m sorry about that, I really am...”
“Sorry? Sorry about what?”
“If I came off rude to him ‘cause...”
“I doubt that Kim saw it that way.”
“Well maybe he did, maybe he didn’t, and I know I’m the newcomer here, but I just...I just don’t like feeling as if I’m being put under pressure about anything, that’s all. I’ll be nice to him but...”
“Adalia...you are under no obligation to be nice to him or short with him. You do what you think is necessary, okay? I just...I just never want you to feel uncomfortable. You ought to be able to go anywhere you want in the Point, and not feel like you have to look over your shoulder in case Kim’s around. That’s not right.”
Crossing her arms, allowing the rim of the glass to gently tap at her bosom, Adalia nodded, watching as Kim appeared to be making the moves on a young redhead she had earlier seen with Andy. Thankfully, before it could turn into a minor free-for-all between the two brothers, Jim Braddock stepped in as peacemaker...and Kim simply chuckled, brushed imaginary lint from Jim's shoulders, then Andy’s clothes, and finally sauntered away, whistling as he approached another – and seemingly more agreeable – lady to be conquered. “Did you see that?”
“Yeah...I did,” Tina sighed. “That’s...typical.”
“I’ll bet.”
“You don’t...You’re not bothered by...”
“By what just...? Oh no! I’m not...No...Look...Tina...if I was attracted by Kim...I mean in that way, I would have talked to him from the beginning, you know, shown him I was interested. I’m...I’m not...not right now I mean. I don’t...And I swear, if I was talking to anybody but you, Tina, they’d probably say I sound so confused I must like him and I’m probably jealous of that over there.”
“‘The lady doth protest too much’ and all that?”
Adalia nodded, her face turning red.
“No...I’m not going to say that. I’ve had my share of embarrassing situations, times when I felt like I could crawl under a rock and never come out because I was the brunt of somebody’s idea of a joke.”
“You mean...since you’ve been at the Point?”
Tina slowly shook her head. “No...not here. Back home....Back in Louisville, and it really hurts when you think someone or a group of ‘someones’ are your friends. You just know they’ve done it because it makes them feel good to knock you down a notch because they secretly dislike you. I’m a whole lot more sturdy than I used to be,” she added, her usual confidence quickly returning. “And it’s always good to know that you have someone in your corner that wouldn’t want you hurt for anything in the world.”
As if knowing he was being spoken of, John Biebe glanced from Jack Aubrey and Beej, and smiling, winked at his wife before returning to his conversation.
“See what I mean?”
“You’re real lucky, Tina.” Now that’s the way a man ought to look at the woman he loves!
“Yeah, yeah I am.....Hey, are you all right?” Putting down her own wine glass, she gently touched Adalia’s arm. “You look tired.”
“I’m just...Is it hot in here, or is it just me?”
“It’s a little warm, yes, but it’s not too bad. Not to me anyway.”
“Well, it must be me then. I’m burning up,” and she fanned herself with her free hand.
“I think it’s the excitement too. You’re meeting a bunch of new people and they’re wanting to know everything about you, and you’re trying to remember names and fit in, and on top of that, you’re seeing nearly all the brothers pretty much in one setting.”
“All the girls keep saying it’s a bit...overwhelming.”
“A bit? That’s an understatement, but they’re right, they’re right – it is, even when you’ve been introduced to many of the Boys here and there over the last few days. It’s a lot to take in, and you need to do it in steps, the smaller the better.”
“I guess.” Adalia rubbed at the spot between her eyes. “I’ve...I’ve felt a headache coming on most of the evening, Tina....I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“Because you planned all this – it’s my housewarming....Everybody has said you’ve been planning it for days, and I feel like I’m being such a jerk ruining...”
“You are not ruining anything,” Tina declared. “Do you think I want you to pretend as if you’re having a good time when you’re totally miserable? Look...um...everyone seems like they’re settled in. They’ve got plenty of food. There’s enough liquor and wine and beer to keep them happy. Why don’t you take a break, go outside and get some air?”
“But...” and Adalia found herself being carefully maneuvered away from the press of guests and towards a set of French doors.
“But nothing. No one is going to care if you step outside for a few. Now go.”
“Tina...”
“Go.”
“All right, all right, I’m going. Lisa was wrong. You are a slave driver,” she joked.
Tina rolled her eyes and pointed outside. “Go...now.”
“I’m going, Boss, I’m going.”