47 Destinies: Finding Grace (4 page)

Neither spoke much until the waitress returned with the wine bottle.  She poured a little wine in Larry’s glass for him to taste.  Larry stuck his nose in the glass and then took a sip.

“I don’t like it,” Larry said as he turned up his nose.

The waitress was a little surprised but kept her composure.  “What else can I bring you, sir?”

“Let’s skip the wine and bring us a bottle of champagne.  I feel like celebrating,” Larry responded.

The waitress scurried off.  Grace had no idea how to pick up the conversation.  She was embarrassed and unsure what to do next.  Larry did not appear to share her same concerns.

“You are far more beautiful than your picture, Grace,” Larry said as he leered inappropriately at her breasts.  “How long have you been internet dating?”

“Actually, I…” Grace began.

“Excuse me.  I need to use the restroom.  I will be right back,” Larry said as he practically jumped up from the table.

Grace was very tempted to leave.  It was obvious that the date was not going to work out.  Larry reminded her of a slimy mobster straight out of the 40’s.  He looked older than both of Mattias and Bella’s grandfathers.  He was slimy and made strange faces at her.  Thank goodness Grace had the foresight to drive her own car, she thought to herself.  She was born and bred to be respectful, but this was ridiculous.

“Would you like me to open the champagne?” the waitress asked Grace.

“I guess,” Grace muttered.  Champagne seemed rather out of place for a first date.

As the champagne was being poured, Larry returned.

“Where were we, Darling?” Larry asked as he sauntered back into his seat.  His hands appeared wet again.

“I was...” Grace began again.

“You were telling me about your dating history.  Please tell me everything,” Larry said as his phone buzzed.  “I need to take this, I will be right back,” Larry said, once again leaving the table.

Grace looked at his exit as her chance to make an escape.  She grabbed her purse and quickly stood up.  Before she finished pushing in her chair, Larry returned.

“Sorry about that call.  Things at the office are so busy these days,” Larry said in a very unconvincing manner.  “Are you off to the restroom?  How about I escort you?” 

Grace was trapped.  She wasn’t used to being impolite so she reluctantly accepted his offer.  Grace attempted to take as long as possible in the restroom.  She was astounded, but not disappointed when she exited that Larry had not waited for her.  However, as she moved across the restaurant, Larry caught up with her and linked his arm into hers.  She was stuck again.

“Grace, tell me more about you,” Larry prodded.  He was looking down at his cell phone when he asked her the question.  Grace gave a simple pat answer, irritated with his rude behavior.  She decided to turn the tables on him.

“Larry, how do you get along with your mother?” Grace asked sweetly.

Larry’s face snarled as he responded, “I can’t stand her.  She constantly interferes in my life.  When I was getting a divorce last year, she had the nerve to take sides with my ex-wife.  I try to only see her once or twice a year when I absolutely have to!”

Grace was repulsed by his abrupt response.  She chastised herself for not asking better questions of him during their initial internet chat.  She also should have trusted her intuition to begin with a meeting over coffee and not dinner!  Right when Grace was about to tell him that she needed to leave, Larry’s phone rang again.

“I need to take this call,” he said as he walked away.

Grace grabbed her purse from her lap, left the chair where it was and practically ran out of the restaurant.  She walked briskly to her car and drove off.  There was no way she was spending another moment with that disgusting man. 

She once heard that there was someone for everyone.  At that very moment she had a difficult time believing the cliché.  There was no way Larry was right for anyone.  She was going to go home and immediately delete the internet dating account. Grace didn’t want to leave herself open to meeting another loser.  Maybe it was her destiny to stay single.

It took some time for Grace to simmer down.  However, after replaying the date in her head, Grace burst into laughter.  It was so terrible that it was funny.  Perhaps being set up on a blind date would be better than this disaster, she thought.

On her drive home, Grace’s phone rang.

“Grace, Darling.  It’s Leslie.  How are you?”

“Good.  I am just driving home from dinner.”  Grace wasn’t keen on telling Leslie about her date, but she also didn’t want to lie.

“I am happy to hear you had an evening out with your girlfriends.  Did you have fun?”

How did Leslie manage to box her in a corner?  Why was it so difficult to keep things from her?  Leslie and Brent were definitely cut from the same cloth.  Grace decided it was easier to simply tell her the truth.

“Actually, I was on a date,” Grace finally admitted.

Leslie was silent for a moment.  Grace assumed she was processing what it meant for Grace to be dating again.

“Wonderful!  I am very happy to hear that you are dating.  Is he someone I know?” Leslie inserted quickly.

“I don’t think so,” Grace said, stifling a laugh.  The thought of Leslie interacting with someone like Larry was comical.  Leslie would have him for lunch.

“OK Grace, tell me!  What is his name?  What does he do for a living?  How did you meet him?  How did it go?  Are you going to see him again? ” Leslie said, firing off the questions like a machine gun at Grace.

“Slow down.  The date was terrible and I am not going to see him again.” Grace thought it was better to get to the point before Leslie did a background check on him.

“Oh,” was all Leslie managed to say.  Then she quickly added, “I have the perfect solution. I have an ideal way to find a better and more deserving dating match for you.  Do you remember Millicent from the club?  She recently hired a reputable dating service for her daughter.  She continues to sing their praises.  I understand this firm gets outstanding results.  I will call them tomorrow and set up an appointment.”

Before Grace could even respond, Leslie said, “Bye” and hung up.  The Locke family had the most abrupt phone manners, Grace thought to herself as she clicked off her phone.  Now that Leslie was involved, Grace would surely meet a more suitable man.  She figured it couldn’t be any worse than the evening she had just experienced.

The next day, Leslie called Grace with the appointment information for the elite dating service.  Leslie informed Grace that she would meet her there.  Grace would have preferred to do it on her own, but she had learned years ago that Leslie Locke was a very persistent woman.  After thinking it over, Grace convinced herself that it might be fun to have Leslie’s perspective on some of the men’s portfolios.

When Grace arrived right on time for her 10am appointment, she hurried inside the building and joined Leslie.

“Darling, I have already completed the paperwork and picked out several portfolios for you to review,” Leslie said, as she took Grace into an embrace.

“Leslie, that wasn’t necessary,” Grace replied sweetly.  Truth be told, it was a tad bit presumptuous, Grace thought.

“It was no problem.  I didn’t mind making the time,” Leslie said, handing the portfolios to Grace.  “The first gentleman is Edward.  He works for a trading firm, went to Stanford, and is looking for a woman who enjoys entertaining.  He sounds perfect.  What do you think?”

It was all going a little fast for Grace.  She took the portfolio and perused it before answering Leslie.  “I don’t know, Leslie.  I’m looking for a man who enjoys being around children.  Does he say anything about children?”

“Of course he mentioned children,” Leslie replied with a slight scowl. “All of the portfolios I previewed have taken the children into consideration.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Leslie,” Grace softly stated. “This is all so new to me.”

“Darling, I can see you are overwhelmed.  Let me take care of everything,” Leslie said, gathering Grace’s coat and purse.  “I have been inconsiderate of your time and activities with the children.  I will call you once I have all of the details ironed out.”

As Grace was being politely pushed out the door, she tried one last attempt to get through to Leslie, “I would like to be included.”

“You are considerate, Grace, but I have this handled.  If Brent would have listened to me years ago, he could have had someone better than Cora.  Don’t worry, we will find the perfect man for you.  Give the children my love,” Leslie said as she shut the door.

Unsure how it all happened, Grace found herself outside near her car.  She was quite shocked about the whole interaction.  Grace peered back into the window and saw Leslie actively talking to one of the dating representatives.  As hard as she tried, she couldn’t be angry with Leslie.  Leslie was truly a second mother to Grace.  She really had Grace’s best interests at heart.

It didn’t take long for Leslie to arrange Grace’s first date.  Two days after signing Grace up with the dating service, Grace received a phone call from Vincent Van Zant.

“Hi Grace.  My name is Vincent, but my friends call me Vinnie.  The dating service sent over my profile via email; I’m not sure if you have seen it yet.  I reviewed your profile and our interests match up perrrrfectly,” Vinnie said with a thick New York accent. 

Before Grace could respond, Vinnie continued on, “Since we both love fashion, I thought it would be fun to check out the grand finale of the Bay Area Fashion Week.  This year’s theme is ‘Project Open Arms’.  My good friend Peter Cassara is sponsoring it.  The event is at City Hall in the Rotunda.  As a top designer, it is important for me to attend these events.  Plus, Peter would never forgive me if I didn’t come.  Would you like me to pick you up?”

Grace was blown away by the speed which Vinnie spoke.  It took her a second to catch up to him.  “How about I meet you there?” Grace said once she gathered her thoughts.

“Suit yourself.  I will see you outside City Hall at 6:00pm this Friday.  Just text me on this number when you arrive; I am sure I will be able to find you with the profile picture I received from the agency.”

“Sounds good.  I will see you there, Vincent.”

“Vinnie.  Please call me Vinnie,” he said, reminding Grace of his preferred name with a slight irritation in his tone.

“I will see you there, Vinnie,” Grace said with a hint of a smile.  While she was willing to go on another date, she already had her doubts about connecting with Vinnie.  She really had little knowledge about the overall fashion industry.  Nevertheless, Grace enjoyed supporting the charities which the show sponsored.  Perhaps it would be fun to learn more from Vinnie about the industry.

On Friday night, Grace arrived outside of City Hall at precisely 5:45pm.  Since it was the end of September, Grace wore a floor length black silk dress with long sleeves.  The back of the dress moved down into a V-shape exposing her creamy tan skin.  The front spread down into a scoop neck, accenting her picture-perfect breasts.  She chose a simple teardrop diamond necklace with a matching diamond tennis bracelet.  Her hair was pinned up in a bun with a few wispy strands dangling on each side of her face.  Grace added height to her already long legs with a pair of strappy black heels.  She looked straight out of the glamour magazines.

Vinnie had no problem finding Grace.  She was a vision in black; albeit her black shoes were a little safe for a fashion event, but overall she was remarkable.  He could really help her enhance her natural beauty.

“Grace, thank you for coming,” Vinnie said, kissing Grace on both cheeks before pulling her into a friendly hug.  Vinnie was tall, dark and balding.  Grace smiled when she saw his open shirt that exposed his black hairy chest.  For being a designer, Grace expected a more fashionable dresser. 

“It is a beautiful evening,” Grace said admiring the incredible view of City Hall.  “City Hall is one of my favorite places to visit.  Did you know it was built-”

Vinnie hijacked the conversation, “in 1915 after the first one was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake.  Yes, yes, everyone who lives in San Francisco knows that Gracie.  Next thing you know, you are going to go on about the American Renaissance architecture and how the dome is the fifth largest in the world.  Oh wait!  Maybe you were going to tell me how Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married here in 1954?  Have I stolen all of your small talk material?”  Vinnie asked with a sarcastic smug look on his face.

“Can we go inside?” Grace asked, afraid of being impolite five minutes into the date.

“Of course, you read my mind.  I told Peter I would come see him before the start of the show.  By the way, a black purse is so stale these days.  You should really have one with a little bling.  And Gracie, what is with the wedding ring you are wearing?  It sends people the wrong message,” Vinnie said, looking around for the host of the event.  Grace ignored his critical comments.

Grace was awestruck when they walked into the Rotunda.  She had brought the kids on several tours, however, this evening it had been completely transformed.  The ground floor to the top of the rotunda was over 300 feet.  Marble floors covered the main floor in intricate circular patterns of block squares.  From the ground level, there were ten stairs which led up to a half oval plateau.  Past the initial stairs, the grand staircase began.  Intricate brass railings stood guard of the 30 magnificent marble stairs.