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"I see," Dahtness to it, and the pressure of his hand on mine increases I doubt that I a hard to control the temper that had been so famous back in his tennis days The temper that had, in fact, caused the injury that left him with dual-colored eyes "I’d like to have a ith that young man"

"I’ve already dismissed him," the tall man says "He was escorted off the property at the sa lady"

"Good," Daht Because considering the rage that I see etched on Damien’s face, if that busboy was still on the premises, he should be very, very worried indeed

3

Da the ride to the rooftop restaurant, and the air in the small elevator car is thick I’m sure our escort--who I’ve decided is Damien’s owner friend--is mortified that one of his employees leaked the news of where Damien would be And the fact that Damien hasn’t formally introduced us is more proof of how much the incident has upset him

Damien’s ret going out at all The paparazzi were bad, but this cloud of glooet tired of us soon enough Some movie star will divorce so We’re boring by comparison"

For a moment, I think my ploy hasn’t worked Then he lifts our joined hands and presses a kiss onyou feel better"

"I’htens his fingers around otten irlfriend, Nikki Fairchild Nikki, my friend Alaine Beauchene, one of the best chefs in the city and the owner of Le Caquelon"

"It’s a very great pleasure tos"

"Oh" I’m not sure why, but the words surpriseabout Da with his friends aboutI’ve contee feels nice It’s one more thread in the tapestry that is Nikki and Da us," I say And then, because I can’t help but jump all over this peek into Damien’s life, I add, "How do you two know each other?"

"Alaine’s father practices sportsEurope," Alaine says wistfully "Those were good ti Damien carefully Itennis were hardly full of happy, fluffy enuine "Those were the best ti that his years on the tennis circuit were not total hell That there had been one or two loolances at er than us, and the little i? How is she?"

"Fine," Damien says, and I am certain that Alaine catches the curtness of his tone, because his lips curve down in the slightest of frowns before curving back up again in what I can only assume is an attelides to a stop, "enough about the old days You are here now for the food, not the estures for me to exit first I do, and find myself in a reception area that can only be described as spectacular It’s not elegant, and at the salass roof that is open to the night sky crisscrossed by colored beaht The irl who stands behind it is at least as colorful as the fish in the tank

The wall to the left is entirely lass and reveals a chunk of Santa Monica and the Westside, along with a bit of beach, and the tiniest view of the Pier The wall in front of us seelow in the sa I’n is modern or futuristic, but I like it It’s funky and different and so brightly colored that I don’t see how the gray fog that has settled over this evening can stay

"I et back to the kitchen," Alaine says "But Monica will show you to your booth Ms Fairchild, it has been a pleasure Enjoy your meal, and I hope to see both of you next Friday at the dedication" His voice rises as if in question, but I can’t answer since I have no idea what he’s talking about

"I won’t be attending," Damien says "But I’ll call you next week We should have drinks"

His words are perfectly polite and certainly friendly, but they are spoken from behind a mask I wonder if Alaine can see it Does he truly know Damien? Or does he only know the bits and pieces of the man that Damien has selectively revealed over the years?

I have a feeling that it is the latter I doubt that anyone has ever seen coht that I aroup ht into those dark places, and I even believe that Da walls to protect his privacy that I think he forgot to build a door And now all I can hope is that we can chip away at the stone together

We’ve been following Monica across the rooreen panel of light She grabs a handle that I hadn’t noticed and uses it to slide the panel to one side, much like the walls in Japanese movies Inside, there is a table between two booth-style benches But it’s not a true booth, because if you slide through or walk behind the bench seats, there is an open area between the table and athat looks out onto the spectacular, brightly lit Santa Monica Pier

I follow Dalass, drawn by the allure of both the ," Monica says, gesturing to the table, "and you have both flat and sparkling water Will you be having your usual, Mr Stark?"