He nodded, beaming with pride. “I know that the wedding day was a bit of a letdown, and I guess this is my way of making it up to you.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered, completely moved by his gesture.
“Sure, I did,” Cooper insisted.
“You could’ve easily let Portia and Lou take the credit. You could’ve even told me that this was all for show. Why tell me the truth?”
He shrugged. “Because I will always tell you the truth,” he answered like he meant it.
“Careful, husband,” she warned, trying to stop her own smile from echoing his. “Careful, or a woman might think that you’re trying to seduce her.”
He chuckled. “Well, then, let’s have dinner, and after? You tell me if you’ve been properly seduced.”
Alice’s breath caught, but somehow, she managed to say, “I should remind you that our marriage is for show only. We’re not actually on our honeymoon, so you don’t have to do all of this stuff.”
“Alice, love, I wanna do this because we’re married. Because even if it is for show, it doesn’t mean we can’t take full advantage of it.” Sensing he had used the wrong words, he rushed out, “Not advantage. I just meant, why not be romantic? What do we have to lose?”
“Our hearts,” she replied with a snap.
He laughed softly. “Married or not, I was always going to be in that kind of danger around you.” He guided her to the table and helped her settle in her seat.
Alice should’ve said something to respond to him, but there was nothing to say that wouldn’t sound completely forced or something a schoolgirl with a crush would say.
“I took the liberty of ordering some of your favorites.”
“How could you possibly know what those are? It’s not like we know each other or like we’ve dated.”
He grinned. “No, but I asked Portia, and she was able to find the information.”
“I don’t see how,” Alice joined in the laugh. “It’s not like I have a BFF she can call to dish all about me.”
Cooper threw his head back with a laugh. “Dish? Now there’s an expression I haven’t heard in a long time, but no. She got the intel in whatever way Portia gathers that kind of stuff.”
“Shedoeshave access to Lucifer. There’s no telling what she is capable of,” Alice agreed. “So let’s hear it, then. Tell me what these favorites of mine are.”
“Well, cheese tortellini with Caesar salad and fresh garlic bread. Oh, and some very good red wine. And for dessert?” He chuckled. “Let’s worry about that later, shall we?”
“Wow,” Alice sighed. “You got it. Thosearemy favorites. The only thing you’re missing is…“
“Artichoke dip with pumpernickel bread to start?” He lifted the lid off one of the silver domes that an imp brought out to them. And there was a big bowl of steaming artichoke dip with freshly baked pumpernickel bread that scented the air with a delicious aroma. “Not bad, eh?”
Alice’s heart was beating so fast that she was sure that Cooper could hear it. “This is impressive.” She wouldn’t tell him, but this was the first date that she had ever really been on, and it was setting the bar really fucking high.
Good thing she was married.
* * *
Over the courseof the impressive meal Cooper had planned for them, Alice was shocked by the steady flow of their conversation. They had a lot in common: both enjoyed watching sitcom reruns, and both enjoyed eating fine and decadent foods.
“It’s actually my dream to eat my way across Europe but do desserts only,” Alice sighed.
Cooper chuckled. “I’ve always been teased about my sweet tooth, so I never actually expected to meet someone who is as bad as me.”
“Not a chance, Cooper. You like candy corn which is basically sacrilegious.”
He threw his head back with a laugh. “A sacrilege? That is some good Halloween candy you’re shitting on. It’s delicious.”
Alice shook her head. “You need your palate checked, my dear husband.”