Loved In The Kingdom Of Beauty

16.

You are hereby cordially invited to accompany Mr. Laurent Ferrier to the grand opening of the Granger art gallery, located in midtown Bossville on Saturday at 19:00. Mr. Laurent will personally pick you up and drop you at home afterwards. Dress code: Smart Casual. RSVP.

The invitation arrived two weeks after the Hadley wedding and placed on the top of her pile of incoming mail so that it would be the first thing she saw. The personalized black and gold embossed card had a playfulness to it, which made her smile when she read it for a second time. It was the first of its kind, and having never been on a formal date, she hesitated. She remembered him as Rose's plus one at the wedding and wondered what she would think if she knew about the invite. By Rose's admission, they were platonic friends and had been on dates, by her insistence.

After careful consideration, she concluded that Rose and Laurent were not a couple, and she was not about to interfere with her friend's love life. Based on that she RSVP'd.

Laurent, being the bachelor that he was, and never having made the first move, was a little apprehensive about the outcome of his bold step. He liked Jacqueline more than any other female he had met. He felt relaxed in her presence, something he never felt around other women. He rarely came across brains packaged so beautifully. Since posting the invite he had sleepless nights and was visibly relieved when he received her answer.

Laurent had a good classical dress style, and this time he undertook to take extra care. He scoured his wardrobe, but nothing was good enough. He went to his tailor to have a new suit made, but the fabric was not to his satisfaction. Eventually, he settled on a navy suit from his wardrobe and paired it with a powder blue shirt and diagonally striped necktie.

-•-

When Jacqueline looked out the window, she saw the white stretch limousine in front of her apartment block but didn't think it was her ride. She was under the impression Laurent would pick her up in his usual car. It was only when the driver rang her doorbell and asked for her that her heart nearly stopped. He informed her that Mr. Laurent was waiting downstairs. When she approached the limo, he was standing next to the open door to help her in and get settled.

"Thank you," Jacqueline said, "but I thought you would pick me up in your car. I never expected this."

"I thought so too, but then I realized that I'll be having a glass...or two, and I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable with me behind the wheel, so I hired the limo."

"How thoughtful, and I've noticed you enjoy your red wine."

"Yes, and not only do I like the taste of it, but it's good for the heart."

"I heard that too. I don't have any particular preference, but I'd like to try it."

"I prefer Merlot because of its ripe nose and full-bodied palate. I have a good selection at home. Maybe I'll invite you one day to a private wine tasting."

"I have no desire to get drunk," Jacqueline said. She laughed while saying it.

"Yes, you can get drunk, but only if you swallow. The rule is to swirl the wine to release its bouquet, drink a mouthful, roll it around on your tongue and then spit it out in specially provided buckets. Afterwards, you use a palate cleanser, such as sorbet for instance, and then move on to the next vintage. That way you won't get drunk."

"Ok, I'll try a glass of Merlot tonight," Jacqueline said.

"Follow my example. Take a small sip every five minutes and don't forget to eat, preferably something salty."

The limousine stopped and Laurent led Jacqueline, on his arm, into the throng of guests. He introduced her to the owner, Eduard Granger, and a few of his associates. They sauntered through the vast and spacious rooms. Some rooms had a theme or displayed the work of a single artist. Laurent explained some of the pieces on display and the life of its creators, while she listened with fascination.