Amulet, p.12
Amulet, page 12
Alex laughed. “That’s about the extent of the Hebrew I know, and I owe that much to our high school production of Fiddler on the Roof.”
“You are an actress, then?”
“Hardly. I was always too shy for that, although I think it would have been a lot of fun. I was in the pit orchestra. I played the oboe once upon a time.”
“A musician. That’s even better.” Val took another sip of his wine, feeling more relaxed. Judging by how Alex was fiddling with her menu and avoiding eye contact with him, Val guessed that Alex was anything but relaxed.
“Are you nervous?” he asked, without thinking about how the question might sound. “About tomorrow, I mean. About the meeting with FiberTech.”
Alex stopped playing with the corner of her menu and finally looked up at him. The light from the candle in the center of their table reflected off her hazel eyes and seemed to become one with them.
“It’s kind of all hitting me now,” she replied, “the purpose of our trip here. Everything that’s at stake. One minute I’m looking around in awe, finding it hard to believe that I’m actually here in Israel—this seemingly mythical place—and the next minute it hits me like a ton of bricks that a bottle of wine costs more than I’ve ever spent on a dress or a pair of shoes, and if we don’t do what we set out to do and convince FiberTech how stupid it would be to break off their deal….”
“So, it’s the bottle of wine that caused all this. You’d better drink up, then. We wouldn’t want to waste any of it.”
Val couldn’t help smiling at her reserve, and at the hint of a smile forming on Alex’s lips, his own smile grew wider.
“On the flight over here, you were the one telling me that the good guys always win, and that we were the good guys,” he reminded her. “Are you changing your mind?”
Alex shook her head. “No, I still think we’re going to win. It’s just time for me to start treating this like work instead of a vacation. Which is hard to do when you treat me like this. I’m not sure I’ve earned this—” she held up her glass “—yet.”
The waiter came by just then and asked if they were ready to order, at which point they both hurriedly reviewed the menu and asked the waiter for recommendations. Once the orders had been placed, Alex looked back over at Val. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like you before.”
She had a dreamy look in her eye, and Val tried hard not to allow himself to think it was anything more than a trick of the candlelight and the influence of wine.
He cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, with all that you have accomplished in your life—your company, wealth, even your status as one of the most eligible bachelors in the southeast—”
“I was hoping no one had read that article,” he grumbled, remembering the piece from a year ago about his alleged playboy lifestyle.
“With all that, you would be justified in being a self-absorbed, arrogant, know-it-all. But you’re not. You’re quite the opposite, and everyone wants to do things for you as a result. People want you to succeed because you deserve it.”
“Everyone except Kurt Donovan,” he replied under his breath, for effect.
Alex laughed, and Val silently congratulated himself. When the laughter had faded, Alex placed her palms down on the table and leaned in. “Okay then, let’s get down to business. What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“Well,” replied Val, picking up his glass, “we’re due at FiberTech at eleven in the morning. So, I figured we would have breakfast around nine, then have Ori drive us into Tel Aviv. It’s not far from the hotel, but there can be traffic sometimes. We’ll tour their facilities, then take them out to lunch. I asked Yaakov to pick a place nearby. Tomorrow night, they’ll meet us at a nice restaurant in Tel Aviv with their wives around six-thirty. I’ve met Ayala, Gideon’s wife, once before quite by chance in California. I’ve never met Yaakov’s wife, Mara. Ayala is very into women’s rights and likes to see women in positions of power. She’ll most likely want to know all about you.”
“She might not be so interested in me after she discovers that I’ve never been in a position of power,” laughed Alex.
Val liked to hear her laugh. It was a sweet, light, genuine laugh, not grating in any way, but rather soothing to hear. He couldn’t help smiling.
Over the course of their meal, Val talked about his company’s history with FiberTech, from their very first order to his last trip to Israel a few months ago. He mentioned the emails between Gideon and Kurt and how he may have underestimated the strength of their relationship, both professionally and personally.
Alex asked questions here and there, but mostly she listened. Her eyes were focused on Val, her face reacting ever so subtly to the details he provided. Through the movement of her eyebrows, the curving of her lips, the tilt of her graceful neck, he knew they were on the same page. She understood what he was saying and was continually processing how those details would affect what she would say and do the following day.
Watching her watch him, Val again marveled at how she had been overlooked by so many employers during her time out of school. Was he the only one who saw what she was capable of?
As their plates were cleared away, the conversation turned to lighter topics. Despite the long day, neither of them was ready to leave the restaurant, so Val suggested they order some mint tea, a common after-dinner drink consisting of a sprig of mint leaves soaking in hot water, along with a couple of Israeli desserts to share.
Eager to hear her laugh, Val talked about various situations he had encountered in his travels across the globe as they sipped their tea and took turns breaking off pieces of the two desserts that had been set between them.
He told her about the time he was in Korea and was given a key to a hotel room that was already occupied by a Korean woman. The poor woman spoke no English and was terrified at the sight of Val entering her room, screaming at the top of her lungs as she pulled the covers off the bed to hide the modest floral pajamas she wore from view.
He recounted the time he had rented a car in Germany and ordered a GPS with the car, which he mistakenly set to “walking” instead of “driving.” He missed every turn the stupid thing told him to take because of that setting and finally got so frustrated at the device that he tore it off the dashboard and literally threw it out the window of the moving car. He had to pay for the device, of course, but thankfully he hadn’t gotten himself arrested.
Finally, when the tea was all gone and there were only crumbs left on the two dessert plates, Alex leaned back in her chair and eyed him contentedly. “I guess we should get back so we can try to get some sleep before our big day tomorrow.”
Alex’s soft tone and sleepy eyes brought forth images of how she would look asleep in his bed, and Val quickly picked up the mug of now-cold mint tea and threw what was left of it down his throat to clear his mind.
“Yes,” he found himself grumbling. “I suppose you’re right.”
Chapter Twelve
The bright sun coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel restaurant was hopeful, and Alex figured it was a sign that their meeting with FiberTech would go well. Still, her stomach was in knots, and she wondered how she would be able to eat any of the breakfast food laid out on the various buffet tables.
“Coffee, Miss?”
Alex looked away from the windows to the smiling waitress. “Yes, thank you.” Maybe the coffee would calm her nerves, even though caffeine was a stimulant. She chuckled at the absurdity of her reasoning.
As soon as the waitress stepped away, Alex saw Val approaching from the hostess stand at the front of the restaurant. He had already spotted her and was grinning.
The knots in her stomach tightened.
She was being silly, getting nervous around her boss. Val was the nicest man. Very handsome, yes, but that was nothing to get nervous about. He had never been anything less than professional and respectful toward her, despite Billy’s repeated warnings that he would try to seduce her on their trip. Dinner the night before had been lovely, and Alex had enjoyed the easy conversation.
Why, then, was she a ball of nerves now?
“Good morning,” said Val, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “Have you been here for a while?”
“No,” Alex replied. “Just a few minutes, though I’ve been awake since five. When I couldn’t get back to sleep, I found the gym and tried to work out. They have a nice gym on the third floor.”
Alex realized she was rambling.
“Jet lag or nerves?”
“Oh, probably a little of both. Did you sleep well?”
Val shrugged. “About the same as you. I kept waking up every couple of hours, then gave up around six.”
“Jet lag or nerves?” she asked, mimicking his question.
He chuckled. “A little of both for me, too.”
“Hard to believe you still get nervous. Aren’t you making pitches and giving presentations all the time?”
The waitress came back around with Alex’s coffee, then asked Val if he would like one.
“I’ll have black tea, if you have it.”
The waitress nodded and left them alone once more.
“To answer your question,” he began, turning back to Alex, “I still get nervous. Every time. It’s not debilitating, of course, but it’s just enough to keep me on my toes and force me to do a good job.”
“Ah, so you’re saying stress can be good.”
Val gave her a lop-sided grin. “Something like that.”
Pointing to the place setting in front of her, he asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“I don’t know. I don’t feel hungry, but I guess I should eat something.”
Val pushed away from the table and stood. “Come on. I’ll give you a tour.”
Alex followed him around from one table to the next, each decked out with an amazing assortment of food. Perhaps she could eat something after all.
On the first table, there was a variety of freshly baked breads; more cheeses than she could name; different kinds of olives; and tahini, hummus, and baba ghanoush. Thankfully, all the dishes were labeled, and she recognized most of the items. On another table were several Israeli specialties and hot foods, including an Israeli egg dish called shakshuka, which Val explained consisted of eggs poached in a tomato and vegetable sauce. Other items included cooked salmon and herring; a bowl of what looked like refried beans called ful medames; Israeli salad (Val noted that as one of his favorites), which was a finely chopped salad that had tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, and bell pepper tossed in lemon juice and olive oil; and a variety of fresh vegetables. On the third table was a station where eggs were made to order and a delicious-looking selection of pastries, desserts, and fresh fruits.
For someone who didn’t feel like eating anything, Alex managed to amass a sizeable portion of food by the time they returned to their table.
“This is absolutely amazing,” she said, glancing at Val as he sat down. “I don’t know what half this stuff is, but I felt compelled to take a little of everything so I could try it all. Turns out that’s a lot of food.”
“I’ve seen you eat—I think you can manage it,” Val teased.
Alex pretended to be shocked at his comment, then laughed. “You know me well.”
As they ate, Alex looked up to find Val watching her. He smiled, then looked back down at his plate. Her stomach fluttered with awareness, and she reached for her coffee, hoping it would help.
“We hadn’t discussed the dress code,” said Alex, putting down her mug, “but I’m assuming you’re changing after breakfast?” She gestured to his zipped-up hoodie, which he wore with a pair of gym shorts.
He laughed. “Yes. While most of the employees at FiberTech wear jeans, Gideon is a little more formal. He’s usually in dress pants and the crispest white shirt you can possibly imagine.” He looked down at his own attire. “And I would never subject anyone to this outfit, in any case.”
“Except me.” Her cheeks warmed as she spoke the words.
Val’s lips turned up at the corners. “Except you.”
The warm timbre of Val’s voice distracted Alex for a moment, but she quickly recovered and thought of her attire.
“Is this okay?” she asked, gesturing to her white silk button-down blouse and navy blue pin-striped suit jacket. She was wearing a matching skirt that went down to just above her knees and tan patent leather open-toed high-heeled shoes, though they were hidden by the table. “I can change into something more casual if you think this is too business-y.” It was the nicest suit Alex owned, which is why she had chosen to wear it, but if it was going to make them stick out like sore thumbs at FiberTech…
“I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Again, her stomach fluttered, and again her automatic response to such fluttering was to ramble and reach for her coffee. “I guess it’s better to err on the side of being overly formal than not formal enough.”
Alex looked back down at her half-eaten plate, then broke off a piece of pita bread and dipped the tip of her knife in a white spread that looked like sour cream, but with a little firmer consistency. Putting it on the bread, she asked, “Do you know what this stuff is?”
“I think that’s called labaneh, or something like that. It’s basically strained yogurt.” Val watched as she took a bite, waiting to see if she liked it.
Licking her upper lip where some of the labaneh had touched, Alex popped the rest of the piece into her mouth. “What’s your verdict, Counselor?” Val asked, looking as though he was trying to suppress a smile.
“I think it’s one of the best things I’ve tasted so far. Although this salad is really good, too, and all this bread. I’m so glad I’m not gluten-free.”
“These breakfasts are my favorite thing about visiting Israel,” said Val, cutting off a piece of poached egg and putting it on some bread. “The history and the sightseeing are nice, but man, you can’t beat these breakfasts.”
****
Ori picked them up from the hotel promptly at ten, and they rode in silence for the first several minutes after the initial pleasant exchanges with Ori. Val had insisted that Alex take the front seat again, and again Val sat directly behind her. Val took the opportunity to lean his head back against the seat and close his eyes. With the quiet noise of the engine in the background and the steady rocking of the car as it moved down the road toward their destination, he thought of the amulet, safely tucked away in the rolled-up pair of socks, which he had stowed in the laptop bag at his side prior to leaving the States. It was the first time Val had thought about the amulet since he had packed it. He had been preoccupied, he supposed, by thoughts of a certain traveling companion.
Val could hear her now in the front seat, asking Ori questions about the landmarks they passed and about growing up on an Israeli kibbutz—a farming commune. She had the perfect voice—just high enough to be feminine, and just low enough to be sexy. And you could always hear the smile behind her words. He had never noticed that before, that you could actually hear a smile.
As they neared Tel Aviv, the traffic got heavier, and Val heard Ori mutter a few words in Hebrew under his breath. Road rage was universal. Val chuckled inwardly.
He reached out and touched Alex’s shoulder gently to get her attention. She immediately turned to him and smiled. “Hey, what’s up?”
Val couldn’t help smiling back. “Are you ready for this?”
“As ready as I’m going to be. I thought our conversation last night at dinner was really helpful, and I stayed up for a short while once we got back to the hotel to read a little more about Span Global’s newest technology and FiberTech’s vision for the future.”
“I’m pretty sure that if you just say the words ‘vision for the future’ at any point during our meetings, we’re in.”
Alex laughed. “I’m sorry, I know I must sound like a total nerd. I just want to do a good job for you. I don’t want you to regret choosing me for this opportunity.”
“I cannot for the life of me envision a scenario where I would regret bringing you with me. Don’t worry about anything. You’re going to do great.”
Alex smiled again, then said in a softer voice, “Thank you, Val.”
She turned back around slowly to face the front, and Val leaned back in his seat once more, feeling warm and content. He couldn’t help but be infatuated. It was juvenile, perhaps, but she made him feel good about himself, about the man he was. She wasn’t trying to win his affection—she didn’t have to. She was so different than anyone he’d had a relationship with before—different from his family, his girlfriends, his friends. Alex was just a good, sweet, kind, and humble person, and he couldn’t get enough of her.
Sighing quietly, Val closed his eyes and just listened. He listened as Alex replied to a comment Ori made about the forecast for the afternoon in that sweet, unassuming way she had. He listened to the sound of her skirt rustling as she uncrossed her legs and shifted positions ever so slightly. He listened to the sound of her hair rubbing against the headrest as she turned her head to the side.
“Val, are you asleep?”
Val woke with a start, having nodded off as he was mentally going through the list of beautiful sounds Alex was making in the front seat.
The car was parked in front of an office building with the engine still running, and both Ori and Alex had their bodies turned in their seats, looking at him.
Val quickly glanced at his watch—they were twenty minutes early for their meeting.
“Ori,” said Val, taking control again, “I’ll give you a call when we’re finishing up with lunch, which will probably be around one or one-thirty. Does that work for you?”
“Yes, Mr. Val. You call, I come pick you up. Ten minutes, no problem.”
“Okay, thank you, Ori.”
They got out of the car with their laptop bags, and Ori waved as he drove off.
“What’s he going to do for three hours?” asked Alex, looking at Val.
“I’m not sure. But I’m guessing he’s not going far if he can be back here ten minutes after I call him.”
