Fine Wine Pairings

Fine Wine Pairings

My heart thumped loudly in my chest and my palms dripped sweat as I paced anxiously back and forth in my SOHO loft. I rubbed my damp palms on the leg of my white silk pants, not even thinking about the mark they might leave. That’s how nervous I was for this, this blind date of sorts. At 27 years old I had never really considered online dating, let alone online BLIND dating, yet here I was waiting for a stranger to come knocking on my door. Millions of thoughts flooded my anxiety riddled brain as I checked my reflection for the hundredth time. “Mariah, be cool. You are strong, independent, self-assured, and anyone would kill for the chance to be with you tonight.” I say to myself while staring at my reflection and flip my strawberry-blonde tresses over my shoulder.

I check the table setting one more time making sure the silverware is lined up just so, the wine glasses are sparkling, and the crisp white linen napkins are folded perfectly. Dinner smells delicious simmering on the stove will I even have the chance to eat this? He better hurry or dinner will be ruined. Checking the clock again for the umpteenth time, only 3 minutes have passed. I groan and resume my frantic pacing. Why did I sign up for this? Did make the right choice? Will it be a success? What if it goes horribly wrong? What do I do then?

Fine Wine Pairings. That was the service I found online when I first began my search for the ideal companion two months ago. They promise the perfect wine and date combination based on a questionnaire filled out. Once your ideal date is located, you set the time and place of your first meeting and they show up with the perfect bottle of wine. I had always fancied myself a wine connoisseur having summered in both Martha’s Vineyard and Napa Valley since childhood, so I figured this was the way to go. The service boasted 100% customer satisfaction, yet there were no client testimonials, but that is to be expected with this type of service. The pricing seemed steep at $10,000 per hour, but can you really put a price on finding your perfect match? I had to use my entire life savings to pay for this evening, would it be worth it?

At 8:00 pm sharp there was a short knock on the door. Wow, he’s prompt, I like that. I open the door and smile hesitantly asking if he is Dante. He replies that he is as he hands me a gorgeous bouquet of lilies and white roses, odd colors I think to myself, but gorgeous, nonetheless. I welcome him into my apartment and ask if I can take his coat, he declines and removes it himself and drapes it across the back of my pristine white sofa. I think it’s odd at first, I was just trying to be hospitable, but then it makes sense with his line of work. I sigh inwardly as I place the flowers into a crystal vase and remind myself of why he is here. Am I having second thoughts, doubts, should I send him away? No, this is something I have wanted for many years but have not had the courage to do.

I finally get a good look at him, he’s handsome with these deep green eyes that flash with a mischievous energy I can’t quite place. His dark hair is stylish and falls on his forehead just above his well-groomed eyebrows. So far all my boxes are being ticked off one by one. Score one for Fine Wine Pairings! We exchange some general pleasantries before he asks if we should open the wine. Yes, god yes, let’s have some wine so I can soothe these nerves of mine. I lead him into the kitchen, and he seems so at ease, so assured of himself, exactly what I wanted. He unbuttons and rolls up the sleeves of his tailored shirt that fits him oh-so-well before taking the bottle opener from me. I watch him work the opener with the greatest of ease, the corded muscles in his forearms shifting and rippling as he twists and pulls on the cork. My heart beats harder and faster again, damn, why does he have to be so sexy? Will I even make it through dinner?

He says something I missed, damn again, I ask him to repeat, and he chuckles and asks if I’m nervous. Of course I am, I have never done anything like this before, but that’s not what I tell him, he does NOT need to know that. With the wine poured and sufficiently aired out we resume chatting and sipping. We are both only children, have similar families and near identical vacations growing up, neither one of us followed the family plan and decided to work for ourselves. I like that, someone who knows what they want and goes for it. So far, this evening is perfect, he’s perfect; Fine Wine Pairings really knows what they are doing.

We sit at the meticulously set table and begin eating the bolognaise I learned how to make just for this occasion. It was one of my favorite meals from the family trip to Italy last winter, and I wanted to share that with him. Our conversation is so seamless, as if we have known each other for years. The bottle of wine is almost gone I realize as I refill both of our glasses. Damn, that means this night is almost over, how have three hours flown by so quickly? I don’t want it to end, it’s been perfect. Dante looks at me and chuckles that deep throated, sexy chuckle that gives me goosebumps as he wipes some bolognaise sauce from the corner of my mouth. He smiles at me and I swear my heart stops. He asks me if I have any more questions for him, I tell him no and thank him for the perfect evening. I couldn’t have pictured a better last night than the one Fine Wine Pairings has curated for me. I take another sip of wine as he finishes his off. I look out the window to my right, one last view of NYC lit up in all her glory before turning my gaze back to Dante. His sparkling green eyes stare into mine as he plunges the knife deep into my heart, the glass of merlot slips from my hand and spills on my snow-white rug.