Too Good To Be True Ch. 29

Looking at myself in the mirror, I looked... like I was wearing a suit. I didn't see the appeal, but Courtney did, and she was the one that mattered.

"Let's see," Courtney noted. "The reservation is at 5:15... that doesn't leave a lot of time."

I looked at the clock; it was nearly 11.

"I sent for Elaina to be ready..." Courtney informed me. "Let's go."

I grabbed my phone, and wallet and almost grabbed my keys, but they went to nothing in this state or within a 500-mile radius, so I left them.

Parker and Brin met us at the vehicle in their suits. You couldn't tell by looking at them, but I knew both of them were armed. I swallowed and hoped they wouldn't have to pull their weapons. Dana had never had to do anything really, being mostly safe in our college town, but I knew New York could get dicey.

Elaina pulled up in a smaller limo, not big enough for the whole harem to ride in, but big enough for the five of us, easily. With that, we headed out.

"I told Elaina to take us to one of my favorite places. They have gorgeous pieces." Courtney gushed in excitement.

"So, what kind of dress are you thinking about? Not sure what fashion is in right now. Are strapless dresses with low backs still the thing?" I asked. "My treat."

Courtney raised an eyebrow. "My poor college boy is going to spoil me?"

I shrugged. "I'm not as poor as I once was. Remember, your dad is still paying me to tutor you. And I haven't had to spend more than like 200 bucks since we moved into the harem house."

Courtney chuckled. "Already turning into a rich sugar daddy?"

I felt a touch awkward at that. "I wouldn't say that..."

"I mean... that's basically gonna be your cover with the girls." Courtney pointed out. "You'll be the rich man willing to put his name on the birth certificates of these poor girls you are taking care of."

"I guess..." I admitted. "Now, about that dress?"

The almost three-hour drive to the heart of New York City was spent talking about dresses, and the previous times she'd been to the Daniel. Turns out it was one of her father's favorites when he was in town, which was probably why Clarence was able to help Berkley get us a reservation. I didn't know enough about designers to know what she was talking about with dresses. Cindy had never made me watch any runway shows, and when my mom had watched Project Runway I mostly left to do other things. So I just smiled and nodded as we made the trip.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for New York City. It was fucking HUGE, and we were down in the middle of it. Elaina dropped us off in the heart of Manhattan, where we walked into a place called B&B Couture.

A well-dressed woman in a business-like skirt-suit that came down almost to her knee greeted us.

"Welcome! How may I-" She started then cut off. "Ms. Carmichael, is that you?"

"Blair! So good seeing you again." Courtney laughed, and they shared a brief hug.

"How's your mother? I haven't seen her in a while." Blair asked.

"Well... She and Dad are divorced now. And I don't know what is going on with her, nor do I really want to." Courtney informed the woman.

"Oh!... It's like that, is it?" Blair gasped.

"Yep, but we're here for me today," Courtney notified her happily.

"And who, may I ask, is this fine gentleman?" Blair prodded, finally acknowledging my presence.

"This is my boyfriend, Tom." Courtney introduced me.

"You have quite the girlfriend, young man." Blair teased, shaking my hand lightly.

"Don't I know it." I agreed.

Courtney quickly got down to business and in short order, Blair pulled her into an unused area and they began trying on dresses. Parker stayed with her as she went to try on dresses and Brin stayed near me.

"So, she says you are paying for this today." Blair gently asked as Courtney was trying on a dress. "Do we have any budgetary concerns?"

I tried not to show how nervous I was... I had money, but I wasn't sure how much we were talking. "What range are we talkin'?" I responded.

"Well, most of the dresses Ms. Carmichael was looking at range from $300 to $1,500. I believe she did have one of our $2,000 dresses in the pile though. If that's outside your range, I can put it away. I'm sure she'll understand."

Two Thousand dollars? It might sound crazy, but that was something of a relief to me.

"No, that's fine. I'm good for it." I told her. "I just... I've never..."

"Understandable. Most people haven't gone shopping in an area like this. And Ms. Carmichael said you grew up with a blue-collar father?" Blair prodded.

"Yeah, things have been going really well for me recently. It's a bit of an adjustment." I admitted.

"Well, don't go too crazy. Things can be very expensive here in the City." Blair told me.

We were limited to what was in Courtney's size and in stock since she wanted to wear it tonight, but I swear Courtney could make anything look good. After an array of stunning gowns that left me very glad she'd already drained my balls once today, she settled on a gorgeous blue evening dress that luckily matched my tie. It was by some designer named Nicole Bakti and had a plunging neckline and was backless, except for a few thin straps. It hugged her hips and breasts amazingly and looked absolutely jaw-dropping on her.

"An excellent choice," Blair assured her, and I paid. The dress was about $425 with tax and it was strange being able to spend that without worry.

We waited for a minute, and Courtney stepped into one of the changing rooms to put on her new dress, as Parker called Elaina to come pick us up and drive us to dinner. I was shocked to realize how right Courtney had been about the time. With the traffic in New York, I hoped the hour we had was enough. Courtney came out, and we hurried out to catch Elaina.

As we got in the car, I noticed a dude with a camera pointed in our direction. I glanced around to see what he was snapping, but not seeing anything, I ducked into the car.

"Oh fuck. The Paparazzi find us?" Courtney noted, looking out the window. "There goes my hopes of finding somewhere for a discrete quickie before we go home."

We made our way across Manhattan to dinner, arriving almost exactly at 5. We walked in through the rotating doors, across the immaculate lounge, past the high-end bar, to the podium where we were greeted by the host.

"Welcome to Restaurant Daniel." The host greeted us. "What is the name on your reservation?"

"Uh... Carmichael." I stated, feeling out of place. The place was elegant and refined. There were arches everywhere, and everyone was dressed to the nines. I mean, my suit wasn't bad... and I could tell this was a once-a-year, if not once every few years, thing for all the people waiting. Still, as a kid from a small town only here because I got together with a rich girlfriend in college and her dad was grooming me to take over his insurance industry for him... it was a lot.

"Oh, yes!" the host declared. "Chef Daniel personally set aside our private room for the two of you... and your staff."

Parker and Brin stood back from us, just a little, Parker scanning the establishment, while Brin kept a watch toward the street.

"Thanks." I acknowledged, not knowing what else to say.

The host just smiled and led us through the doors, through the main dining room, and down a hall to a private room. There was a smaller room just to the side, with a table for Parker and Brin. They'd be able to watch anything going on, but we'd have our privacy.

"Wow... this is a pretty neat setup." I marveled.

"It is for when we have high-profile individuals who wish to dine with us." The host explained. "Chef Daniel wished to greet you, then your server will be with you shortly. I'll be letting Chef Daniel know you are here."

"Wonderful." Courtney hummed happily as the host left us in peace. "I haven't seen him in years!"

"You... know him?" I asked delicately, trying not to feel jealous of the man having such a long relationship with Courtney.

"Oh, Daddy loves this place. The food is always so fresh and delicious and Mr. Boulud is such a nice man, so Daddy likes to support him as much as he can." Courtney explained.

"Welcome! Welcome!" A warm, accented voice greeted us as a man walked in. I immediately stopped feeling jealous. As much as I wished I had known Courtney in her childhood, Mr. Boulud was more the age of her father than a potential rival for me. He had a kind face, full of joy and it looked like every wrinkle he had was from smiling so much.

"Mr. Boulud!" Courtney squealed, rising and giving the man a warm hug. Then they kissed each other on the cheek before the man laughed.

"Oh, little Courtney, you are not so little anymore! You should call me Daniel. And who is this young man?" Daniel laughed.

It was impossible not to like the man immediately.

"This is my boyfriend, Tom." Courtney introduced me.

"Well, Tom, it is a pleasure to have you here in my establishment. I hope you are treating Ms. Carmichael well?" He half teased.

"Well, he brought me here." Courtney laughed.

"So... he has good taste, at least." The man laughed. "So, tell me, how did you meet Ms. Carmichael? Did Robert introduce you?"

"No, we met at college," I told him.

"He helped tutor me and one thing led to another and we started dating!" Courtney grossly oversimplified.

"Oh? So, that is why I had not heard of you?" Chef Daniel noted with interest. "Where is your family from?"

"My parents live in Indiana," I explained. "My dad is a construction worker and my mom's a teacher's aide."

Chef Daniel smiled broadly. "A man from humble beginnings. Do not let money and privilege go to your head. Remember to keep your passion bright! It gives you something to live for! Have you ever dined at a restaurant like this before?"

I shook my head, "No, nothing nearly this... fancy."

"Then I shall help you! After all, who knows the menu better than the man who makes it!" He laughed. "Any allergies I need to be aware of?"

I shook my head, honestly overwhelmed.

"Well, the menu is always different when I come." Courtney teased, "So I'm not sure having been here before is much help."

"Can I help with what food is in season? No. All I can do is change my menu to use the best foods." Chef Daniel laughed. "I will send you the best our kitchen can offer. Can I start you with some wine with your appetizer?"

Courtney shook her head. "We don't drink."

"What? Surely you must be joking." He demanded, his accent more pronounced in his dismay.

"No. Tom... Well, Tom's father had a problem with alcohol, so they all stayed away from it. And... I can't even stand the thought of it with how much Brooke..." Courtney trailed off.

"Ah... I understand," Chef Daniel noted sadly. "A shame. A good pairing can bring the best out of both dish and drink. You are going to be a challenge. A challenge I shall rise to! I must begin!"

He gave a little bow, then retreated to the kitchen, I assumed.

"He seems nice," I noted, sitting with a grin.

"Oh, Mr. Boulud is a wonderful man. I always loved coming here. Dad would always come and have dinner and donate when he raised money for Meals on Wheels or some other charity. Mom didn't like me coming... said I'd get fat or something. But I came as often as I could growing up." Courtney declared. "As soon as I was old enough, Dad would bring me."

In a bit, the Waitress arrived. As you'd expect, in a high-end establishment, she was wearing a formal-looking pantsuit, and she delivered us our drinks. I was worried that Chef Daniel had disregarded our statement about not drinking alcohol, but the waitress, noting my concern, explained it was a sparkling white wine. I tasted it and it seemed pleasant enough that I figured it couldn't be alcoholic. After seeing if we needed anything, she turned to go.

"Aren't you going to give us a menu?" I wondered.

The waitress turned to me in confusion, and Courtney laughed.

"Chef Daniel said he was going to help us with our meal selection." Courtney reminded me.

"Oh..." I breathed, feeling foolish for not realizing that was what the man had meant.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" The waitress asked.

"No, we're fine," Courtney assured her, and the waitress left us.

"Do we need to order anything for Parker and Brin?" I floundered. This was such a new thing for me, I felt like I was fucking everything up.

"They'll order what they want," Courtney assured me. "Assuming Mr. Boulud doesn't just give them the same thing he does for us."

I'd never had a true four-course meal before. I was used to maybe appetizers and then the entrée, or just going straight to the entrée. Most of the time growing up, we skipped the appetizers to save money. But we started with my first time trying caviar. I was honestly a bit nervous, but I figured... I liked sushi, so this shouldn't be that different. The caviar was unique, but with Courtney guiding me, I found it smooth and flavorful. Not salty and overly fishy, like I'd expected. Then there was a summer salad with crab and a delicious vinaigrette. For Courtney, Chef Daniel sent a duck dish that smelled delicious, and for me, he sent an amazing beef filet dish. The beef was tender, perfectly seasoned, and melted in my mouth, making me wish the portions were bigger, but as I was surprisingly getting full, I realized more would probably have just been a waste. Finishing out our meal was the desserts, a chocolate and ice cream dish for me, and a piece of some sort of pastry with ice cream as well for Courtney.

I'd never been a food snob, and I didn't think I was about to become one, but holy fucking shit, the food was amazing. The drinks were regularly changed out to pair with the next dish we were served, all non-alcoholic drinks as we had requested. The pace was leisurely, and we had plenty of time to talk while we ate.

"It was just as good as I remembered." Courtney sighed, leaning back to savor a bite and giving me a great view of how amazing she looked in her new dress. I smiled, this had definitely been a good idea.

"So, still not regretting choosing me for your boyfriend?" I chuckled.

"Absolutely not," Courtney assured me. "Being with you just keeps getting better."

"Even with more and more girls joining the... er, house?" I asked delicately.

Courtney laughed, "You act like it wasn't my idea to start with."

"I know, but... did you think it would get this big? This fast?" I pressed.

"Maybe not this fast," Courtney admitted. "But I'd be surprised if we're done growing."

"Oh, you mean like, more staff coming on?" I guessed.

"Oh, probably." Courtney agreed. "But I'd be surprised if we don't just get more... girls."

I shook my head. "There are already, what.... Sixteen girls? Plus the staff?"

Courtney nodded. "I think that's right."

"So... how many is too many?" I wondered.

"I don't know," Courtney admitted with a shrug. "It'll be too many if we start feeling like we have to compete for your attention."

"And you don't feel that way yet?" I prodded.

"Nope," Courtney assured me. "I mean, if I go to bed tonight without some fun first, I'll be shocked. But in general, all the girls seem pretty happy about the whole thing. Well... except Mary. She won't be happy until her probation has ended, but she brought that on herself."

"Aren't you in the least worried that the new staff will... stretch me too thin?" I worried.

Courtney shrugged. "If they do, we'll address it then. I doubt it though."

We needed to keep our conversation safe while the drinks and each dish were brought out. Courtney had seemed anxious about the man with the camera, and if he found anything out from our waitress because we weren't careful.... It would not be good.

"Anyway," Courtney continued once we were alone again. "If there are issues, we'll work through them together. I love you, and we'll figure out everything together. Besides, it seems like most of the new girls want attention and validation more than copious amounts of sex. A few nymphs could cause problems if they were constantly monopolizing your attention, but so far, so good."

I was still nervous, but if Courtney was with me, I was confident I could work through anything.

"Sarah watches out for nymphs too," Courtney assured me. "There are signs that someone might become a nymphomaniac... or so Sarah says. I trust her. She has yet to lead us astray."

I guess that was good enough for me.

The bill, with the Caviar, drinks, and both our meals as well as the meals for Parker and Brin was pricey. It would have ruined me financially not long ago, but putting down a 30% tip on top of everything still left me feeling surprisingly comfortable. Whoever said money couldn't buy happiness might have been right, but it sure helped make you comfortable while you worked out how to get happiness.

As we finished up, Chef Daniel came back out to chat with us for a minute. He seemed pleased with how taken I was with his food.

"I'm glad you were able to appreciate a measure of French Cuisine! But you must come back. There is more to experience, and remember, or menu changes with time as ingredients are in and out of season." He told us, and when Parker and Brin rejoined us, he turned to them. "You will want to call for your car. There are a few paparazzi gathered outside to try to get a picture of Robert's heiress with her new boyfriend."

Parker contacted Elaina, and Courtney sighed. "I'd forgotten how annoying it can be... when the vultures figure out where you are."

"I admit, I'm looking forward to everyone scratching their heads, trying to figure out who your boyfriend is." Chef Daniel laughed.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll figure it out," Courtney grumbled. "They always do."

"Well, if we're going to be getting married, it will get out eventually, one way or another." I conceded. "It can't be that bad. Right?"

Chef Daniel and Courtney raised their eyebrows at me.

"He does not highly value his privacy, does he?" Chef Daniel mused.

It took a few minutes for Elaina to arrive, and we walked out to a blinding barrage of cameras and incoherently yelling. I could tell people were yelling questions, but they were so busy yelling over each other not a single one was understandable, and had we even tried to answer we wouldn't have been heard.

Parker and Brin showed that while they weren't the largest women, they could still make space around us and they got us to the car quickly, pushing me inside first, then body-blocking the cameras as Courtney climbed in, trying to cover herself to avoid any pictures getting a flash of anything they shouldn't. Then Parker got in up front and Brin ran around to get in on the street side.

"Holy fuck." I groaned, seeing stars. It was summer so the sun wasn't setting yet, but with all the massive buildings throwing shade everywhere, the paparazzi seemed to have decided flash was the way to go. "What is the point of all of that?"

"They sell the pictures," Courtney informed me. "If that first guy that got the picture of us before dinner was quick, he might have gotten good money for it from whatever internet troll media he sold it to, and the rest were hoping to get a good picture of us they can sell too, or a panty or nipple shot they can sell as porn."

"That's disgusting." I snapped.

"That's paparazzi." She shrugged. "Just remember, if you are someone the paparazzi want to talk to, then you don't want to talk to the paparazzi. Nothing good ever comes of it. If you want to set the record straight on something, Dad says always set up an interview with a reasonable and respectable journalist, not a paparazzi trying to get dirt on you to sell to TMZ."

The legendary traffic in the Big Apple was just as shitty as people said, and it seemed to take forever to get out of the city. I didn't mind too much with Courtney leaning up against me as we chatted.