#Chapter 97: Private Practice

The dinner is sumptuous, one of the most elegant dinners I've ever had, even by Alpha-family standards. It's an old-school seven course dinner, with hors d'oeuvres circulating on silver trays along with trays of champagne while the servers set up for dinner. Then comes the soup, which is a crab bisque that I could eat all night long, even if there were no other courses. I make a mental note to tell Marcus that I definitely want it served at our wedding. Next are the appetizers - a sort of sautéd mushroom concoction - and then the salad, a strawberry and walnut combination that I also want served at our wedding. The main course is rare prime rib, which I love, and dessert is raspberry chocolate mousse. The one aspect of the meal unfamiliar to me is what Marcus whispers is called the "mignardise," a tiny, bite-sized dessert served with our coffee at the very end. This proves to be a chocolate hazelnut petit four that I could eat by the basketful. And, of course, wine pairings