“Can we please have a bottle of Brochette d’Acqui?”
“Absolutely. And to go with it?” he asked.
“What is your favorite dessert?” Ronan asked.
“Oh, I’m sure they don’t have it. Whatever you like is fine.”
“What is it? They might.”
“I adore creme’ brulee’. But it’s hard to find. So anything creamy or puddingy.”
“I’m not sure puddingy is a word.”
“Oh, it is. I’ve heard it before,” the waiter said, winking at Giada to convince her he had.
“You heard the lady. Whatever you have that is puddingy,” Ronan said with a chuckle.
“I’ll be right back,” the waiter promised.
Five minutes later he was back at their table with a sampling of all their desserts. There were Napoleons, cannolis, cheese cake, bread pudding, and a chocolate cake at least six inches high. He placed them all out on the table, then handed them each a spoon. He hurried away again and came back with two cut crystal wine glasses and a bottle of wine. He poured blood red wine into each glass, then left the bottle. “If I may ask, are you in a rush, sir?” the waiter asked.
“Are you in a rush to get home?” Ronan asked Giada.
She shook her head. “Not at all. I’d like to check on the boys, though.”
“We’re not in a hurry at all,” Ronan told him.
“I’ll be back shortly,” he promised, and hurried off again.
Ronan took out his cell phone and dialed a number. He waited while it rang. Then… “Hey!”
“What’s happening my compadre’” Havoc said.
“We’re having a delicious dinner, and decided to call and check on the kids,” Ronan said.
“Out cold, dude. They’re snoring in the blanket tent I built over the couches,” Havoc said.
Ronan looked up at Giada. “They’re sleeping. In the blanket tent he made.”
Giada laughed.
“They’re all sleeping, dude. Even Analise is asleep in there with them.”
“I’m sitting in the recliner flipping stations as I eat the rest of the hot dogs. What are y’all having?”
“Dessert right now. But we had steak and stuffed artichoke and crab claws.”
“They give you that little dish of butter and garlic cloves?”
“Yeah, I could drink that stuff.”
“Me, too. It’s so good on the steaks. Alright, well, why you talking to me? Talk to your woman. I got the kids and all is well. In fact, you should let them spend the night,” Havoc said.
“Havoc says we should let them spend the night over there since they’re already asleep.”
“She can sleep here, too, if she don’t want to go home and stay there alone. Or you could make other arrangements with her.”
“He says you can sleep there, too, if you want to.”
