Naomi laughs and follows Leo inside.
“Name, please?” asks a hostess with a long blonde braid.
“Leo Valencia, table for two.”
“Sure, right this way.” The hostess grabs two menus and guides them to a table in the back of the restaurant under a softly lit, neon-red sign that showcases the restaurant’s name. It’s surrounded by couples and groups of friends laughing as they chew their food, some with cheese dripping from their mouths. She can tell by their reactions and the heavenly scent of fresh garlic, basil, and dough that it’s as good as it looks.
“Amelia tells me you live in LA now, so I figured you could go for some real pizza.” Leo pulls out her seat before taking his.
“You were one hundred percent correct,” Naomi smiles. “It’s probably the thing I miss most about New York.”
“What’s LA like then? You like it there?”
“It’s alright. Aside from the terrible pizza. Can’t complain about the weather, at least.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why’d you move?”
Naomi tenses at the question, not wanting to get into the details. “Just needed a change of scenery, I guess. And the company I work for has a West Coast office, so it was an easy escape.”
“An escape. I feel you. New York can be… a lot.”
“Have you lived here your whole life?” Naomi asks.
He nods. “Mmhmm. I love traveling but still can’t imagine myself anywhere but New York. It’s home, you know. You from here originally?”
“Upstate a little bit, near Poughkeepsie. But I moved down here for college, so this was home for about nine years.”
“Where do you work? Amelia said you’re a reporter…”
“Sorry, is this an interrogation? Did I miss the memo?” Naomi jokes.
Leo smiles sheepishly, deep-set dimples now on full display. “Sorry, sorry, I ask a lot of questions when I’m nervous.”
“Oh, so you’re nervous?” Naomi retorts, smirking.
He bites his lip and shrugs. She holds his gaze.
“I work for C*Leb News…”
“Oh shit, I know that one.” He eyes her suspiciously now, like most people do when they find out.
“It’s fun, I like it.”
They both look up as the waitress comes over to take their order.
“Water and a Merlot, please,” Naomi says.
“Should we get a bottle? Dinner’s on me if that’s alright with you?”
Naomi likes how he asked. “Fine, but I’ll get the next one.”
Leo smiles before turning back to the waitress, his left dimple facing Naomi. “Can we actually do the 2015 Cabernet from Napa? And I’ll have a water as well. Oh, and some garlic knots too, please.”
“Uh oh, do we have a wine snob on our hands?” Naomi teases.
“Hey, in this crazy world, you need to learn to enjoy life’s little pleasures. Like food and good wine…”
And sex, Naomi wants to add, but stops herself. She shifts in her chair, sitting up straight. “So Amelia tells me you’re in the NYPD? How’s that going?”
