34
Edward opens the door for me again. Edward is Boss Man’s driver, and he seems nice. I smile up at him and thank him. Weston leads me to the restaurant, a brown brick Victorian house topped with green gables. It sits tall on the corner, more stunning than all its neighbors.
The atmosphere is both classy and quaint; wrought iron light fixtures, crisp white linens, rustic brick walls dotted with old photographs of Rome. Or is it Florence? I’m not sure since I’ve never been.
The hostess leads us to our table, and Weston pulls a chair for me, ever the gentleman. Donovan used to do that too. I take in the place and the crowd. “I feel a little overdressed.”
“No, you’re fine,” he assures me. “You look fantastic.”
I lean in closer. “People are staring,” I whisper.
“They’re staring because you’re the most beautiful woman in the place.”
I smile, and the server inches closer. “Hello, I’m Samantha. How are you two tonight?”
“Fabulous,” I tell her.
“I love your dress,” she says. “And your hair too.”
I reach for my up-do, a little unsettled by the unexpected compliments. “Thank you.”
She hands us the menus. “Take your time. I’ll go fetch water to start you off.”
I’m intimidated when I flip open the menu. “It’s all in Italian!”
Weston laughs. “Look closer.”
I take a closer look, and notice the descriptions are also written in English in a smaller font. Thank goodness. My stomach stands to attention as I peruse the choices. “How’s the veal parm here?”
“It’s fantastic. I highly recommend.”
“Well, that’s what I’m having then.”
He smiles. “You’re easy.”
“Don’t you know it,” I joke.
“Well, you weren’t that easy,” he points out. “It took me almost a month to…” his words trail off. I know exactly what he’s alluding to. It took him weeks to finally get his Twinkie stinky.
I smile wide at the thought.
“What’s so funny?” he asks, curious.
“Oh… it’s nothing. Just something Rosetta said. You know how she gets.”
“What did she say?”
I blush. “Oh… I can’t tell you.”
“You are being quite incorrigible, Grasshopper,” he says in his commanding boss voice. “You must tell me.”
“Okay…” I finally concede. “She said you got your Twinkie stinky.”
His brows furrow. “What?”
“You know… when you… Get it?”
He cracks up, and the patrons sitting three tables away turn in our direction.
