“Oh, no. I’m not married. This is my friend from childhood. We’ve been friends since we were three or four years old. This is Remi. Remi, this is Amir. He owns the restaurant. He and his family run it together.”
“Mr. Remi, how very nice to meet one of Miss Cristie’s friends. Please, take a look at our menu, and choose whatever you’d like. I will make sure it’s prepared right away so that you can be on your way,” the man said.
“Thank you, Amir. I’m pleased to meet you,” Remi said, accepting a menu from him.
He glanced down at it. “I’ll leave the ordering up to you,” Remi said.
“You sure?” Cristie asked.
“Yep. As long as you order lots of everything, I’m good.”
“Have you never tasted the foods we offer?” Amir asked.
“I’ve only ever tried Falafel. And I love it, but I’ve never tried anything else.”
“If you will allow me, I’ll prepare a feast for you that includes all of our most popular dishes,” Amir offered.
“Sounds okay to me,” Cristie said, looking at Remi for confirmation.
“Me, too.”
“Please, make yourselves comfortable. Have a seat or feel free to walk around and enjoy our decor. It will be only a short while and I’ll have your food ready to go.”
“Thank you,” Cristie said warmly.
Cristie walked around the restaurant, guiding Remi behind her by the hand as she pointed out some of her favorite decorations in the restaurant. She smiled and spoke animatedly, nodding and pointing and taking a few minutes here or there to tell him what she liked about certain things, but he really hoped she didn’t ask him any questions about all she’d tried to share with him, because he hadn’t heard a single word she’d said. All he knew was that she held his hand and smiled and chattered happily to him.
In what seemed so little time, the host from the front of the restaurant was back, handing them three large bags. “I’ve included Moussaka, baba ganoush, shwarma, dolmas, kibbeh, and manakish. For dessert you have kunafa. I’ve also included a few packets of your favorite of our secret blend of mint teas so that you can make a fresh cup or two when you get home.”
“Thank you so much, Amir. I really appreciate all you do to always make me feel at home here.”
“Then I have been successful in welcoming you,” he said, holding her hand in both of his.
“We’re going to get ourselves home and unload all our purchases and enjoy this delicious food,” Cristie said.
“You must both return to share a meal with us when you can stay for a while and be pampered!” he said, leading the way to the register. He rang them up, then stood at the door waving as they drove away.
“So, what do you think?” Cristie asked as they drove away.
“I think he’s very friendly, maybe to a fault. And that he adores you. And if you don’t hurry, you’re going to eat whatever is left because I’m just going to start eating my way through these bags. I cannot believe how good this food smells!”
“I know! Isn’t it crazy?!”
“I don’t even have to be hungry, I just have to think about what it smells like and I’ll find myself sitting in their dining room salivating.”
Remi laughed. “I completely understand.” He opened a bag and pried the top off of one of the containers, pinching off a little of what looked like a ball of some sort, rolled in greens.
“Hey! Don’t you eat all those stuffed grape leaves!”
Remi’s eyes fluttered as he chewed and reached for another. This one, though, he didn’t eat, he held it up to Cristie’s lips for Cristie to accept.
She opened her mouth and he placed it on her tongue.
Her lips closed around his fingers, and his heart skipped a beat.
She moaned softly as she bit into the stuffed grape leaf. “Oh my God, that’s amazing.”
Remi swallowed, his focus on her profile.
