Page 51 of Lorenzo

“The first thing we need is to secure a chef,” she says, looking at me more closely, as if to see if I’m serious. “The number one candidate is Antonio Rodriguez. They call him “The Rod.” He has this underground place so secret you need to know someone to get in. I’ve been dying to check it out.”

“I think one of my BU professors mentioned him,” I say.

“Would you be willing to check him out?”

I feel my gut swirl as I look at her. What had I unconsciously promised? I’m only going to be in this city another few weeks.

“I’ll consider it… “

“Fantastic! But there’s so much more ….”

“Hey, first things first, right.”

“Right,” says Gina, bringing her forefinger to her lip.

Biscotti lets forth an enthusiastic bark. We both laugh.

What have I gotten myself into?

CHAPTER 21

EMILY

After my conversation with Gina, I spend the rest of the day studying this Chef Antonio Rodriguez “The Rod” she’s so fond of.

Gina’s right. Research shows he’s one of the most innovative pizza chefs in the USA right now.

But Gina’s all wide-eyed enthusiasm and innocence. As much as she has her heart set on this chef, it will take a lot more than a famous chef’s name to have the restaurant succeed.

For me, step one is to visit the restaurant and see “The Rod” in action. This is especially valuable because reviews praise the fun of watching him work at a chair in front of his open kitchen.

But at the same time, The New York Times review highlighted that getting a reservation at this place was near impossible.

No problem.

I scroll through my phone contacts. Clearly, I’ll need to call in a favor to one of my highly connected BU restaurant school professors.

On my first call, the prof tells me he’ll arrange things so I’m on the list for tonight.

Perfect.

All that apple polishing at BU paid off.

Now, as I sit in the back of the taxi, my phone pings.

It’s Anna.

“Em?” My bestie says. “Why have you been such a stranger? Too busy making whoopie with that hot new husband of yours?”

An image of Lorenzo surfaces unbidden. Especially the way he looked that first night, in those sexy black briefs.

“What I do with my sexy new husband is a private matter,” I tease, quickly changing the subject.

I spend enough mental bandwidth thinking about Lorenzo without having to discuss him with Anna.

“Fair enough. Where are you right now?”

“In a taxi headed to a very cool underground restaurant,” I say, trying to find a more comfortable position on the cracked vinyl seat.