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JJ took in a deep breath. Then she exhaled. “What?”
“Just what was happening in your office when we knocked this morning? I didn’t understand a word of what you were—”
“Blake!” The women shouted. Alex snatched his hand and dragged him off toward the bedroom. Before they got too far, JJ called for Alex.
“Thank you, by the way,” she said. “Our talk over the weekend put a lot of issues in focus.”
Alex smiled. She couldn’t help but add in a small whisper, “We’re even going out on our first date this weekend.”
Alex jumped up and down like a high school girl. “I’m so glad for you.” She bent down and gave her a quick hug before she ran off to her bedroom.
Chapter 35
It was a quiet Italian restaurant. The perfect setting, JJ thought, for their first formal date. She felt the warmth of Kenn’s hand on her back as he deftly guided her into the small but cozy foyer. Artificial trees of some unknown variety separated the foyer and part of the dining room, while the soft lighting provided the perfect ambiance against the wine-red carpeting and walls. It had been years since she had been on a date. Fear. Anticipation. Excitement. Emotions cascaded around her, none of them staying long enough to recognize.
“I hope you like this place. I asked among the faculty members, and they all agreedMario and Luigi’swas the best Italian restaurant in town.” Kenn paused. “Okay, it’s theonlyItalian restaurant in town.”
As they made their way through the foyer, they reached the maître d’ looking quite proper and imposing. Kenn said they had a reservation. The maître d’ looked at them, glaring critically over his reading glasses as he purposely walked to his podium.
He took his eyes off them for only a second to study the seating chart. Staring through his reading glasses precariously balanced on the end of his eagle-like nose, he fingered the reservation book. His actions, she thought, were birdlike and reminded her of a hawk.
The maître d’ looked sharply in their direction, then, much to her surprise, forced a bright smile. It seemed as if a bolt of energy shot through his body as he retrieved two menus from the side of the podium and ushered them to their seats.
“Do you know him?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never been in this restaurant before.”
“Perhaps he’s a fan.”
“A closet conspirator. How exciting.”
“I was thinking more in lines of a closet romantic.”
Kenn assisted JJ with her chair then sat down. The maître d’ again smiled broadly. It appeared it was not something that he was used to doing nor did it come easily to him. He hurriedly left.
Fairly quickly a waiter stood before them with a bottle of wine. Just as she was about to say she didn’t think she wanted a glass, he explained it was a present from the management. He then went through all the formal rituals associated with opening the bottle at the table, allowing each of them to taste it.
He filled the glasses, announced the specials for the day, and promised he’d be back in a few moments to take their orders.
“You seem to be very important around here, JJ.”
“I’m not sure why. I have a hard time believing this is because of me. Are we the ten-thousandth customer or something?”
She no sooner finished asking her question when two short, rather pudgy, nearly roly-poly men in formal black tuxedoes appeared in front of them.
“Hello. Hello,” they said together.
“My name is Mario,” said the one and nodded.
“And I’m Luigi.” The other man nodded as well.
Together they said, “Welcome toMario and Luigi’s Italian Bistro.”
“Thank you,” Kenn said, but they weren’t talking to him, they were talking to JJ. He leaned over and said, “This place should be named Bird Land. These guys look just like penguins.”
The two of them did look like identical twins. Both were about the same height, not any taller than five feet. Both wore their hair in the classic bowl cut with bangs so far down they merged with their thick eyebrows. And both sported a healthy, thick mustache.
“Don’t be silly,” she whispered. “Penguins don’t have mustaches.”
