Page 41 of Kiss and Tell

Joey chuckled. “We’d be happy to.”

“Let me show you to your table. I saved you the best.” Bridget guided them through the quaint foyer. This had definitely been a home because the floor plan hadn’t been altered much. Rather than rip out walls to create one large dining room, there were three separate rooms with tables set up. The room they were led to only had two other tables, both empty. Between the dim lighting and the fire burning in the fireplace, the place was downright romantic, something that wasn’t lost on Joey, who looked far too pleased.

“It is a slow night,” Bridget explained. “Most parents are out and about with their kids, while the rest of town is sitting on their front porches handing out candy. I suspect you will have this room all to yourself.”

They took their seats at the round table, accepting the menus as Bridget handed them out, telling them what the specials were. “Now,” Bridget said at last. “Let me go get you some glasses of water. Would you like anything else to drink?”

They decided to split a bottle of cabernet sauvignon.

Once they were alone in the dining room, Joey smiled. “This is a great place, honey.”

“Wait until you taste the food. Bridget’s husband, Jacques, is an amazing cook. He was the chef in a Michelin-star restaurant in D.C. for nearly twenty years before Bridget convinced him to open his own place. A few years back, they came here one Saturday in the fall to look at the leaves and do a wine tasting at Lightning in a Bottle. They took one look at the view and knew they’d found their new home.”

“I’m not surprised at all,” Joey said. “There’s definitely something special about this place.”

Bridget came back with their drinks and to take their orders. All three of them requested the special, when Lucy told them she’d had it before and it was her favorite.

Bridget promised the food would be out soon and left them alone again.

“So where are you guys off to next?” Lucy asked.

Miles groaned. “We’re heading to Nashville to film a guy who makes one-of-a-kind catios and birdhouses.”

“What’s a catio?” Lucy asked.

Joey chuckled. “A screened-in porch for cats.”

Lucy laughed. “I can’t decide if that sounds cool or insane.”

“We’ve met the guy who builds them, so I think insane is the right guess,” Miles grumbled.

Joey slapped him on the shoulder. “He’s not that bad.”

“Remember you said that in a few days.” Miles took a sip of his wine. “The guy is the brother-in-law of one of our executive producers, Sherri. He drove out to visit her once when we were on location close to Nashville. Apparently, he convinced Sherri to add him to this season’s schedule.”

“Sherri is a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady. I think she has like seven at home,” Joey interjected. “Her brother-in-law made a custom catio for her, and she loved it. Now, she’s convinced every cat lover in the world will want one for their precious fur babies.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad,” Lucy mused.

Miles scowled. “The brother-in-law literally has the loudest, most obnoxious laugh in history.”

Joey grimaced. “To make things worse, he only laughs at his own jokes, which aren’t funny. And he keeps laughing until everyone else joins in.”

“Oh my,” Lucy said sympathetically.

“At least we’ll be in Nashville,” Joey added, always finding that silver lining. “I love Nashville.”

Lucy sighed. “I’ve never been, but it’s another on my list of places I’d love to travel to.” She glanced at Miles. “Right after New York, in fact. The real New York, not the one where they have that horrible Queens accent.”

“Oh, that’s real nice, Luce,” Miles pretended to chastise her. Then he whipped out his old accent as payback. “You’s know it would serve you right if I used that accent for the rest of the night.”

Joey and Lucy both covered their ears, begging him to spare them.

Miles waved them off, grinning.

“After Nashville,” Joey continued, “we’re heading to Maris, Texas, to film an episode with a rancher, Hank Cooper. Trudy, another producer, was passing through the town and stopped at a local barbeque place that had been featured in a magazine she’d read. You’ve met Trudy,” Joey said to Lucy, “so you probably know by now she can strike up a conversation with a wall.”

Lucy grinned. “She does like to talk.”

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