Page 45 of Where We Fall

"Have you ever had DiStefano's before?" I ask.

"I haven't."

"Well, you are in for a treat. I didn't know what you liked, so I ordered a bit of everything."

She scans the containers as I open them.

"You ordered enough to feed me for a month."

I shrug. "I'll bring the leftovers in to work tomorrow. We can all enjoy some lunch on me."

"What should I try?"

"Well, I'm partial to the cavatelli. The Italian sausage and peppers or the chicken cutlets are also amazing."

She goes for the chicken cutlet with a bit of cavatelli on the side. I do the same, and we sit at my table, where I have a bottle of wine and two glasses waiting for us. I open the bottle and pour us each a glass.

"Thank you. What are we drinking tonight?"

"A Chianti from one of my favorite vineyards in Tuscany. It's a rare bottle," I tell her.

"Wow. I feel honored you're willing to share with me."

I look at her, wondering if she understands what she's doing to me. I would share my best bottle of wine with her. She's somebody that should be treated like the treasure that she is. I was an idiot not to recognize it for an entire year. It's not every day that something like this happens to me, that somebody makes me feel like this. I've never felt this way, and I'm chasing these feelings.

"Don't sell yourself short. You're worth much more than a nice bottle of wine."

She looks up at me, then glances down at her plate. "Thank you."

"Now eat up. You don't want to let this food get cold."

"Geez. Bossy much?" She smiles and then takes a bite of her food.

I picture what it would be like to boss her around. My body gets stiff just thinking about it. "You haven't met my bossy side yet. Trust me, you'll know when you do."

Her mouth stops mid-chew. She knows what I'm talking about. And fuck if I don't love the innocent look on her face. Is she picturing it right now like I am?

She gathers herself and starts to chew again.

"Damn, this is really good," she says.

I smile. "I know. I grew up eating this food."

"So, you're from around here?" she asks.

I nod. "I'm from a little neighborhood close by called Little Italy. My parents still live there."

"Oh, I've been there. There's a bakery there that I love, Corbo's."

"It's a great bakery. Grew up eating their stuff, too."

"What's your favorite trip to Italy?"

Wow. That's quite the question. I've never been asked it before, either. It takes me a second to consider it.

"There was one trip where I just spent the weekend driving around Tuscany with no destination in mind. I went from town to town, trying the wine and cheese and enjoying the open country roads."

"Wow, that sounds incredible. I would love to go someday."

---