Page 28 of The Cask

“Ciao,” Omari and I replied in unison.

Surprised, I looked over at him.

I wasn’t expecting that.

“I’m Rico. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with anything to drink? We have a house white and a house red that are very popular.”

“What would you like to drink?” Omari asked me.

“Pinot Grigio would be best with spaghetti carbonara and the house wines are usually really nice picks. Are you okay with white?”

“That works for me.” He looked up at Rico. “A bottle of your house Pinot Grigio and two orders of spaghetti carbonara, please.”

“Very nice. I’ll be right back with your drink order,” the waiter told us before disappearing.

“Thank you for coming out with me tonight,” Omari started. “I know a night off is rare for you.”

“You think you know me, but you don’t,” I teased.

“Nights off aren’t rare?”

“I take nights off,” I argued feebly. “But when I do, I usually just end up thinking about work, stopping by work, doing something for work, or I’m seriously resting. But I’m technically off the clock, so…” I held my arms up. “I think I’ve proven my point.”

“Got it,” he laughed. “Do you come here often?”

“Maybe once every couple of months,” I answered.

He sat back in his chair, eyes dancing with amusement. “And here I thought I was taking you somewhere special.”

“I actually worked here for five years,” I explained.

His eyebrows flew up. “You did?”

I nodded. “I started when I was sixteen. My dad knew the general manager from back when we lived in Atlanta, so he helped me get a hostess job. Even after I went to college, when I’d come home for the summer, I worked here.”

“I don’t know why, but I can’t see you as a waitress here.”

“Hmph.” I lifted an eyebrow and gave him a look. “It’s funny you can’t see me as a waitress here, but you could see me as a waitress at my own restaurant.”

“Aw man…” Omari scrubbed his face with his hands. “You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?”

With wide eyes, I leaned forward. “Never.”

He licked his lips. “Maybe next time I’ll be able to show you something new and you’ll start to forget my lapse in judgement.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Next time, huh? You think there will be a next time?”

“I plan to show you such a good time tonight that you’ll take me up on a second date.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “We haven’t even gotten our food yet and you’re already planning a second date for us?”

“Ebony, I’ve been planning a lot of things for us.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

“Here’s your wine,” the waiter arrived, placing two glasses on the table. He told us a little about it as he uncorked it. But I was distracted by Omari’s gaze. “Your food will be out shortly.”

“Thank you,” Omari told him, not breaking eye contact with me.

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