Chapter 11
Allie looked surprised when something gray streaked past both their legs and into the restaurant.
"What is that?" Allie said, and Ike came in, closing the door behind him.
"I don't know." Ike whispered as he gestured the waiter for his regular table in the far-side of the room, separate from all the other customers. "Don't look at it too much or the waiters might notice that we let it in and kick us out."
"Oh, God," Allie said and Ike turned to look where she was looking.
The mangiest-looking animal he'd ever seen was glaring at them, its one eye closed and wicked. It was mottled all over with brown and grays so that, in general it blended in the shadows of the restaurant.
"What is that?" Allie whispered.
"I think it's a cat."
"What kind?" Allie said, an awful fascination in her voice.
"Not the good kind"
"It kind of looks like a cheshire. The way it camouflages into the shadows like that."
"It makes you wonder what else is hiding in the shadows."Ike said gently manuevering her towards their table and away from the cat.
The cat didn't seem to be moving, so Allie looked around the rest of the place.
Small and owned by the same family for three generations, it's tucked down a side street and squashed between a clothing store and an italian bakery. Most people wouldn't notice the old mahogany door with the original stenciled glass. It was a bit like stepping into Narnia. Outside is the hectic buzz of everyday life, but as the bell chimes in to signal your arrival, you leave reality behind and enter a completely different place.
Allie titled her head and asked wonder laced her voice. "How did you find this place?"
"The owner's son is my old dormmate," Ike said.
Allie studied Ike sitting across from her conversing in italian with a tall Italian man and she lost her breath for a minute. I keep forgetting how beautiful he is, she thought. Then he saw her looking at him and smiled, his eyes lighting as if he were glad she was here, and she smiled back.
"Stephan," Ike said. "This is Allie Louis." He turned back to Allie. "Stephan makes the best chicken parmigiana in town."
"I'm sure you make the best everything, Stephan," Allie said politely, offering him her hand. Her lips curved into a smile as he looked at him from under her lashes.
Stephan cheered up, and Ike thought, Hey, why didn't I get that?
Stephan clasped her hand. "For you, my chicken parmigiana is poetry. A poetry to your beauty." He kissed the back of her hand and Allie beamed at him.
Unbelievable, Ike thought, and kicked Stephan in the ankle when Allie turned to look around the restaurant again. The guy had a girlfriend, for crying out loud.
"This place is really amazing." She spread the napkin in her lap. "I love this place and I love Stephan, too."
"I noticed," Ike huffed.
"He is going to feed me." Allie said smiling.
"Thanks for coming to lunch," he said after turning to glare at Stephan one more time. "Is there anything else you want aside from the chicken parmigiana?"
"An oreo."
"Not until after lunch," he said straightening. "It's my only leverage."
"Have you done this long? Using oreo as blackmail, to get innocent girls to do your bidding?" she asked, as he passed her the bread basket.
YOU ARE READING
The Name Game (On hold)
Romance"I met him when I was 9 years old. He had blonde hair and sky blue eyes. I was instantly captivated. " Allie Louis had always measured all the boys in her life by her first love whom she met 8 years ago. Convinced she had already found her one...
