Annie couldn't help staring at Jimmy as he took a bite of his Alfredo Lasagna and sighed contentedly. "Oh my heavens! That's magnificent!" He shouted. "That is the most wonderful dish I have ever eaten! How is yours, Annie?"
She smiled, secretly wishing that she could tell him that Remo had put the Alfredo Lasagna on the menu just for her, but instead she remained silent. There would be plenty of time to tell him later, or so she hoped. It was then that she noticed that he was staring at her, his fork now lying on his plate. "Annie, what's wrong? Don't you like your food?"
Eagerly she took another bite. "I love it. It's wonderful. I order it every time I come…. Here." Her voice trailed away in embarrassment, for she knew that he was still upset over bringing her to a restaurant that she'd been to numerous times. And his next words didn't surprise her at all.
"I should have known that you come here often with your friends or… or boyfriend." Jimmy said quietly.
"Jimmy, I-I don't have a-."
"It's all right." He said sadly. "It is close to your home. Oh how I wish I had picked another restaurant! One that you had no idea existed so that you could have a new experience. But I doubt that anything could taste better than this. Here, try it!"
She laughed when he offered her a forkful of Alfredo Lasagna from his own dish "Jimmy, we're eating the exact same thing! How is yours possibly going to taste any different than-."
The food was in her mouth before she could speak any further and the taste was like an explosion on her tongue. It was even more mouthwatering and incredible than her dish and she was certain that Remo had prepared the dishes exactly the same. But something was different. "Oh God… that's amazing!" She blurted out, as though she were having a one night stand with a guy instead of sharing a pasta dish. "It's even better than mine!"
"Really?"
Feeling giddy, she scooped up a piece of her own Alfredo Lasagna and popped it into his mouth, laughing when eh the same reaction as she had. "Incredible!" he shouted. "How is that possible?"
"I-I don't know!" she laughed. "But here… try some more!"
Again she shoved the forkful into his mouth and he in turn did the same with his own fork. After feeding each other in a way that she hadn't done since she was a kid, she realized she hadn't had this much fun in years.
Soon their plates were empty and they were content to stare at one another, sipping their wine and exchanging smiles. And it was because of the wine that she began to feel more relaxed and more comfortable being out on a date with her IRS agent.
Or perhaps it was another reason entirely.