After parking, the two walked down the narrow sidewalk under the lights of the Tabacchis, clothing stores, and small markets. The sun had set, and the last bit of light was coming through the buildings.

“I met Nuru when I was traveling,” John said.

They walked under the awning of Taverna Eritrea. The narrow stairwell took them down to an inviting restaurant. In the flurry of the joy of seeing an old friend in an unexpected place, Nuru and his wife showed them to a table. John hadn’t realized how much he missed experiencing other cultures. He’d forgotten the feeling of great conversations over unexpected meals. Anna was at ease with the many languages being spoken with good intentions overcoming any misunderstandings. Given her profession and her number of years filming on location, like him, she must be at home in many places.

While bringing out the food, Nuru talked to them both about his experience in Italy, the difficulties and the joys. He showed them pictures of his children and spoke with pride of all he and his wife had accomplished. John caught him up on his life since moving to LA.

After many courses, John and Anna left the restaurant, full and happy. They’d had an experience that couldn’t be replicated, he thought. They had talked about their first on-set experiences and their first jobs—it was difficult to imagine Anna as a temporary office worker, but she painted a colorful picture of the mind-numbing job. John talked about the many afternoons he’d spent washing dishes in his father’s restaurant after school.

As they walked to the truck, John didn’t want the night to end. He also didn’t want to proposition Anna in an alley—again. That worked out so well last time.

He felt like a teenager who couldn’t bring his date home and was out past curfew.

“You want to go for a drive?” Anna asked as they reached the car. “I might know a place.”

John raised an eyebrow. “So you did some planning?”

Anna’s cheeks grew red, and he was going to have to catalog her embarrassment, because it happened so rarely.

“I might have had a conversation with Sofia.”

“About?” John asked as he handed over the keys.

“Well, it turns out there are some secluded spots outside of the city.”

Anna started the truck.

“You going to respect me in the morning?”

Anna laughed. “Isn’t that my question?”

“You know the answer to that question,” John said seriously.

“I know,” Anna said, glancing over as she shifted gears, pulling into the fast-moving ring road.

“I’m fine with you compromising me in this truck,” John added.

“I was thinking the truck bed.”

John laughed. “So, you really did plan this?” He didn’t mind. He just wanted to hear her say it.

“I may have a six-pack of beer and a blanket, but that’s beside the point.”