“Sure thing,” the blonde says and looks at her screen and talks to the brunette as they discuss where to sit us.

“It smells really, really good,” Dylan says, and I look at him and smile and then look at Caroline who now has her hands folded in front of her stomach.

“Wait until you try the pizza,” I tell Dylan, and then I hear my name being called.

“Look at this.” I turn and see Lara, the owner, come over to me, and I lean down to kiss both her cheeks. “You look too skinny,” she says, slapping my stomach. “We need to put some meat on those bones.”

I laugh and then look to my side. “Lara,” I say, smiling, “this is Dylan and Caroline. Guys, this is Lara. She owns this place.”

“Nice to meet you two,” she says and turns to the girls. “Give them the private room in the back.”

“Will do, Mrs. Cicionni,” the brunette says.

“What do you like to eat?” She looks at Dylan, smiling.

“Pizza and spaghetti,” he says and then smiles, putting up his finger. “With meatballs.”

Lara claps her hands together in joy. “Now this I can do,” she jokes with him, getting the menus from the girls and then smiling at them. “I’ll take them back there. Will you tell Tony that I need a special plate for Justin and his guests?”

“Sure thing,” the blonde says and walks to the back of the kitchen.

“Come with me,” she says. Dylan walks next to her, and I see Caroline shiver.

“Are you cold?” I ask, and she still doesn’t look at me. Instead, she just nods. We walk past the dining area full of high-top tables with steel stools. The outer walls are all windows, and then the wooden wall inside has all the signed jerseys from the team.

“Are you taking us to a secret room?” Dylan asks, his eyes going wide when she nods her head. “Mom, we are going to a secret room.”

She opens one of the doors in the hallway, and we are taken into one of the private dining rooms. This one has a round table in the middle set for eight people. “Sit,” she says, putting the menus on the table. “And I’ll be back with some wine and some juice?”

“Thank you,” I say to her, and Dylan is already sitting in one of the chairs.

“Come and sit,” I say, taking her hand in mine. It feels like ice. “You’re freezing.”

“Not really,” she says, and then she shivers again. “I get like this when I’m nervous.”

“I’ll be right back,” I say and walk out of the room. Closing the door behind me, I come face-to-face with Lara, who is carrying a tray of drinks. “Hey, can you make sure she doesn’t leave?” I say, and she smirks at me.