Take Me Back | ✔️

5. THIS JOB REQUIRES DATING

PINO'S WAS COOL and beautiful as usual. I have been here for business meetings with clients under different names and under different disguises so that no other people would be able to recognize me. Now, I'm going as my true self—not exactly but I'll be using my real name, and people would be outside of the window, making sure to capture our date.

They were playing 'O Sole Mio sang by Luciano Pavarotti which translates to "Oh, my sun" when I was walking past couples seated all over and then walking inside the VIP, which is where most celebrity couples have dinner. It's not entirely private, that's why most people avoid the windows.

This time, we're trying to get their attention so sitting by the open window, seen by dozens of paparazzi is exactly what we want.

Ma n'atu sole
Cchiu' bello, oi ne'.
'O sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te!

"Hey."

Travis's eyes brightened when they landed on me, but I let myself think that it's just his jitters getting to him. Nevertheless, he walked over to my side of the table and pulled back a chair, letting me sit. I guess pretending does include chivalry.

The waiter came by, and I was expecting Kira or at least Uni but all I saw was the tall man who called himself my partner. His hair wasn't the usual desert san color, it was dyed—and with humor in his eyes—red. The same color I dyed my hair with. Not only that, but he decided to add a beard that's the same color with the hair.

My smile was the traitor of my supposed serious face. I couldn't help but try to suppress my laugh. "Hi, my name is Adam, I'll be your server for tonight. Have ya'll already had a order in mind or do you want me to give ya'll a few minutes."

I was close to bursting out laughing. He was using a Southern Accent. Honestly, is he serious? He was absolutely doing the accent badly, it actually sounded like he decided to get drunk and have something stuck in his throat. I've been convincing him not to do it for years but I guess he blindsided me with this one.

Travis wasn't exactly amused at what he was doing. Instead, he was just staring at the both of us before he snapped at him, "No. We'll have a few minutes to ourselves. Thank you."

But Alex didn't mind him, he only winked at me, left the menus at our table and walked off and bothered other couples.

"Do you want to order for us, Sammy?" He started, that stupid nickname was ticking me off and he didn't seem to see how much it bothered me. "Since you've been here for so long, I thought that you'd know by now what's best to order."

Relax. Don't do anything rash. Paparazzi are there.

The mantra played in my head over and over again as I pulled up a fake smile, making it seem that he was really making me happy when in reality, he was doing the opposite. I glanced for a few seconds at the menu before looking up to him. "Their Scallops-Parmesan Risotto is good, but I had their Classic Tagliatelle Al Ragù Bolognese is the best. You can also try their take on Arancini. It's also good."

Travis nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, sure." He called over Adam, well, Alex over with a glare for him. "I'll have their Classic Tagliatelle Al Ragù Bolognese and some Arcini."

"Okay, the classics for the classic douche," Alex commented, a smirk playing on his lips.

"What the fuck did you say to me?"