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I laced our fingers together and gave him a small squeeze. “Ready for your pre-birthday night out?”

He nodded, and as we headed out, I listened to how the edits were going and what next project Connor had his sights on.

Before long, we arrived at the restaurant I picked, an Italian eatery with an outdoor rooftop dining area. When I called for a reservation, I asked for a corner table with a view without telling them about Connor. Because we had plans for after our early dinner, I picked a time where we were unlikely to have a swarm of people surround him.

“Welcome to Mattia. I’m Aria. How may I help you?”

“Hi, Aria, thank you. Reservation for two under the name Oliver Bright.”

Connor kept out of sight behind me, his arms draped around my waist as the hostess tapped at the screen a few times, before she smiled and said, “Yes, right this way.”

She grabbed two menus and led us to a perfect table with a magnificent view, and a planter with lush greenery blocked us from the rest of the space, giving us the privacy I hoped for.

“Here you are…” She turned and spotted Connor for the first time. “Oh, good evening, Mr. Blake. Thank you for dining with us.”

Connor beamed at her and leaned in closer to whisper. “If you and the staff would like pictures after dinner, I would be happy to oblige.”

She nodded with a smile and said, “Thank you. Please enjoy.”

We sat, and I stared at Connor in confusion. As I considered this was our first true outing in public without Thomas to keep people away from Connor, the effect my boyfriend had on others shouldn’t have surprised me.

“What was that about?” I asked.

He reached for my hand, lacing our fingers together. “The staff at restaurants around L.A. are accommodating to actors. They want business but don’t want to deal with crowd control, so after dinner, I’ll take pictures with them and they’ll post them on their social media at the end of the night.”

“Oh, smart. Have you been here before?”

He took a moment to glance around and then shook his head. “I love Italian food, but this is my first time here. How did you find this place?”

“Luck and a lot of research. Plus, it’s close to the next place we’re going to.”

“Thank you for this.”

Emotion clogged my throat, and as I squeezed his hands. “You don’t have to thank me for anything. I wanted you to have a night where you could relax and have fun. And no, work doesn’t count as fun.”

I chuckled at his expression at the moment someone stepped up to the table. It took a moment to pull my eyes away from Connor’s expressive gaze.

“Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Elio. How are you two this fine evening?”

I blinked up and smiled at Elio. The tall man with his dark hair slicked back dressed in a crisp white shirt, black vest, and black pants. But it was his smile as he looked between both me and Connor, which had me smiling back.

“We’re good, Elio. Thank you for asking. And you?” I asked.

He beamed a smile at us; his radiating happiness surprised me. “Now I understand why the gossips can’t stop talking about you two.”

“Sorry?” It came out as a stutter before turning to look at Connor, who seemed just as confused. “We’re the subject of…”

“Yeah. But there’s no need to worry. My parents own the restaurant and most of my siblings and I work here, and we will protect your identity.”

“Thank you, Elio. I already told the hostess I would take pictures with you after dinner, but I’m grateful for the assurance.”

“Ah, yes. My sister. Thank you for your kind offer. While you peruse the menu, would you like something to drink?”

My eyes flicked down to the menu, but since I only drank a few times in my life, I was unsure what to order other than water.

Connor reached over and squeezed my hand. “May I order you something you’d enjoy?”

I nodded, “Please.”