He didn’t know why, but he was nervous. It was just something about her being this close, and knowing that she couldn’t leave as quick as she had done in the past, that made his palms stick to the leather on his steering wheel, as he drove through the streets of Boston.

The ride was silent but he didn’t mind it, and neither did she. They had both had a long day and relaxing into a comfortable silence right before dinner was exactly what they needed.

Riley ran her fingers over the soft leather, and closed her eyes just taking everything in, as the hot air blew into her face, warming her up from the below freezing mid January air. She was exhausted nonetheless, and this was probably the last thing she wanted to be doing on a Thursday night. But, she owed it to him; if he hadn’t done what he did she probably would’ve gotten fired… again.

He pulled up to the restaurant, throwing the car in park, and dashing to the other side to open her door for her before someone else beat him to it.

“You really didn’t have to take me here,” Riley said, noticing how lavishing the restaurant was, and knowing that it probably would cost a fortune for the two of them to eat there.

Again, he threw his famous smirk at her after giving the hostess their name as she led them towards their table.

“But I wanted too.”

Their menus were placed in front of them and a bottle of wine placed on the table.

“I hope its okay, I ordered wine when I made the reservation.”

She looked up from her menu to notice the bottle of wine being poured in a glass in front of her. She would’ve much preferred a beer instead, but who was she to complain, booze is booze, and after the day that she had anything would do.

“That’s fine,” She answered simply, scanning the menu again.

She couldn’t help but keep an eye on the prices though; never had she had someone spend this much money on one meal for her. Usually her ex-boyfriends would just settle for a movie and pizza, and she was okay with that, coming from a middle class family in the suburbs, that’s what she grew up knowing.

Tyler let a laugh escape from his lips, “Stop what you’re doing and let me.”

“Excuse me?”

He licked his lips as the waiter approached, he ordered for the both of them handed him the menus, and folded his hands in front of him as he looked back at her, her face still, as she was taking in what actually just happened.

“What if that wasn’t what I wanted?” She teased, taking a sip of the drink in front of her.

“You’re telling me that you don’t like spaghetti and meatballs?”

She smiled, still teasing him.

“I do, but what if I was in the mood for something else?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Well then I guess you should’ve been looking at the food rather than the prices.”

He liked this, how she could tease him and he could do the same back but nothing was awkward between them, they just flowed. But he still was curious as to who she was; sure he knew her name and where she worked but he wanted to know more, her childhood, what was it like growing up, and why she chose to work for the Bruins, the mystery of her was just driving him crazy.

She took another long sip of her wine, but her eyes never seem to leave his.

Finally he built up enough courage to ask her, he was curious to know. With her sitting across from him like this, teasing him with her eyes as she watched him as she took a sip of her wine, he just needed to know more about her.

“So tell me about yourself, you seem to be this mysterious stranger that no one knows about.”

She raised an eyebrow, and took another sip, finishing off the rest of her glass.

“You’ve been asking around about me?”

There she went again teasing him.

“Guilty,” He said sheepishly. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going on a date with some crazy person who collects toenails or something.”

She scrunched up her nose in disgust, as she let a laugh escape her lips.

“That’s gross, but I’m flattered you’ve been asking around about me, by tomorrow morning I’ll be famous,” she said, the sarcasm thick in her voice.

“Seriously though, why such a mystery?”

She traced her finger around her newly filled wine glass, her eyes not making contact with his.

“I don’t try, I guess that’s just who I am.”

He unfolded his hands and placed them on the fabric of the tablecloth.

“Alright why don’t we start with this, where did you grow up?”

She pursed her lips, knowing that how hard she tried to avoid it, he was completely focused on her.

“Waltham,” She answered simply.

He seemed okay with that, even if the answer was short, he was slowly breaking her down.

“And your parents, siblings?”

“Uh, yeah. They’ve been married for thirty years and they’re probably the happiest couple I’ve ever met. And, yes I have a sister she’s eleven,” Riley paused to take another sip of wine. “She’s basically my mini me, but she was also one of those last hoorah kind of things my parents decided they needed when they knew they were getting too old.”

Tyler laughed, “I have one of those. Cassidy, she’s fourteen, and a brat.”

“I’m sure she’s not that bad, you’re just saying that because you’re her big brother, and even if she is bad, she does it cause she can.”

Riley took another sip of her wine.

“Yeah that’s okay, just take her side.”

“I have to, us girls need to stick together.”

He raised his hands, as if to surrender, “Alright,” He laughed. “I get it, chicks before dicks.”

She furrowed her brow, “Did you actually use the phrase chicks before dicks? What are we in ninth grade?”

Again, she earned a laugh out of him. “Yeah I guess I did.”

They both took a sip of their wine, as their conversation faded. But, he still wasn’t satisfied. She had the perfect life growing up, parents married for thirty years, a younger sister that looked up to her, and from what he found out from around the arena she got a full ride to Boston University, but there was still something there that had her walls cemented shut for miles high.

He watched her for a moment, and she stared back, neither said anything but they just watched, each studying the other.

“What about boyfriends?”

She took her final long sip of her second glass; it was the topic that she had been hoping to avoid for the evening. She licked her lips, trying to find the right words to say something, but she couldn’t even think straight with the sound of her heart beating being so loud. She felt as if the air had gotten caught in her throat, as she finally built up enough courage to actually open her mouth, and form the words he’d been waiting to hear.

“Uhm, the spaghetti and meatballs?”

They both looked up at the waiter who was standing there with their plate of food. Saved by the bell.