Kenny had heard about the place with books, all kinds of coffees and teas and after a pretty good night, he decided to learn more about the woman he'd been hanging out with and had hired to do his books. After checking weather many times and mulling over other factors, he decided to drive his 1967 Custom Mustang. Sofia had tried hard to convince him to let her take the wheel. It didn't happen, at least not yet. She pretended to sulk and settled into the passenger's seat.

The car was his baby. A fast, sleek, purring machine that just screamed, "Hold on, never let go." With evident pride, he was smiling even more than usual. Sofia enjoyed the thrill of the car, the way that Kenny drove through the curves of the road, and the clear hint of power he never pursued. He pushed the start/stop button, and the engine was quiet. The only sound was the tinks and pops of rapidly cooling steel and cast. "I hope you like tea," He said. He didn't wait for an answer as he slipped out of the driver's side and moved around to the passenger to open the door for her with a grin. "I heard they have all kinds from all over."

He seemed thrilled with his choice of venue, so she hated to admit that she'd been there the afternoon prior. "Si. Tea. But ze also have ze good coffee here too," She mused. She tilted her head to peer up at him when her door opened. It took a couple seconds before she was scooting out and to her feet.

That grin he seemed always to wear was on his lips. The look of an ordinarily happy sort. It was directed at her as she looked up, "Oh, you've been here without me?" He teased. She did have a life, he thought. Once she was out, the door was clicked shut and he started the stroll to the door. Upon reaching the portal of entry, he flourished a bow as he opened the door. "Milady, after you!"

((thanks to Sofia's player for the fun and more to come!))

"Cappuccino sounds better when you say it. Kinda has that magical touch," He said with a grin as she bumped him with her hip. He grabbed the coffee for himself, and since she mentioned it, two chocolate muffins. It did sound pretty good. "The chocolate muffins. Delicious," She said with a smile. Chocolate, coffee and good company made her smile brighter.

"So, with all those guys around you, did they keep check on any fella that came to call?" Kenny had gone back to her being the only girl in a family and gathering of men. "Si. Dey are very good at keeping check," She said as she arched a brow and laughed. "They threaten to break hands, or worse if he did ze hurting or heartbreaking. That's just if they were brave enough to try." And she laughed again.

"So that means no big fella's gonna come lookin" for me for hangin" around with you? I mean I don't wanna get my ass kicked by your Pop or someone that claim's you're his girl." That grin spread as he spoke and sank into the chair near her. "No. Dey should not. I am not even sure" I don't think that they can find a way here easily. And, no one can do ze claiming," She grinned. "I am my own girl!" She picked up her muffin and paused. Her gaze lingering over him. "And, I would not let anyone try ze hurting of you. Promise. Papa would have respect for you, once he knew that it was you who kept me safe, and not end up sleeping on the streets."

"So, I guess you're sayin" you're single?" He asked. In his mind, he hoped there was a possibility, but a lingering doubt of her being out of his league. "Somethin" just told me that I couldn't leave you to figure this place out and wander the streets all night. I felt something. Like" a connection' I don't know, but I knew I had to keep you safe, and I'm glad I did." "Connection' Si. A good word to describe it. Drawn, maybe," She added. A blush crept across her cheeks then. "Si. I am single, as of dis exact moment."

"Drawn," He repeated. "I like that, because there is one, a kinda big one, I think." He was never really good at that kind of thing. "At this exact moment, huh?" He grinned again. "Hmm." His thoughts were spinning. That word, Drawn being the main cause. He had felt something that night, and apparently so had she. Whatever it was, at least to him, seemed to get stronger with more time they spent together. He reminded himself to take long, slow, deep breaths.

"Dere is definitely one," She murmured in quiet confirmation." She picked at the top of her muffin and popped some into her mouth. That bite washed down with a sip of her coffee instead of saying anything else. She watched him quietly and curiously. She couldn't shake the feeling of being on the edge of something.

Her thoughts returned to what he'd told her about their common grounds in a loss. "Daytona?" She trailed a moment as if looking for the correct word. "Dat is one of the races in ze Americas, si?" "Yeah, Daytona's one of the big ones for NASCAR," He said as he joined her at the table and arranged their treats. "Was he racing?" Kenny blinked, as the conversation went back to his dad and Daytona. "He was in turn three, coming in high then going low. Another fella lost control, and they both went into a spin. You'd think the cars were magnets or something the way they just stuck together. Side by side they went and it was dad's car that slammed the wall." He said with a slight shake of his head. The memories long buried were replaying in his mind's eye. "They said that he was killed on impact, broken neck." Her eyes got wide as he spoke of the race. She knew racing was dangerous, and in more ways than one. Her hand reached out and touched his, a small, reassuring gesture. "What's weird though' I could swear that I heard him screaming for help. But, they all said I didn't." He shook his head. "Been a long time ago, but it's still something I think about from time to time, then try to bury deep again."

As he spoke of his father, and what happened to him, there was a touch of sadness that lingered on her features. "I am sorry," She said softly before her warm brown eyes lifted to meet his blues. "At least there was no suffering for him to have. And all those memories. Dey are dere. Young minds have the strangest ways of holding onto things," she said. "I still miss my mama. Something I think I catch the scent of her perfume or see her there in the corner of my eye," She added with a sad smile. He wasn't alone in the loss of a parent.

His smile was glued to his face as he watched her. Her smile and laugh influenced him. "So, speaking of taco. Y"all have anything like that in Italy' I mean what we call Italian food, Y'all just call food." More use of the word Y"all to show its versatility. "What about burgers and stuff" Surely not everything is noodles, sauce, and that kinda thing, right?" He was genuinely curious. His life had always been living fast, but taking the time to get to know a girl" That was new and being slow about that, while painful at times, would work out.

His question had her nodding almost immediately. "Si, dey are not so popular, but der are other sandwiches and things like that. Plus, we have the best pizza," She said. "Lots of cheeses, veggies, and pasta. The seafood is big!" She finished her muffin, thinking about the other foods of home. "Oh! And ze sausage, especially?" She stopped and made a face thinking about the butcher she knew. At least, knew in the way that the whole family gave the man their business, protection, and a few other things in exchange for any interesting information that he might hear. But, she didn't exactly think that Kenny would be impressed if he found that out. "Back home dere's this butcher's place dat makes these delicious sausages of all sizes."

He listened as she talked about home, but that mention of the butcher and the way she thought over her words gave him pause. Kenny didn't push, she'd tell him more when she was ready. "In Texas, in the city of Amarillo, there's a place called The Big Texan. It's a steakhouse and they have a challenge." He said as he held his hands apart for size, "The challenge is a seventy-two-ounce steak. It comes with a baked tater, salad, shrimp cocktail and green beans," He paused to let that sink in. "That thing is about two and a half inches thick, they cook it to your liking, but you have to eat it in under one hour. Gotta eat it all, except for the fat, and there's very little fat on that meat. It's frightening how lean and mean that cow had to be to get that kinda steak off it, ya know?"

Her brown eyes widened just a touch. "Zat"is giant. How does one person manage ze eating of all that' Is there a prize or somezing?"

"There was a woman about your size. She ate three of them," He shook his head. "The prize is an awesome t-shirt, your picture on the wall, and that monster steak for free!" He said that like it was the biggest and best prize ever. "I couldn't do it. I just"no. I didn't try. I do like a damn good steak though. One night you'll have to come to my place and I'll cook some up for us."

"Zat," She paused, thinking over his words. "Three of them' And she did not manage ze exploding?" Wide eyes watched from behind her glasses as her fingers crumpled the left behind muffin paper. "If you cook ze steaks for me, I will good you something good and Italian."

"That sounds like a plan," He said as he patted his stomach. "This "ol boy likes to eat!" He chuckled. "I don't know how she did it. She couldn't have been more than a hundred pounds soaking wet, and she gobbled that stuff up like she'd never seen food."

Sofia shook her head, thoughts of stuffing herself like that weren't comprehensible. "Good, I will make sure dere is plenty made so there are leftovers for later.?