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the attaché he was carrying, as if unsure. Whatever his doubts, he shook his head, and said, “Stick up for yourself, Leila. Don’t let anyone treat you like you aren’t good enough to be in their presence. You’re a wonderful person. Make sure everyone around you knows that.”
    “What do you …” Then she remembered the waiter. From the second he had walked up to their table, Leila felt like she was unwanted. The feeling returned and her eyes dropped to her shoes. She knew Dolcini was too classy for her, but she hated being reminded of that. Being made to feel that way in front of Eli, then and now, was enough to make her cry. The first tear was about to slip free when Eli’s hand pressed against her cheek.
    “Leila,” he said, waiting for her to look at him, “the way Tony treated you was inexcusable. I am so sorry he behaved as he did, and the only reason I didn’t call him on it right then was because I didn’t want to bring attention to it in front of you and make you feel worse. I did speak to Conrad after I walked you to your car, though. The next time you visit Dolcini you won’t have to worry about poor service from Tony.”
    “You mean …”
    Eli nodded. “Tony was let go. And before you say anything, Conrad expects a certain standard of service from his wait staff. Tony did not meet those standards. He deserved to be fired.”
    “Wow,” Leila said. She knew she should feel bad that a man was fired because of her. A very small part of her did, but the majority of her mind was wrapped up in a sense of satisfaction. Still, she was amazed Eli took the time to speak to his friend about their lousy waiter on her behalf. “I can’t believe you went to the trouble, Eli.”
    “That’s exactly why you didn’t speak up to Tony for yourself. You don’t seem to think you’re worth the trouble, in any circumstance,” Eli said, “but you are, Leila.”
    His compliment bathed her in an unfamiliar feeling.
    “The next time you’re at Dolcini , you’ll have a much better experience than last night. You won’t be being scrutinized by me, for one, but your waiter will be Conrad’s best,” Eli assured her.
    “That’s a nice thought, but I doubt I’ll ever go back to Dolcini . It’s a little too nice for me.” Even without Eli there to catalog her mistakes, she would still feel out of place.
    Leila didn’t expect Eli to agree with her, but when he handed her another envelope in response, she stared at it. The heavyweight cream envelope reminded her of the invitations her boss sent out before a private fashion show. It was elegant and beautiful. Leila looked up at Eli. “What is this?”
    “An invitation to have dinner with Conrad. It’s partly a way to apologize for Tony, and partly a way to see if all the good things Pierce said about you were true.”
    “Seriously?”
    “Absolutely. It’s for Friday night.” He smiled, though it looked forced for some reason.
    Leila didn’t know why Eli would lie to her about this, but she opened the envelope anyway. Her name scrawled in gold ink took up the majority of the invitation. The date and time followed. He wasn’t kidding. A high end restaurant owner wanted to go out with her. For about three seconds she was ecstatic, then her mind leapt back to last night and her fingers went rigid. Leila looked up at Eli, fully freaked out.
    “I can’t … I’ll make a fool of myself again. Eli, I can’t.”
    “Yes, you can, Leila. Just remember what we talked about, and …” Eli paused. “… call me if you need anything. I mean it.”
    “Thanks, Eli.”
    They stood there in the aisle of the café saying nothing. Amid the hum of chaos that surrounded them, there was a pocket of silence. Even with the offer to call, Leila knew this was likely the last time she would ever see Eli Walsh. Just like the unexpected jealousy she felt earlier, she was surprised by how sad such a thought made her.
    The moment was broken when Eli smiled and said, “Have