“Are you ready?” I peered over his shoulder, a little surprised at the completely empty restaurant. “The place is spotless—like no one ate here. I hope you didn’t wear yourself out cleaning and have nothing left for me tonight.”
“Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?”
“A reser—what the hell are you talking about?” Was he drunk?
“Ah, I see. You’re here by yourself and the only single party we have is a Mister F. Evans. That would be you? You’re dining alone?”
As he was the first time I saw him, Torre wore the dark shirt and jeans all the waiters at Mangia wore. A memo pad was tucked under his arm. Those big brown eyes sparkled.
Ahhh. Someone was into a little role-playing this evening. Now I saw what he’d been planning. Okay. I could get into this, although I drew the line at sex on the kitchen counter. It went against all my rules of hygiene. Plus, I didn’t need a hard-on every time I came by to help Mike cook. I grinned, ready to play my part.
“Yes. I am.” I followed him to the same table I’d sat at that first night. I noticed it was the only one set with fresh flowers and a lit candle. “Unless I can persuade you to join me.”
Torre pulled out my chair. “I’m not sure management would approve.”
But he waited, and I took his hand and laced our fingers together. “Oh, I think they could probably be persuaded.” Heart thumping, I raised his fingers to my lips and kissed each one. Golden-bright light sparked from the depths of his soft eyes. “Join me. Please.”
“Very well.”
Still holding his hand, I searched my memory for our conversation that night. “I don’t know your name.”
Torre’s lips curved upward when he realized I was more than willing to join in the fun and games. Especially if it ended up as it had that night, with me stripping him almost naked inside his front door. To this day, I don’t think I’d ever been as out of control and desperate to have someone. Except my second time with him.
“It’s Torre. Torre Rossi.”
“Well, Torre Rossi, I would love a drink. A Negroni.”
He tipped his head. “I’ll make one up for you.”
As Torre walked to the bar, I quickly checked my phone to see Val had texted again.
Have your dinner.
Enjoy
My eyes narrowed as I wondered why I felt like I was missing part of the equation. Something else was going on, other than what she and I had talked about.
Hmm…my gaze traveled over the restaurant space finding nothing amiss.
And yet…
Torre approached with my Negroni and a carafe of red wine. He set them on the table, poured the wine for himself, and sat opposite me.
“Shall we have a toast?”
I lifted my glass. “To…beginnings?” I said.
“And new chapters.” Torre clinked my tumbler and we drank.
“I’ll rewrite the whole damn book if it means you’re my ending.”
Torre rested his hands on the marble-topped table. “I have dinner coming.”
“Dinner? I thought we were meeting for dessert and drinks.” I had planned everything and even now, Val was supposed to be setting things up in Torre’s old apartment.
Mike walked out with a green salad topped with fresh pears, shaved parmesan, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.
“Your salads.” He placed the two plates in front of myself and Torre.
“You serving me? I like this.” I grinned up at my business partner, who raised a brow.
“Don’t get used to it, big shot.” He snickered and walked away.
“Good thing I didn’t have any dinner.” My stomach had been too tumbled with nerves to eat anything, and I’d spent the day alternating between fear, excitement, and wanting to run. But now that I was here, all my misgivings were washed away in the knowledge that there was no other person I wanted to sit across a table from and see every morning and night. Torre was my forever.
“I hope everything’s met with your satisfaction so far.” Torre met my gaze over the flickering candle.
“You’ve always exceeded any expectations I’ve had. From that first night. Remember?”
His cheeks blazed, and I loved that I could still make him blush, considering everything we’d done together over the past year.
“I do. I couldn’t forget it or you. Everything about that night was unforgettable,” he said softly, sending a painful twist to my heart.
I didn’t want to think about where I would be now if I’d never met Torre, because I’d hoped that man was gone forever.
And now I was about to embark on a different type of forever. A forever I’d never dreamed of. One I never planned for or thought I wanted until the man across the table showed me what a gift life was when love was in it.
Torre and I ate for a few minutes. “Can I presume we’re going to have branzino and butternut squash ravioli with lobster sauce?”
“Presume nothing but expect everything.” Eyes twinkling, Torre licked his lips, and a surge of lust rocketed through me, causing me to rethink kitchen sex.
“I never expected anything but ended up with more than I ever dreamed possible.”
Torre’s eyes grew shiny, and he reached across the table. “You’re not the only one. The night we met I took a chance, and it turned out to be the first step on a journey I never anticipated. A crazy life, filled with the unexpected, the improbable, and the wonderful.”
Jasper appeared tableside, accompanied by the delicious-smelling branzino and ravioli in lobster sauce. With a Mona Lisa smile on his face, he served us.
“Luisa sends her love. She said to tell you she’s getting a promotion to night shift manager.” The serving dishes empty, he picked up the tray. “It’s a huge salary increase. We owe you so much, man. You changed our lives.”
I never imagined my calling in a favor from a hotel investor would have such an impact. I gazed at him wide-eyed and after he left, I sat for a second, the lump in my throat making it impossible for me to eat.
Torre touched my hand. “Do you know how special you are? I can tell you every morning and night how much I love you, but I hope you believe it.”
“It’s hard to imagine the person I was, now that I’ve been with you this past year. You changed me—”
“Oh, no.” Torre cut me off. “I didn’t do anything. It was always there inside you. I didn’t want to change you. I love you for who you are. It’s why I know what I want.”
The burning intensity in his gaze made me wish we could leave right now and re-create that first night up against his front door. I ached for him.
“You know,” I said, moments later, tangling Torre’s fingers with mine. “I’m getting the feeling there’s something going on here besides a dinner replaying our first night together.”
What I loved about Torre was his inability to hide his emotions. Though he tried, I could tell from the slight hitch in his breath and the tinge of pink staining his skin that I was right. Knowing how romantic—sappy—Torre was, I braced myself for a serenade by a strolling violinist or perhaps an opera singer.
“I think we should eat before the food gets cold.” Torre picked up his fork.