appeared almost...starstruck as he pointed toward the beautiful stranger. “I think I will have a heart attack.”
Alessandro Damiani...I memorized the words in my head. Even his name was beautiful.
“He has been here before,” Wendy said, matter-of-fact.
“No, he hasn't,” he argued. “I would have remembered him.”
“It was last Sunday when you were sick,” she revealed.
A soft Italian curse crossed his lips. “Per meraviglia! I’m sick one day—one lousy day and I miss a guest like him!” He scowled at himself as he quickly went to show the four men to our best table.
He was all smiles and politeness which was an unusual behavior for my boss. In all honesty, I couldn’t remember one single occasion when he rushed to accommodate a guest with such urgency. That job was always left to us, while he would walk around the tables from time to time and ask the guests if everything was to their liking. Not with Alessandro Damiani. For some reason, Mr. Giordano made sure this man received the best possible service, and it told me enough about the importance of his status even though his name didn't ring a bell.
Despite the fact his presence unnerved me, I found myself stealing glances his way, and was surprised—once again—he seemed unimpressed as Mr. Giordano went out of his way to attend to him like he was royalty. I prepared drinks at the bar when Alessandro Damiani said something to the smiling Mr. Giordano and then gestured in my direction. I blushed crimson red as both men looked my way. Suddenly, Mr. Giordano turned serious and nodded as the other man whispered something in his ear. Then, my boss stalked toward me at such a quick pace, it left him out of breath. Since he was a short, overweight man who wasn't used to physical exhaustion, I was beyond surprised to see him act in such a strange manner.
“Olivia, come here,” he invited me to follow him to the back, and he had an almost worried look on his face.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Giordano?” I furrowed my brow.
He drew in a deep breath, and his face settled into a strange expression. “Damiani wants you to serve them...”
I swallowed hard, and for some reason felt absolutely threatened by his request.
“But Wendy served them the last time,” I informed, deciding to omit that he’d ended up driving me home.
“He didn't say anything about that,” he retorted, and his expression turned puzzled. “He just asked for you.”
I worried my bottom lip, but knew I had no choice in the matter. “I'll take over their table if that’s what you want.”
“It's not what I want, but I can't go against his wishes,” he said with brutal honesty. “Olivia, don't take it the wrong way, but this is a very important man who has by some miracle ended up in my restaurant. We have to make sure we do our best to please him. He is used to nothing short of top service. Do you think you can handle a guest like him?” He stared at me expectantly, and I nodded because he would send me to their table regardless of my answer. “All right, then. Let me know if you need any help. Go on now...Don't make them wait.”
Caught up in some kind of weird trance, I grabbed four menus from the counter and then walked to their table as Mr. Giordano gazed after me like a hawk, assessing every step I took in their direction. Almost against my own will, my gaze froze on the beautiful man who was busy talking to his refined entourage. Already from the distance, I discerned he spoke Italian, and couldn't help thinking it sounded so very...rich and seductive coming from his lips. Suddenly, he lifted his head, and the second he spotted me, he stopped talking. His stare burned me, and made me blush, but I was unable to look away from those eyes that bore into me with naked, calculating appraisal.
I paused by their table, half-afraid Alessandro Damiani would reveal my name, but he remained silent and standoffish as though we were complete strangers.
“Good evening, gentleman,” I said quietly as I handed them their menus, trying my best to avoid those piercing dark eyes. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“You sure can, sweetheart,” one of them commented with a teasing chuckle, but when Alessandro Damiani glared in his direction, he immediately quietened.
The other two stilled as well. I observed the scene in disbelief, wondering for the second time