6 #3
“Okay. It was very busy, but once I’m familiar with the menu, I think I should be fine.”
“I think you’ll be more than fine,” replied Gia. “So you need to be down for five thirty.”
“I was going to stay, if that’s alright? I’m curious to see how busy the afternoons are.”
“If you’re sure, I don’t see why not.”
Dani smiled, “I just need to tell my sister I’ll be staying on, otherwise she’ll worry.”
“Of course. Take time out to call her.”
Dani quickly made her way down to the staff room and opened up her locker to grab her phone and call Chloe.
“Hi, Chloe.”
“Hi, how did it go?”
“Great, it’s so busy, but everyone’s helpful. Look I’m staying on, so I won’t be back this afternoon.”
“Oh, okay. What about getting home tonight though? Do you want me to get Adam to pick you up?”
“No, they have a taxi service which can drop me off. Don’t worry.”
“Really? That’s great. Okay, then. I’ll probably see you in the morning.”
“Yeah, sure. See you later. Bye.”
Dani looked down at her phone and saw two missed calls from Jez and her heart sank.
She wondered whether it was because of the letter Adam had drafted about the house.
Surely he couldn’t have got it so soon; she’d only approved it last night.
Crap. She knew she’d have to call him eventually.
Maybe she should before he got the letter.
Dani switched her phone to silent and placed it back in her locker.
The changing room was filling up with all the staff as she locked up. Each one of them acknowledged her with a smile, nod or a kind word as they got ready to leave, thankfully making her forget about Jez.
By the time Dani went back up to the restaurant, there were only a handful of tables still full.
Rosa and Augustino were resetting the tables while Chef was at the main till going over the bookings for tonight.
Dani looked around as she entered through the door and her attention was alerted to a new table in the raised section.
Gia was sitting at the table with two men.
One had blackish, slightly long wavy hair, with dark eyes and fair skin.
He was dressed in a pin striped navy blue three-piece suit with a white shirt and white tie.
He was immaculate. The second man looked ten years younger than the first, probably in his early thirties.
He was also in a suit but his was far less conservative.
It was light grey with a soft sheen and paired with a white shirt and matching grey tie.
The younger man had chestnut hair with a slight wave, which was sharply cut and gelled.
They were talking with Gia and their conversation stopped momentarily as Dani walked past their table.
Dani headed straight to where Rosa was. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just help set up the tables. I need to go and see what they need.” Rosa motioned to Gia’s table.
“Sure.”
Dani busied herself as Rosa went up to the table.
Glancing up, she could see that the men were familiar with Rosa and they engaged in friendly banter.
Gia beamed across at the men as they spoke.
The younger man’s gaze flitted over to where Dani was setting up and Dani smiled nervously and then looked away as Rosa walked over to the bar.
“Do you want me to get the drinks for you?” At least this was an area Dani felt confident in.
“Would you? That’ll be great. I need a double espresso, two San Pellegrinos, a Campari with ice and a slice of orange and a glass of Pinot grigio.”
Dani slipped around the bar and started on the order.
She was just putting the espresso on the tray when Jerome strode in from the back entrance, his eyes lighting up as he saw the occupants of Gia’s table.
All three men greeted each other warmly with hugs and kisses, which Dani found unusual but extremely endearing.
Jerome dragged back the chair to join them.
His eyes scanned the restaurant and he narrowed his eyes as he saw Dani behind the bar.
Dani gave him a small smile and carried on with the last of the order.
Upon seeing Jerome focus temporarily on Dani, the younger man bent closer to ask him something and Jerome’s expression hardened.
Gia quickly said something and the younger man smirked as his eyes flitted back over to Dani.
“Looks like you made a hit with Seni.” Dani hadn’t noticed Augustino had come over to the bar.
“Sorry?”
He motioned to the table. “The guy in the grey suit is Arsenio, Seni for short, Gia’s youngest son.”
“Oh, I didn’t know she had another son.”
“She has three. The other guy is the eldest, Cosimo.”
“Really? She doesn’t look old enough.” Dani quickly looked over again at the table and saw the slight resemblance between the three men.
Jerome was very much like his mother, dark and sultry.
Cosimo, on the other hand, had her dark hair, but his features were less striking and his eyes were dark.
Arsenio was fairer than both his brothers, but had the same sculptured lips as both Gia and Jerome.
“Yeah, I know. They come here every Friday for lunch together. Family get-together.”
Dani pursed her lips together and nodded.
Rosa placed their drinks on the table and looked expectantly at Jerome.
“I’ll have a San Pellegrino, Rosa, thanks.” She nodded and headed back to the bar.
“So, it’s her first day, then?” Arsenio sipped his water as he eyed Jerome.
“Yes.” Jerome shifted in his seat.
“Well it’s nice to see Peter finally hired a pretty girl for a change instead of just men.”
“Arsenio, you know you’re not allowed to date the staff,” Gia chastised as Jerome visibly stiffened.
“I’m just saying, Mama,” huffed Arsenio as he continued to stare at Dani.
“So, Jerome, how are Liz and the children? We haven’t seen them in ages,” Cosimo asked in his smooth calm voice. Jerome turned to him.
“They’re fine, Cos. I should bring them down this weekend so you can see them.”