11 #2
“ONCE I GOT BACK home, I started looking for premises.” Gia picked up her coffee and took a sip.
“It took us roughly two years to find this place and set up La Casa.” Gia lifted her hand and waved it in the air as she spoke.
“Matteo came out alone at first, until his daughters finished their schooling. Then his family moved over. We’d kept in touch with Peter once he’d left Italy and asked him to come and work for us. ”
“That explains why you’re all so close.”
“We are like a big family, even those who aren’t actually related,” grinned Gia.
“It is very much Jerome’s place, though.
I know I set it up but it’s Jerome that worked hard for it to become the success it is now.
When we started, the restaurant only took up half the ground floor.
We never thought we could ever fill the whole of it.
After five years, we expanded it and made the second floor into the function room and offices. ”
“And you have the nightclub too,” Dani added.
Gia smiled. “I heard you went there last night.”
“Yes. It’s a great club.” Dani felt herself flush a little and wondered whether she’d said too much. She didn’t want Gia to think she was being nosey or that she’d outstayed her welcome. Dani looked at her watch. It was quarter to two. She really should be leaving.
“Well, I’d better go. I’ve taken up enough of your time. It was really lovely hearing about La Casa.”
“It was my pleasure, Daniella and thanks for the help.”
Dani shrugged, indicating it was nothing. They made their way to the front door and Gia opened it.
“Good bye, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Ciao. Domani.”
Dani headed for the stairs, skipping down them, regardless of the slight twinge she felt in her thigh muscles.
That’d be the dancing, she mused. The last couple of hours had been quite an eye opener.
At least it explained why everyone was so close.
And it was Jerome who’d wanted the restaurant?
Well, that didn’t surprise her. Dani realised he was very much the drive behind its success, but she wondered why he didn’t spend as much time there.
She huffed to herself – who was she kidding?
She just wanted him to spend more time there.
He was probably too busy running his empire.
Dani stopped for a moment, just in front of the door leading out to the car park.
She’d really enjoyed Gia’s company and her words of wisdom about finding the right person came back to her, in a rush.
She was right, of course she was right. Gia must still be in love with her husband not to have remarried. Or maybe no one could match up.
Her thoughts were disturbed by the bleeping sound made from the security pad outside the door.
Dani waited a second and then the door unlocked.
She stepped back to avoid being hit by the door as it was pushed open.
The watery sunlight from outside filled the dimly lit entrance and Dani inhaled sharply at the unmistakable large silhouette of Jerome.
He let out a low gasp and muttered something in Italian under his breath. Then, recovering, he added, “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone on the other side.” He locked his questioning eyes on her.
“I was just up at Gia’s.” Dani felt her face flame as Jerome’s eyebrows shot up. “I came to get my car and helped her take some flowers up to her apartment,” Dani explained quickly.
Jerome’s face softened and he nodded. “Oh, I see.” He stepped in and closed the door. Then he reached his right hand over Dani’s shoulder and pressed the light switch, which lit up the corridor. “You just came now?”
“No, a couple of hours ago.”
Jerome’s eyes widened at her comment.
“We had coffee.”
“Ah,” he said mildly, blinking down at her. The intense stare of his magnificent blue eyes softened slightly.
Dani shifted on her feet nervously as he continued to stare at her.
He was making her unbelievably uncomfortable but as ridiculous as it seemed, she didn’t want it to stop.
Her pulse was speeding up, and she knew she’d need to say something if she wanted to let this brief moment last. “Sky is quite a club.”
“You liked it then?” His face lost some of its intensity and he leaned back against the wall.
Dani could smell his cologne in the small confines of the corridor and she took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with it before she answered. “Yes. It’s very… unique.”
“Unique?”
“Its location, the roof. And the glass – I mean the ceiling,” Dani answered, mentally kicking herself for sounding so flustered.
Jerome nodded as he narrowed his eyes at her, and Dani wasn’t sure if he was displeased with her answer.
“We had a great time. It was good to let off steam,” continued Dani, rambling off anything just to fill the oppressive silence.
“Are we working you too hard?” He cocked his head to one side and stifled a smirk.
Dani relaxed a little, pleased he wasn’t being so serious. “No, not at all. I really love it here.”
Jerome licked his lips and smiled, his eyes sparkled, framed by those dark lush lashes.
“I’m very glad to hear it.”
“Well, I better go.” Her voice tightened with unease. She really didn’t want to leave.
Jerome reached for the door handle and opened the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“Domani,“ replied Dani.
Jerome’s face lit up into a huge smile. “Picking up on some Italian?”
“Trying. See you.” And she hopped out the door into the car park, leaving Jerome staring after her, again.
Jerome slowly climbed up the stairs to the first floor and turned to go through the door that led him to his office.
His mind cluttered with a number of unwelcome thoughts.
He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of his reaction to Dani.
He knew he liked her, that was evident, but what troubled him was how much.
It also disturbed him how much it irritated him that Kuch and Dani had forged some kind of close relationship.
How far that had gone or was going to go he wasn’t sure, but the thought of her with Kuch or any other man did not sit well with him.
He paused a moment and headed up the next flight to his mother’s apartment, still trying to rationalise his feelings.
What Dani did in her own time shouldn’t have really been any of his concern, but Jerome knew that it was.
Jerome had ended up staying later than usual at Sky last night.
He normally left by one thirty on Sundays as his Mondays were a full working day, regardless that La Casa was closed.
He knew the reason he’d stayed was because of Dani.
Kuch had stayed close by her all night, along with Rosa and Nicole.
He’d danced with her and occasionally put his arms around her, but nothing more than how he behaved with Nicole or Rosa – in fact, with all the women he interacted with.
Because of this, for the first time in a long while Jerome had skipped his workout and had gone to Level One at around nine, allowing himself a lie in and the chance to take his children to school.
Liz had been edgy when she’d seen he was still home in the morning and her uneasiness had rubbed off on to Jerome.
He’d obviously messed up some plans or her routine.
She’d come downstairs exquisitely dressed, which seemed unnecessary for the school run.
Flustered, she’d explained she was going into town to meet a friend for coffee and maybe some shopping.
Jerome watched her as she became overly focused on packing the children’s school bags, and he knew she was hiding something.
Jerome paused outside Gia’s door before he knocked hard on it. Then he turned the knob and opened the door. Gia usually left the door unlocked when she was home. “Mama?” he called out.
“Si.“ Gia came out of her kitchen and smiled widely at Jerome. “This is a nice surprise.”
Jerome walked over to her and they greeted each other by kissing both cheeks. “I was coming to get some paperwork from the office and I thought I’d pop in and see you.”
Jerome shuffled out of his leather jacket and draped it on the back of a chair.
“Are you hungry? I was just making some risotto.”
Jerome faltered a second and then smiled at his mother’s expectant face.
“Sure, I’d love some.” He walked into the kitchen and went over to the stove.
Gia had just started adding the stock and the rich aroma of seafood wafted out of the pan.
“I’ll do it if you like. You sort out the table.
” Gia grinned at him, handing him the wooden spoon.
He started to stir, slowly pouring in the next ladle full of stock.
“I bumped into Dani as I came up.” His comment was casual.
“Yes, she came to get her car and ended up staying for coffee. She helped me bring up my flowers. She’s a lovely girl.” The last sentence was almost said to herself as she paused, hovering over the table.
“Um, yes.” Jerome continued to stir.
“She’s going to settle in just fine here. I told her a little about La Casa, who everyone was.” Gia snorted. “I think I confused her a bit.”
“How so?”
“Well, trying to explain who everyone is and their relationship to us. She’s only got her sister, poor girl, not like us and our huge family. I think she’s still heartbroken over whomever she left in London.”
“Oh, is that what she said?” Jerome sprinkled the Parmesan shavings into the risotto and stirred, trying to keep his tone level.
“No. But I can tell.”
Jerome turned off the gas and served the risotto onto two plates, then took them over to the table where Gia had sat down.
“This is nice. Lunch. Just the two of us. I love our family and our business family, but sometimes it’s nice just to have a one on one, don’t you think?” Gia snapped open her napkin and placed it on her lap.
“Yes, it makes a change,” grinned Jerome.
“So how’s Level One doing?” Gia forked some risotto and placed it in her mouth.