13 #3
“Okay, everyone.” Peter tapped his glass with a spoon as he stood next to Jerome and the tabled hushed, everyone diverting their attention to Peter.
“As you all know, today is Jerome’s birthday and true to tradition, it is my job to make a small speech.
Most of you know that I’ve known Jerome for many years.
And every year that I’ve known him, I’m thankful that not only can I call him my boss and colleague, but also my very good friend.
” Peter turned slightly so he looked down at Jerome, who stared up at Peter, clearly moved.
“La Casa has been my home since it opened and I’m honoured to be part of this large, extraordinary family.
Jerome, happy birthday. I wish you health, fortune but above all, happiness.
To Jerome.” And with that, everyone stood up to toast to a rather dumbfounded Jerome.
Jamie then approached the table with Dani’s cake.
He’d placed candles on it which were lit and everyone started a rendition of Happy Birthday.
Gia hugged him as he continually shook his head, blinking back tears that settled on the rims of his lids, making his eyes shine brighter.
He stood up to blow out the candles as Kuch, Carmen, and Richard took photos of him with their phones and Nicole snapped away with a very professional-looking camera as he leaned forward and blew them all out in one go.
“I hope you made a wish,” joked Capo.
Jerome smirked at him and his eyes darted for a second to Dani.
“Of course.” He looked down at the cake and shook his head again.
“Dani made it,” Capo explained and Jerome’s brow creased, looking back at the cake.
His eyes shot back up to Dani and for a split second, they locked on hers.
Before he could say anything, Gia handed him a cake knife.
He firmly cut the cake and then Gia took the knife and started to cut it up and serve it.
Dani sat in her chair, avoiding looking up at Jerome, as Rosa chatted to her about how lovely the cake was.
One by one, the staff dug into their cake and went over to Jerome to wish him happy birthday personally.
He was desperate to talk to Dani, to thank her, but his attention was constantly under demand.
Capo made his way over to Dani to congratulate her on a delicious and light cake.
“It’s really divine.“ He winked. This was obviously going to be their continuing joke. Dani screwed up her face, embarrassed at the attention.
She got up from the table, uncomfortable with the continuous praise, and helped clear the plates, while Jerome continued to talk to Gia and Peter.
She walked over to the dumbwaiter and started to load it as the staff finished off their cake and wine, suddenly feeling very uneasy.
The truth was she had wanted to make this cake for Jerome – in fact, she’d revelled in the idea of it – but now that she was receiving all this attention, she thought that maybe she’d behaved inappropriately and crossed the line.
She’d only been there a week; maybe she was pushing her luck.
“Thank you.” His raspy voice sent shivers down her spine and she slowly pivoted around, her eyes falling on Jerome’s steely blue gaze.
He stood close enough for her to catch the smell of his chosen cologne and she breathed in deeply, taking it in, smiling tightly at him, her focus trained on his eyes.
“Well, I said I’d make you one.” She tried to sound casual but she could hear the tightness in her voice as she spoke. She swallowed hard. Holy mother of God, he was just so gorgeous.
“Yes, you did, and as I asked, you totally surprised me. Buon compleanno? You even wrote Happy Birthday in Italian.“ He grinned and his whole face lit up.
“I’m trying to learn. Capo keeps teaching me words and phrases.” Dani shrugged, feeling slightly less uncomfortable and glad she could now string a sentence together.
“Oh, I see. And you made me a lemon mousse sponge cake?” He cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes at her.
“Er, well, I know you like lemon, so –”
“I love it,” he interrupted, his voice a gentle whisper. “Thank you. It was… well, as Capo says, it was divine. Torta al limone, one of my favourites.”
Dani couldn’t help but grin widely. “Torta al limone,“ she repeated and nodded, committing it to memory.
Jerome laughed softly, his eyes sparkling. “We’ll have you talking Italian in no time.”
Dani chuckled, thinking that was a long way off yet, when Jerome leaned forward and gave her a kiss on her cheek.
It was just an innocent gesture of thanks, but the charge of electricity that surged through her body had her reeling, knocking her off balance.
She swore she felt a flash of something.
Jerome pulled back sharply and his face tightened.
His hand lingered on her arm a moment longer than necessary, to steady her sway as she let out a soft gasp.
The whole episode far too intimate for such a public setting.
Oh my God, what was that?
“Thank you again,” he muttered, clearly unsettled.
“Um, it was my pleasure,” Dani breathed, blinking up at him, meaning every single word.