"You have a phone call." She smiled at me.
"Who is it?" I whispered and covered the mouthpiece.
"Domenico," she whispered back, quickly leaving the room.
I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "H-hello?"
"Chloe, how are you this morning? Did you sleep well?"
"Umm..yeah," I barely got it out of my mouth. He was a little persistent and I was slightly nervous.
"You received my thank you?"
"Oh God. I am such a jerk. Yes, I got them last night. Thank you!" I felt like an asshole. I didn’t even think to thank him for the beautiful flowers.
"So, then, you got my invitation to dinner?"
"Uh, yes. I uh—"
"You aren’t interested?"
"Um, no. I mean that’s not it…" I slapped my hand to my forehead. How did he make me such a nervous wreck?
"Chloe?"
"Yeah," I mumbled with my head against the wall.
"Would you accompany me for dinner tonight?"
"Yes."
"Great. I will have the car there to pick you up—"
"Wait, what car?" I stood up straight, confused.
"My car. I will have it come by around seven to pick you up at your parent’s house, I have a meeting that I have to be in or I would come pick you up myself. Do you have a preference on the restaurant?"
"You don’t have to send a car. I can just meet you."
"No, no, I will have the car pick you up around seven. Do you know the Italian restaurant in Port Angeles?"
"Yes, I do."
"How about we head there for dinner?"
"Okay, sounds great."
"I’ll see you at seven. Until then?"
"Bye," I hung up and ran upstairs.
I grabbed my cell phone and called Mina with all the details.
"Come over now. I’ll meet you in my room!"
Before we even hung up, I was heading out to the tree house.
Mina decided we needed to go shopping and none of the arguing I did could stop the trip once Roni was on board too. We finally got back to the house after four hours of shopping. I climbed into my bed to take a quick nap before my date. It couldn’t have possibly been more than an hour before Mina was shaking me viciously to wake up.
"Come on, lazy ass! Get up! It’s beautification time!" I pulled myself out of bed and let Mina drag me over to her room.
I allowed her to attack me with straightening irons, eyelash curlers, tweezers and even high heels. I was finally finished and about to head out toward my house to wait for the car when there was a knock on Mina’s door.
"Come in," she yelled as I hugged her.
"Hey, Mina, we're going out for dinner and want—" Leo stopped and looked at me. I smiled lightly and turned my eyes away quickly.
"Thanks, Mina," I said as I left for the balcony.
"I want details tonight, Fisher. Especially of the hot and steamy variety!" She yelled as I crossed the tree house path. I laughed.
It was seven on the dot when the doorbell rang. Impressive. I answered the door and there was Domenico. I smiled and then bit my lip.
"I thought that—"
"I couldn’t stand the thought of not being the one to see you first," He smiled and offered me his arm. I took it and he led me to his car. The driver opened the door and we climbed in the back seat.
Leo
The minute I saw her with my mother, I felt sick. There she was. After all this time. I was an asshole for ignoring her for so long but I just couldn’t take being kept at arm’s length any longer. She acted like she wanted me yet continued to distance herself. We were both young but I knew that I wanted something serious, more substantial. After a while, I just didn’t believe that she wanted the same kind of serious that I did. Staying away from her was far from easy. Our connection was so strong it could physically incapacitate. The only way that I felt I could break away from her, from us, was avoidance.
Glendaly was beautiful and sweet and open. She never held me at arm’s length and she was very receptive about how I felt and she let me know how she felt. There were no games. After a couple of months I knew that I loved her, she was fantastic and things had been going better than I could’ve imagined with anyone.
Then, there she was. I knew she would be here, our families were so close. Though, I didn’t expect to feel so awful when I saw her. I expected her to be cold and distant. Instead, she was friendly and warm, even if we had only spoken briefly. And, while we hardly spent the evening in direct company, it was impossible for me not to notice how she had become Domenico’s company for the remainder of the party.
When I walked into Mina’s room and saw her in that blue dress, her hair half-pulled up, exposing her full face, I was stunned.
Had I really forgotten how beautiful she was and how one look into her eyes could melt my soul? I guess I had.
As soon as she saw me she turned away quickly and left the room. Then Mina yelled to her about wanting details.
"Details?" I raised an eyebrow as I stood behind Mina, who was looking out the doors to her balcony.
"Yep. She’s going out tonight with—" she stopped suddenly and turned to me. "What did you want?" she raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, we are going out for dinner and wanted to know if you and Oliver wanted to join us." I shrugged, fighting everything in me not to look at Chloe’s retreating form.
She had a date tonight.
"Where?"
"Port Angeles," I said vaguely.
"What restaurant, asshole?" She tilted her head to one side and rolled her eyes at me.
"I was thinking Italian." I watched as her face shifted into panic. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, how about we do Mexican instead? I really want—"
"Sorry, Mina, Glenda picked Italian." Something was up with my baby sister, I just couldn’t figure out what.
"Umm…okay," she held her finger up for me to wait. She quickly darted into the bathroom. When she returned, she grabbed my arm and se headed downstairs.
After getting everyone rounded up, we headed outside to the cars. While I was helping Glenda into the car, I noticed Mina huddled with Veronica and Oliver. I crept up behind them.
"So what do we do?" Roni asked in a hushed tone.
"Do about what?" All three of them jumped and turned to me in surprise.
Mina hit my arm. "That shit isn’t funny!" She stomped off and climbed into a car with Oliver. I chuckled at her behavior.
We got to the restaurant and were told they were booked. I tried to work my smile; it was a no go. I looked over the hostesses shoulder and saw that there were empty tables.
"What are all those tables then?" I was getting a little irritated.
"I’m sorry, sir, the restaurant has been rented out for the night." She gave a fake smile and then looked back down to the book that was in her hands. As I was turning around to leave, Mina stepped forward.
"You mean that someone paid for the entire restaurant…for the whole night?" Mina’s face was part excitement and part awe. The hostess rolled her eyes and nodded, then went back to her book. Mina looked to Roni and they congregated into a huddle of whispers and giggles.
Everyone climbed back into their cars to head to another restaurant. That was when a black car pulled up to the Italian restaurant and parked. I smirked because they were about to be turned away as well.
"Should we tell them about the restaurant?" Glenda asked me while she laced her fingers with mine.
"Nah, they’ll find out," I turned the key in the ignition.
"But, you know him, don’t you?" I looked up and, sure enough, I did. It was Domenico. I sighed and nodded to Glenda.
I stood halfway out of my open car door. "Hey, D!" He turned to me quickly.
"Leo?"
"Hey, man," I pointed to the restaurant, "their tables are taken for the night."
He smiled. "I know. I took them."
Then he leaned down and helped a woman o
ut of the car. Chloe. Domenico waved and smiled quickly before wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her into the restaurant.
Domenico was with Chloe.
Chapter Twenty-One
Italiano
Chloe
"You reserved the entire restaurant?" I asked in disbelief, completely flattered.
"Of course," he smiled widely, "this way, we have privacy."
"Oh," was the best I could come up with at first.
I leaned close to him. "Domenico, you do realize that you don’t have to do of all this?" I said in a hushed tone. Like I need to whisper in an empty restaurant. I’m a fucking idiot! I wanted to slap myself in the forehead.
"Chloe, please, call me Dom, and I have to impress you, don’t I?" He winked.
"Dom, you don’t have to do this kind of thing to impress me, nor do you have to ‘impress’ me at all. I like you and had a good time with you last night." I looked down into my lap, hoping that he understood that I wasn’t trying to be unappreciative.
His fingers were quickly under my chin, lifting my face to his.
"Please don’t hide your face from me," he gazed into my eyes. "I like to look at your beautiful face and I love that you say what’s on your mind." His Italian accent was almost enough to make me slide under the table and kneel at the feet of this foreign God. Whew, it’s been awhile. I almost fanned myself with the menu.
"I really appreciate everything you’ve done. Please don’t think —" He placed his finger over my lips.
"You haven’t even seen what I’ve got in store for you tonight, dear Chloe." He winked as a waiter approached. Holy mother of swooning! I need water. Cold, cold water. He then ordered in Italian and I wanted to lick his lips. It was ever so sexy. Once the waiter disappeared, I turned my eyes back on Domenico.
"What did you just say?" I smiled and bit my lip.
He sighed happily and then leaned very close to my face.
"Maybe you should take some Italian while you're in college." He smirked. I was about to tease him back but, before I could, he spoke again. "Then I can take you on a proper honeymoon in Italy." I closed my mouth quickly and my eyes widened. He started laughing. "Oh, if you would’ve seen your face." He chuckled.
He’s got jokes, huh? I started laughing, blushing a very deep shade of red.
"You’re mean." I scowled and continued laughing. He simply smiled.
The waiter returned to our table with a bottle of wine and a bread basket. Music started playing softly in the background as I noticed violinists enter the room.
I took in my surroundings. The entire space was lit by the soft glow of candlelight and flowers were arranged on every table. They were the same flowers he had sent to me last night. I heard him lightly chuckle, breaking me out of my spell.
I turned back to him, "What?"
"Nothing." He smiled, reaching over and brushing the back of my hand with his fingers.
"How does one get flowers arranged and delivered so late at night?" I cocked an eyebrow. "You own a flower shop, too?" I took a sip from my wine glass.
His smile broadened, becoming larger than I would have ever thought possible. "Oh, I have my sources."
"Hmm," I nodded. "That sounds kind of shady to me." I winked at him. He laughed.
"Are you ready for dinner, sir?" the waiter had appeared out of nowhere.
Dom looked to me and I nodded. "Yes, we're ready. Thank you," he replied, the waiter disappeared into the kitchen.
The food was delicious, paired with the perfect complimentary wine and conversation. I continued to ask questions, wanting to know everything about him, but he seemed more interested in learning about me. We continued bouncing back and forth between each other, talking about our past, family, current life and what we wanted in the future. I told him I was hoping to move to New York in the future, to really begin my career after college. At one point in the evening, he asked me to dance with him and we did, slowly. He nuzzled his face into my neck and we swayed silently.
When the evening was coming to its end, he helped me into the car and held me closely, placing kisses on my temple during the drive. Arriving to my parent’s home, he walked me to the front door, asked me for my phone number in Seattle and kissed my hand.
"Buona notte, Chloe." He smiled at me as I stood at the door, watching him walk backward to the awaiting car.
I entered the house and heard my phone. It was the text message alert. Checking the message, it was an unknown number.
I would love to see you again very soon, La mia Chloe. Dom
I smiled and quickly text him that I would let him know when I was back in Seattle. A knock at the door tore me from my phone.
Still smiling from my text message I opened the door. My face immediately fell. Leo.
"Hello." He said in a very low voice.
"Hello." I said quickly.
He rubbed the back of his head. "Can we talk?"
"Leo, I just got home and I’m pretty tired. Another time, okay?" I started to turn away and shut the door.
"Please, Chloe?" He begged.
Anger bubbled over as I thought of the many times I asked him by text and voicemail to please call me or talk to me.
"You’ve had your chance to talk. Right now, I would rather just forget everything and anything that ever happened. Good night, Leo." I kept my tone controlled and didn’t yell at him the way I wanted.
Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? I was having such a great night!
I closed the door, leaving him on the porch, and headed upstairs.
I woke the next morning by myself. At least, I thought I was alone. That was, until I heard the footsteps. Jumping into a sitting position, I looked over my left shoulder.
"What the fuck, Leo?" I climbed out of bed and stood with my arms in the air. "Are you a stalker now?"
"Shh...calm down before your Dad comes in with his gun." He put a finger to his lips. "I just wanted to talk to you before we leave, that’s all." He sat down on my bed.
"Fine, say what you have to say. I need to get ready." With a huff, I sat down at the other end of my bed.
"First, I’m so sorry." His words were shaky.
Good!
"I really don’t have a good excuse for what happened and why I ignored you. Other than to say I was young, dumb and insensitive." He sighed. "I really am sorry about how everything….ended."
"Ended? I think you mean how everything just stopped." I corrected him. After letting out a frustrated growl, I took a deep breath. "Okay, look, apology accepted. Neither of us was innocent and we’ve both moved on. Let’s just call it what it was and not come back to this again. Okay?"
I looked over at Leo, who had a weird unreadable look on his face. It disappeared quickly as he nodded. I stood and he followed my lead.
"Thank you, Leo." I said politely as I walked over and opened the door to the balcony.
He nodded as he walked toward the door, stopping in front of me. Before I realized his plan, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged tightly. The heated current spiraled around us.
"I, truly, am sorry." He whispered in my ear before pulling away and heading out the door. I closed the door behind him and then stood there frozen.
How could he still have that effect on me? How could I let him have it? The electric current that generated between us didn't get the End of Relationship memo. Crap! I stomped to the bathroom and jumped into the shower, hoping that it would rinse away the resurfacing feelings.
Once we got back to Seattle, our routines returned to normal with one exception, Domenico. We had gone on a few more dates; dinners, dancing, a play, launch parties for artists on his label and afternoon lunches. It was surreal with him. There seemed to be nothing that he couldn’t get or do. I felt insignificant compared to him and all that he was. He seemed to sense my moments of insecurity and went out of his way to compliment me, thank me for spending time with him. He treated me like I was the prize rather than him. It was very flattering.
Tonight, Dom wanted to have dinner and a movie somewhere I'd never been, his house. He said it would be very casual, so I dressed casually – jeans and long sleeve, off the shoulder top. I asked for directions to his house so I could drive myself over, but he wanted to pick me up.
When I opened the door, he stood before me in a black sweater, dark worn blue jeans, and a smile. I wanted to lick his teeth.
"Ciao, Chloe." He smiled.
Returning the smile, I kissed him quickly as he grabbed my hand and led me to his car.
I had suspected that he had a large, nice home. Expected that it was probably expensive and a bit lavish. However, when we pulled up to the large black gate, I was immediately intimidated by the thought of what was behind that gate. He punched in the security code to open the gate and we pulled up the rounded driveway. I looked up to a magnificent home. It was at least three stories high and white with large, white columns in the front. There was a fountain in the middle of his driveway. Suddenly, I felt very out of place.
"Come on, beautiful," he took my hand as I got out of the car and led me into his home.
Once inside, I was awe struck, it was unbelievably large and everything looked untouched and expensive. It was almost like a museum. I pulled myself tighter to his side.
"It’s a bit much, I know," he laughed. "But, it’s just home to me."
He led us through the large entryway to a larger room full of couches and chairs, continuing through a set of large, wooden doors. On the other side of the doors was a very warm living room and kitchen, like a large great room. The furniture and décor in these rooms was much warmer and looked comfortable. I relaxed a little.
I heard a clanging noise coming from the direction of the kitchen and looked over, finding an older woman in a white uniform. She smiled warmly at me before continuing with her preparations. Before I could get the question out of my mouth, Dom answered.
All Grown Up Page 18