“No, Beppe, please. Don’t say anything else. I don’t want to hear it and it certainly won’t change how I feel about you.” She took a step away from him, and his hand fell numbly to his side. “I’ve moved on,” she said quickly yet quietly. She might as well have screamed it into his face, because Beppe’s ears started ringing. He felt as though the earth had shifted under his feet.
Even though they hadn't been more than friends since he’d come back to Genoa, they’d never really talked about their relationship. Beppe had felt the change in Gia the moment he’d seen her that first time, and she’d turned away from his kiss. Gia had never liked to talk about her feelings with anyone, and Beppe hadn’t pushed her. But, Beppe had always believed that they would eventually work it out and get back together.
I’ve moved on.
Hearing those words made Beppe feel as if someone had pushed him out of the open airplane door, but hadn't bothered strapping him into a parachute.
“I’m sorry if I led you on and made you believe I still have romantic feelings for you. It wasn’t my intention. You’ll always be one of the most important people in my life, Beppe. I’ll never let you get away again. But I’ll also never give you the power to break my heart again.”
Beppe winced at the blow. He knew how badly Gia had taken their separation five years ago – it had been hard for him as well. But it still hurt like a motherfucker to hear her say it.
Not trusting his voice to speak, he jerked his head in a nod and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Gia moved to take a few steps towards the street. She started looking around, as if looking for something.
“I don’t want what happened tonight to change our relationship. So let’s pretend this never happened and pick up where we left off. OK?”
This afternoon you fell asleep in my lap and I was thinking how much I love you while I stroked your hair.
“Yeah. I’m good with that,” said Beppe and the corner of his mouth lifted in an attempt at a smile. Gia smiled in turn and lifted her arm signaling a taxi coming their way.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going home. It’s late and I’m exhausted.” The cab pulled to the curb next to them and Gia opened the passenger door, ready to get inside.
“No, wait,” said Beppe, stopping the door from closing after Gia. “I’ll come with you.”
“No, it’s OK...”
“I can’t let you go home all alone in the middle of the night,” Beppe glared at her, still holding the door.
“You’re not letting me do anything. I’m quite capable of going home all by myself,” said Gia through clenched teeth. The fiery spark in her eyes was back and Beppe rejoiced inside that the timid affection was completely gone.
“Then at least let me make sure he gets you home safe,” Beppe said and letting go of the door started moving towards the driver’s door and patting his pockets, looking for his wallet.
“I swear to God, if you talk to the driver or give him money for the fare, I’m going to kick your ass, Giuseppe Orsino!” Gia hissed loud enough to stop him in his tracks. She was clutching the door frame so hard, her fingers were bloodless. The blazing, angry passion in her eyes was the most beautiful thing Beppe had ever seen.
He raised his hands in mock surrender and gave Gia his most innocent smile. She huffed, shook her head, then got back in the cab and slammed the door behind her. The taxi sped into the night, leaving Beppe to stare after it, thinking what was it was going to take to make Gia fall in love with him again.
******
Over Thursday and Friday, Gia pulled two extra long shifts at the restaurant. She wanted the weekend off so she could attend the game on Saturday, and have people over on Sunday. Her mum was home for a week and since that was a rare occurrence, Gia wanted to have a normal, family barbeque, with all members of her tiny little family present.
But the long working hours the past few days weren’t the only reason she felt exhausted. Though she loved her job at the restaurant, it was physically and mentally demanding, and most of the people she was forced to work with were jerks. There were only two other women working in the kitchen and both of them were stuck up cows, refusing to acknowledge anyone but the chefs’ existence. The rest of the kitchen staff, all male, were too ambitious and hungry for success to bother engaging into small talk.
They did their job well, perfectly well, and lived with the hope that the chefs or even Francesco Naldo himself, would notice their immense talent and promote them. Despite the frosty working environment, Gia still loved it. It was always busy in the kitchen. She barely had time to take a break before her shifts were over, and she liked it that way. It allowed her to do her work with little to no distraction.
Beppe’s sudden change of behavior was also draining her, emotionally and physically. It had been so hard to look him straight in the eyes and tell him she didn’t want him as anything more than a friend. Telling him that she was not in love with him and had moved on was the biggest lie she’d ever said out loud. Gia only hoped she’d managed to do it convincingly, because she doubted she’d be able to pull it off again.
After what had happened Wednesday night at the club, she had needed the next day to herself and was glad she had a busy day at the restaurant that gave her no opportunity to overanalyse what had happened the previous night. After her long shift Beppe texted her to join him for a drink at ‘Ironia’ – the bar where her brother worked and was their regular hanging out place. She accepted, thinking it would be a good idea to see Beppe sooner rather than later. After what had happened between them and everything they’d said, distance might not be the best option if they wanted their relationship to stay intact. So she went to the bar and she saw Stella helping Max behind the bar, but didn’t have the energy to evaluate her brother’s behavior. Instead, Gia had a quick drink and danced her troubles away on the dance floor with Beppe. True to his word he acted the perfect gentleman and soon Gia had been able to relax and let go of the tension.
When she got home exhausted, she fell straight into bed, but before she drifted into blissful slumber, her traitorous brain had one last, disconcerting thought – she remembered how amazing Beppe’s kiss had felt. How easy and wonderful it would be to just let everything go and allow herself to be with him again.
The next morning she rationalised her late night thoughts away. Gia had moved on, in a way. She had accepted she’d never be anything more than friends with Beppe. She had a number of valid reasons for her decision and she wasn't going to allow a few emotional slip ups to change her mind. Maybe it was time to show herself, as well as Beppe, that she’d meant what she’d said.
Gia had never been on the lookout for a boyfriend. Yes, she’d had a few casual relationships, but she’d never allowed any of those men close enough to feel anything more than physical attraction for them. None of them had cared enough to try and coax her out of her shell either. It hadn’t been easy for them, Gia supposed. She chuckled as she remembered one of the many occasions when a guy had come to pick her up only to be greeted by Max’s stern glare as her brother loomed over the poor guy. Her smile grew even wider as she recalled Beppe joining him at the door step, his body not so imposing, but his words and authority even more so. Every one of those men had been intimidated by her brother and best friend, to the point where they thought it just wasn't worth the effort to date Gia.
Eventually, Gia got tired of dealing with losers and stopped dating altogether.
Between her job and spending time with her friends, and her mum when she was in town, Gia was much too busy to miss having someone special in her life anyway. She did have a bit of a crush on her boss, which drove Beppe crazy. He thought Francesco Naldo was an arrogant mafioso that was too old for Gia. But, Beppe had never approved of any of the men she got involved with, so she just dismissed his snarky remarks and continued day dreaming about the handsome Francesco.
However, Gia had never, in a million years imagined Francesco was aware of her existence, let
alone interested in her as a woman. She was proven wrong tonight, when just before she left at the end of her shift, he kissed her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Instead of going home, Gia went to Beppe’s. She rapped on the door even though she had a key. The fear that one day she might accidentally see him fucking some bimbo on the sofa had settled deep in her gut and she always made sure he wasn’t home before she used her key.
Beppe opened the door, wearing sweats and an old t-shirt. As she’d headed this way, Gia had been certain he wouldn’t be home – it was a Friday night after all. She hadn’t come for his company. She’d come because there was something in this penthouse that made her relax, think more clearly and gave her room to breathe.
“Hey. Is everything OK?” asked Beppe as he stepped away from the threshold to let her in.
“Yeah. I just... I need to stay here tonight. Is that OK?”
“Of course. You know you don’t have to ask.”
He closed the door after her and Gia headed straight for the stairs to the bedroom.
“Do you want something to eat? Drink? Talk?” he called after her as she went up the stairs.
“No, I’m fine. I'm going to take a hot bath and go to bed,” she said as she stopped mid-step and turned to face him. Beppe was standing at the bottom of the stairs, his hands in his pockets and his face twisted with concern. He looked so young and vulnerable, and kind of reminded her of the old Beppe, the scared teenager who in spite of his many troubles, always managed to look out for her too. “I’ll talk to you in the morning,” she said and gave him an encouraging smile, hoping to ease the harsh crease between his eyebrows.
The hot bath was just what Gia had needed. The moment she lowered herself into the steaming tub she felt her muscles relax and sighed with appreciation. She used her body wash instead of bubble bath and the whole bathroom smelled of lavender, ylang ylang and a touch of lime. Gia adored the scent and always bought the same body wash, and was oddly touched when Beppe had started buying it for her too. Exhaling loudly, she closed her eyes and replayed the events of the evening, trying to make sense of everything that had happened tonight.
Francesco had come into the restaurant earlier that afternoon and talked to her. He had raved about how impressed he was with her risotto. They had talked while Gia ran back and forth between her different stations and then he’d left. It wasn’t really unusual for him to come in the kitchen and talk to the staff – Francesco was just as famous for the personal way he treated his employees as for his arrogance and ambition. But, Gia had never seen Francesco's arrogance while interacting with his staff. In his restaurant’s kitchen, Francesco was warm, easy-going, and respectful. Arrogance seemed to be a trademark behavior only when he was in public, giving interviews or hosting lavish charity events.
His compliment meant a lot to Gia because he did not give them easily and she spent the rest of the day with a wide smile on her face. She had just finished her shift and was heading to get a cab home when she heard a voice calling her. To her amazement it was Francesco.
“Gianna, wait!” he jogged to her as she stopped in her tracks. Gianna. He always called her that. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something, but didn’t want to do it in front of everyone.” His solid six-two frame loomed over her and Gia suppressed the instinctive desire to step back. She did not care to have people in her personal space, but decided to make an exception for Francesco. Gia liked having him so close to her. He smelled amazing – a combination of rich cologne his own masculine scent.
“Oh? What is it?” she asked, tilting her head back to meet his eyes. They were a gorgeous crystalline blue in daylight, but in the evening they seemed to absorb the darkness and grow a deeper shade of blue.
Francesco tousled his hair absently with his right hand, messing up the immaculately cut style, in a gesture that made him look... nervous? Gia couldn’t remember a time she’d ever seen this confident man appear so anxious.
“Um...” he bit his full lower lip and looked at Gia through hooded eyes. Suddenly he seemed much younger than his thirty eight years. Right then he seemed as vulnerable as a teenager. “I’d like to take you out. On a date.” Having asked, Francesco's confidence returned, and the look in his eyes changed from uncertain to determined in the blink of an eye. As if he’d seen something he wanted and he knew he had to have it.
Gia was speechless. Francesco Naldo had not only noticed her, but was attracted to her? Her? According to the gossip magazines and websites, he’d never had a serious girlfriend before. Sure, he’d been photographed with a model or an actress or an heiress from time to time. But, he never went out with a woman more than a couple of times. She wasn't aware of any woman that had held Francesco's attention for longer. Coming to that realization was like a dash of water in the face. As attracted as she was to the handsome man in front of her, Gia wasn’t about to be one of his one time fucks. She was not about to jeopardize her job for a one night stand.
“I’m flattered, Francesco, I really am, but don’t you think it’s inappropriate for you to date an employee?”
Francesco gave a smirk and his eyes twinkled with mischief. He ran his knuckles lightly over Gia’s cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut as she shivered with pleasure.
“I’m the boss. So, I think I can make my own rules. And I am making a new rule – there’s nothing wrong with dating an employee.” He spread his fingers and cupped Gia’s cheek, sliding his index finger behind her ear and rubbing the gentle skin there. Gia’s eyes snapped open in response. She bit her lip in order to stop a gasp from escaping.
“Especially if I’ve been interested in that employee for a long time and am finally brave enough to ask her out.” He whispered the last words as he lowered his head. Gia felt his breath caress her lips. Francesco’s eyes were glued to hers, and even though Gia wanted to flinch away from his intense stare, she forced herself to meet his gaze steadily. Her brain was being sucked into a vortex of whirling emotions. Francesco Naldo had been longing to ask her out? She was flattered but....
“I don’t think...” she started, but he cut off whatever else she might have said by brushing his lips over hers. It was the gentlest of touches and yet Gia was lost in it. She closed her eyes and gently licked her lips trying to taste more of him. Francesco growled low in his throat and kissed her properly, fusing his mouth with hers. Gia opened for him, welcoming his warm, wet tongue inside. Francesco fully explored her mouth, tasting, savoring, biting her lower lip and sucking it between his own. He ended the mind bending kiss with a soft peck on Gia’s moist lips and pulled away.
“Please, don’t make this harder for me that it already is. I’ve debated whether I should ask you out for such a long time, because you work for me and obviously love your job. I guarantee that no matter what happens between us, it will not affect your job. All I’m asking for is a chance to spend some time with you.” The sincerity is his eyes finally won Gia over, and she nodded, despite her better judgment.
So, here she now was, lying in Beppe's bath tub, having doubts about agreeing to that date. Yes, she was attracted to Francesco, and yes, if she were to imagine herself with someone long term it would be with a man like him, but still... There was some nagging feeling, something she couldn't put her finger on, that told her she’d made a choice that was going to have unavoidable consequences.
Beppe was going to be livid when he found out. Gia had no doubt they’d be having a fight when she told him about the kiss and the future date. Instantly, Gia felt a familiar anger twist her insides into knots.
Beppe had no right to be upset about her going out with anyone. They were friends and he was supposed to be supportive. Even if Francesco did turn out to be a selfish prick as Beppe was constantly calling him, his job, as a friend was to be there for her. To help her pick up the pieces if it came to that.
She didn’t owe him anything and she was free to go out with whomever she wished.
Beppe was an inseparable part of Gia’s life, but she nee
ded something more. She needed a man who could make her forget she had ever loved Giuseppe Orsino. A man to make her his.
Then maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to let go of Beppe and move on. Francesco Naldo seemed like the man to make that happen.
******
Beppe woke up to someone banging around in his kitchen. It took him a few seconds for his brain to kick into gear. Gia had stayed over last night, so that must be her downstairs, although it was unusual for her to wake up willingly before 10:00 am. It was Saturday and they were supposed to leave for the stadium in about three hours according to clock on his night stand which glowed with the numbers 9:45 am. Time to roll out of bed and see what’s going on.
Beppe swung his legs over the mattress and padded to the bathroom. After finishing his morning routine, he put on a pair of sweats and without bothering to put on a t-shirt dragged his bare feet downstairs. Man, he would have appreciated a couple more hours of sleep this morning. He hadn’t slept well, concern for Gia had tormented him most of the night. She’d looked so lost, so sad and confused when she’d appeared on his doorstep.
What had happened last night? He knew her job was demanding, but this was something more – it wasn’t mere exhaustion from working long hours. Something was going on and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
“Hey, amore,” said Beppe as he leaned against the door frame and watched Gia with a lopsided grin on his face. She had the coffee brewing and was frantically searching for something in his cupboards. His voice startled her because she jumped a little before turning to face him.
“Oh, hey. Sorry, did I wake you?” Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, with strands falling over her face. She was also wearing another one of his t-shirts.
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