by Anise Storm
Melania had told him she hadn’t yet talked to her father and if she had since that conversation, he was sure she would’ve called by now. He exhaled sharply and then looked at his phone. Women were the most complicated species on Earth, and she probably topped that list. For as angry as she was the night of his grand opening, Mario thought for sure that she would’ve been on the phone with her father before she even made it back to Basilico that night.
He didn’t understand it at all. As he switched his focus to the local weather report, his phone began to ring. When he looked at the caller ID, he noticed who it was and felt a sense of relief flood him. “Gorgio, has she called yet?”
He heard some rustling and then the sound of heavy breathing before the caller answered his question. “No, she hasn’t. That is actually the reason why I’m calling you.”
“I know what you’re going to say, and I think it needs to come from you versus me. Your daughter, she is…” He paused as he tried to formulate the right adjective, and couldn’t. “She’s gotten this preconceived notion of me. I’m worried she’ll think our arrangement was forced upon you.”
“That’s ridiculous, if it’s what she thinks,” Gorgio Barone replied. “She is stubborn, though, especially when she feels like she’s right.”
Mario nodded in agreement. Melania Barone had been the same way since she was old enough to walk and talk. Besides being headstrong, she was also opinionated, feisty, and so fucking infuriating. Despite those things, she was also passionate, intelligent, and so damn sexy. She challenged him like no other female had ever done, and he was infatuated with her in the worst way.
There had been dozens of women in his bed over the years, but no one left as lasting an impression there as she did. Maybe it was the familiarity the two had with each other that gave her an edge. As he sat there listening to her father ramble on, Mario realized it was so much more than that. He’d seen Melania at her best and her worst and vice versa. Their families were close and there was something to be said for that. He’d found out later on while still in Italy that both the De Palmas and Barones had similar ancestry that dated back to the same villages in Tuscany.
Whenever he thought of the Old Country, Mario always remembered back to the culinary school they both attended. It was the summer between her junior and senior years of college at the University of Miami. Melania had never really had an awkward stage, like most girls he knew did at some point during their teen years, but she’d become even more beautiful between her high school graduation and then.
He’d find himself standing in the shadows, watching her from afar. Melania was tall, with long, slender legs. There were so many nights that he’d imagine them wrapped around his head as he settled in for a tasty treat. And she had the perfect size breasts, ones that weren’t too large or too small. They, like every other feature on her, were perfect. And the most intoxicating thing of all were her gorgeous green eyes. They were so expressive, and very much the kind a man could lose himself in. Mario found that out firsthand. Looking back at that time now, he was surprised he’d even made it through the program.
Mario knew he had to have her, and when the perfect opportunity presented itself, he struck. That day had been ingrained into his head and over the past few years the vision never disappeared. It started out like most days, except that Melania was flirtier than normal. A group of students got together after dinner to drink wine and hang out because the course was nearing its end. He could still remember following her as she headed outside with the bottle of wine. Drunk wouldn’t be the adjective he’d use to describe her state. Loose would fit better. The usual ice queen, her defenses were down, and she was feeling relaxed and playful. It was the perfect combination to ignite a flame that had never quite diminished even after all this time.
“…so Carlotta and I will be heading north to escape the path of the hurricane. She’s always wanted to go to Boston and there isn’t a better time to do so, in my opinion,” Gorgio said, and his words cut through the memories Mario was reliving.
He’d almost forgotten about the damn storm that some predicted could be the most lethal one this area has seen in decades. “Is it supposed to be that bad?”
“Martin County, especially the barrier islands, such as Jupiter, are under evacuation orders. I believe your parents are still in Rome, yes?” Gorgio asked him.
“I believe so,” he answered, making a mental note to check on his parents’ place after the storm finally did pass. He also intended to pay attention to the local forecast for Miami Beach. The news had bombarded everyone with images and stories from Hurricane Andrew. He didn’t even remember that storm, especially because he was just a few years old at the time. A number of his employees and some of the contractors and tenants nearby all did too.
The local news affiliates were fear-mongering in his opinion. It seemed to work because most people had already begun to board up windows and other acts of preparation. De Palmas hadn’t at the moment and at last check, neither had Basilico. And he couldn’t accurately judge the severity of a storm based on the actions of his parents, or hers, because they were all world travelers and looked for any reason to leave town.
“I hope you’ll keep an eye on my daughter and make sure she stays safe,” Gorgio said.
“Of course I will. You have my word on that,” and he meant it. At this current moment, he’d use any excuse to see or hear from her. Besides, if he mentioned that it was her father’s idea, it might finally be enough to prompt Melania to call him.
“Great. I’ll make sure to tell Lottie so she won’t worry on this trip,” the man told Mario. “I better free up the line in case Melania Grace calls.”
Gorgio’s voice drifted off, and Mario grinned at the mention of her first and middle name. Mario already knew how much she hated being called Melania. She’d hate him using both names even more. “I’ll keep her safe,” he told the worried patriarch and then hung up the phone.
Mario turned back to the local news broadcast, but it had ended sometime during his conversation with Gorgio because a game show was now on instead. It was for the best anyway. Tonight was one of the few nights he’d had off of work since the grand opening of De Palmas. He was going to make sure and enjoy it.
Walking into his kitchen, he pulled a few leftovers out of the refrigerator and began to heat them up while he poured himself a glass of vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the bestselling items at any of the three locations worldwide was the Asian inspired lasagna that differed greatly from the Italian version because it used wontons instead of standard noodles. It also included bok choy and other flavors not typically included in the more popular varieties.
When his food was ready, Mario held his plate in one hand and the glass of wine in the other, and then went outside to eat on his balcony. He didn’t enjoy the same views of the ocean that Melania did, but the one he did have from his current location was still stunning. He dug his fork into dinner while looking out at the relatively peaceful sea. Was this the calm before the storm? Only time would tell.
Digging his fork into the lasagna for another bite, his thoughts started to drift toward a particular brunette. Would they ever enjoy nights like this together? Nights where they could both sit side by side, eating a meal and just unwinding from a long day at their respective restaurants. If he had anything to say about it, they would, but once again that was something only time could tell.
He finished eating and then pushed his plate aside before picking his wine back up. Time seemed to be the biggest factor so far, and as much space as he’d already given her, one day real soon, it’d be over for her. Mario took a swallow of the red alcohol and closed his eyes as the sounds of the ocean and nearby sea birds lulled him into a relaxed state.
“One night soon, Melania, you’ll be here beside me,” he said aloud. It wasn’t a wish but a promise. He’d give her a few more days to reach out to her father before he’d seek her out. Once he did, all of his cards would be laid out onto the tabl
e. It’d be the biggest gamble of his life, but a necessary one.
Chapter 19
THURSDAY HAD ROLLED BACK around, and Lania busied herself around her kitchen as she prepared the food for tonight’s girls’ night in. She’d opted to go simple and make a few pizzas. It would be very reminiscent of the many nights they’d all spent together, cramming for finals and other tests in their college dorm rooms. Whenever she thought about those days, she was glad she’d never joined any of the sororities during rush week of her freshman year.
Arielle McNalley, Jade Flanagan, Rachaela Reyes, Kimara Reynolds, Niles Bennett, her and later Olivia Anders, were all that each other needed. Lania still remembered how much her head spun during rush week. “Study long…study wrong” was what she kept telling herself as she looked at all the different options. She soon found herself walking aimlessly around campus before she finally decided to go somewhere to clear her head. Never did she imagine that she’d find so many strong, dedicated women with the same love of cheesecake and of course, the Golden Girls.
These women were as beautiful on the inside as they were on the outside, always willing to donate time and money to local causes. Their group participated in charitable house builds, spent time with the elderly, and when a storm destroyed the roof on one wing of a local nursing home, they raised enough money to repair it and even donned tool belts and hard hats, and helped with the rebuild themselves.
It made her think of the impending storm. It had ravished some of the islands, but Lania was still convinced that those land areas would weaken it drastically before it came onshore somewhere on the southeastern coast of Florida. The sound of the doorbell broke into her thoughts. She glanced at the timer on the pizza oven and then hurried to the door. When she opened it, Rachaela and Arielle were there. “Hey, girls,” she said, hugging them both before stepping aside so they could enter.
The two women walked into the living room, and as they’d done for years, made themselves right at home. Lania was about to open the door when Jade came sauntering in. “Wow,” I wasn’t expecting you for at least another hour.
Her best friend stuck her tongue out. “What? I can be on time to things when I want to.” After Jade kissed Lania’s cheek, she giggled. “This just happens to be one of those occasions.”
Lania was about to argue with that when Niles arrived. Now it all made sense. “Let me guess, Bennett, you let her out while going to find a parking space?”
“She sure as fuck wouldn’t have been here on time if I hadn’t,” her other friend responded and then sniffed the air. “Damn, what’s for dinner?”
Dinner? “Oh shit,” Lania cursed, having forgotten all about the pizzas in that short amount of time. “Will one of you listen for Kimara and Olivia while I finish these pizzas?”
One of the girls responded as Lania hurried back into the kitchen. She’d made it back just in time to remove the first of the pies from the indoor pizza oven. It was nowhere near as efficient as the commercial ones she had at Basilico, but it did suffice for nights like this, when she wanted to stay home and entertain.
The first one was the classic pepperoni and sausage, which just so happened to be her favorite pizza toppings. The second one was loaded with all kinds of veggies such as black olives, red onions, peppers, and mushrooms. While waiting on the final one to finish, which was a combination of the two others, she grabbed the pizza cutter and cut the pies into eight slices each.
She heard the doorbell again and a few minutes later, the sounds of her other two friends. Everyone was here, so she put all three on her largest cutting board, and then carried it into the living room, where the others had already cleared a space for the food. “Can someone grab us some plates and glasses from the kitchen?” she asked as she set the pizza down.
“I’ll get it,” Arielle and Kimara both said in unison. While they went to retrieve the items from the kitchen, Jade opened a bottle of wine.
This type of night had been commonplace for the girls and it was hard to believe that seven years later, the tradition was still going strong. Olivia had only experienced it for the past four years, but had integrated herself so completely in with the others, that it felt like she’d been part of their group since day one too.
“Why do you have that goofy look on your face, Lania?” Arielle asked, and the question jolted her from her trip down memory lane.
“I bet her Italian lover stopped by recently,” Niles added before grabbing a slice of pizza.
So much for plates, Lania thought, and then blushed. “Mario hasn’t stopped by, or at least I don’t think so. He did call me the other night and—”
Her sentence was cut short when the other girls reentered the room with the stuff from the kitchen. She was waiting for everyone to get a glass of wine in hand and some food on their plates before continuing, but Jade commented, “I thought you were going to ignore his calls.”
She groaned out loud. “I was, but my damn phone fell onto the floor and the carpet answered for me.”
The girls all burst into giggles. “That’s believable,” Olivia said with a snicker.
“It’s the truth,” Lania said, pleading her case. “I almost feel like I need to ignore him twice as long this next time, if for no other reason than principle.”
“So what did he want?” Jade asked.
“He wanted to know whether I talked to my father yet. I honestly don’t know why he cares. The two of them are obviously in cahoots to take me down,” Lania explained. “I’m not sure what Daddy could say to make me feel differently.”
“You should at least call him,” Kimara said. “I lost my father during my sophomore year of high school. You don’t know how often I wish I could hug him…rage at him…or simply talk to him. Don’t let something like this steal that time away from you two because, trust me, you’ll wish you had it back someday.”
She frowned, knowing her friend was right. Kimara had once told them that her father was gunned down in the streets of San Juan. He was walking home through a park area called Parque de las Palomas, where gun and drug violence ran rampart. The saying “wrong place, wrong time” ended up being a killer for him.
Lania sensed the mood in the room shifting as the others most likely also remembered Kimara in tears, as she recalled her father’s tragic tale, and how that senseless act of violence convinced her to leave her home country and move to the United States to lead a better life.
“I suppose you have a point, Kim. I’ll go home and visit my father tomorrow night,” Lania said, while smiling softly at her friend.
“But the storm is supposed to make landfall tomorrow afternoon or early evening, Lania,” Jade said. “We’ve closed down the office and everything.”
“Oh, I keep forgetting about Allie,” Rachaela added. “If it weren’t for the two cases I’m currently working on, I would’ve flown back to Maine.”
“Eh,” Niles said, “I’m not too worried about it. If the streets of Atlanta didn’t do me in, I doubt some storm will.”
“Exactly,” Lania remarked. “Besides, I’ll be a few hours north of here, so I should miss it, or at the worst, experience a little rain from the outer bands.”
“Be careful, Lania,” Arielle told her. “I’ll be here to take photographs of the damage and what not. You’d be surprised at how morbid some people are. The more destructive a scene is, the more money they’ll pay for the photographs. It’ll be a welcome change from the bazillion kids pictures I’ve taken lately.”
“Well, if something happens to me during the storm, make sure your picture is of my left since that’s my best side,” Jade added, with a laugh. “And also be sure to capture whatever pair of heels I’m wearing because I’m sure they’ll be stunning.”
The girls all laughed again and then finished eating their pizzas. Before long, the girls all ended up on the rooftop deck of her building. The clouds, some puffy and others tattered, stretched across the sky that was a gorgeous shade of blue. It was hard to believe that som
ething the local news outlet dubbed “Stormageddon” was just out of view. Out of sight, out of mind seemed to be her mindset.
Lania refused to act panicked like most of the town. She’d even laughed when she saw throngs of vehicles backing up every interstate in the state, trying to flee the storm. She wouldn’t be one of them, or at least she hadn’t planned to be until she promised Kimara she’d visit her father.
The sun began to set and the ribbons of pink, orange, and yellow stretched across the sky for as far as the eye could see. It was a beautiful sight and one she didn’t get to witness often enough. Her life was so busy that she’d hardly had time to enjoy nature and the simpler things around her. Lania wouldn’t let it get her down. She had everything she ever wanted from life right now. Well, maybe not everything. As she looked over at the girls also enjoying the same view, she smiled. With friends like all of them, who needed a man? She certainly didn’t and would never settle with one just for the sake of having a boyfriend.
Her thoughts drifted to Mario and the sex they had a week before. It’d been mind-blowing, earth-shattering, and any other corny adjective she could think up. If a romp in the sheets with someone she hated was so damn good, she could only imagine how much better it would be with someone she considered a friend. Yes, friends with benefits was what she needed.
“You’ve got that goofy look on your face again,” Rachaela pointed out, and this time Lania smiled.
“I suppose I do.” The girls looked at her with expectant looks. Lania should have known that none of them would’ve been satisfied with that explanation alone. “I was just thinking that I need to be more like Blanche and find myself a Mel.”
All of the women knew exactly what she was talking about and murmured in agreement. Lania rose to her feet and walked over to the railing, looking out at the horizon. From this height, she literally felt like she was on top of the world. Who could really ask for more?