Page 24 of Stolen Kisses
The place wasn’t busy. I didn’t expect it to be at this hour. It was just after two so it looked like they’d had their lunch rush and this was the last of the people from that.
There were a few waitresses milling about. A beautiful blonde woman approached me with hair the same color as mine.
She smiled at me and looked down at Flynn. I noticed she had a little baby bump that looked like she was just starting to show.
“Hi,” she bubbled. “Welcome to Delizioso, I’m Ava. I own the place.”
“Wow, it smells amazing.” I returned her smile. It must have been nice to own a restaurant like this.
I would have loved to own something, but I was never that good at anything to even contemplate owning my own business.
“Thank you so much. That’s my Penne chicken with French tarragon, a new recipe in the works, people seem to like it so far. It’s on the house today if you’d like to try.”
God, the smell was making me so hungry I would have tried cardboard if she said it was free.
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s a thing I do on the regular. How about I fix you and your little guy up with two dishes. I have a nephew who loved the trial run.”
Flynn had just ate, but I wouldn’t say no to a meal, particularly when dinner was probably going to be a sandwich.
“Thanks so much. That’s really kind of you.” I definitely appreciated it. It saved me money for tomorrow.
“No problem, if you guys don’t like it just let me know and I’ll grab you something else from the menu.”
“Mama are we going to get ice cream?” Flynn asked.
Ava bent down and smiled at him. “Little guy we have ice cream galore here. I love strawberry ice cream, what’s your favorite?”
“Chocolate.” Flynn nodded.
“Yummm, I’ll prepare my special chocolate just for you.” She giggled.
It may have seemed inappropriate to ask about the job now, but I felt it would be weird to do it later especially after a free meal. Then I’d really look desperate.
Besides, we’d built up a good rapport with her, so no time like the present to do something important.
Ava stood up and smiled at me. “What a gorgeous boy.”
“Thank you. Um … I’m sort of in town for a while and I wondered if you had any vacancies.” There I said it. Yes, it did sound a little awkward and stiff, but I said it. She looked okay about me asking too.
“Yes, actually I wouldn’t mind another waitress. How about we talk after you eat?”
Hope filled my heart. “Thank you that would be great. I –”
A loud crash of something falling to the floor cut me off. Ava widened her eyes and frowned as her gaze snapped to the corner of the room.
“Oh my God, that husband of mine is going to destroy my restaurant. Come sit and get comfortable. I have to see what he’s wrecked now.” Ava shook her head and rolled her eyes.
When she moved away I was about to take Flynn over to the booth by the window, but I stopped short in my tracks when someone I was hoping not to see came from the same corner Ava was heading to.
Luc.
It was Luc.
Lucian Morientz, and just like in the past I knew Claudius wasn’t too far behind him.
Claudius,the new boss, walked from around the corner and tucked his hair behind his ear. Something had fallen on him that looked like flour.
