Page 15 of Indiscretion: Reckless Sin
They are missing out. Big time. I’m at least ninety nine percent sure Mamma’s made to order bread rolls exist to cure broken hearts. Don’t even get me started on Papa’s meatballs. They’ll have you converted and ready to move to Italy to learn his ways with one bite.
As soon as I step out of the kitchen, I feel like all the air has been sucked out of the room. Closing my eyes, I stand there a moment, trying my best to inhale a deep breath and relax. I know deep in my bones it’s useless. It’s them. They’re here. I haven’t seen them to know for sure, I just feel it. Like they exist solely to shake the very foundation of who I am and they’re good at it.
Nothing will work so I may as well face the music. Opening my eyes, I plaster a professional smile on my face and walk to the front desk where we check people in. Tonight, I’m one of three servers and the chosen host for the night outside of the owners. They’ve been short staffed for a while now, but we normally don’t have a waitlist that’s over two hours long either. That’s double our usual wait time.
“Hello boys,” I offer a smile that I hope doesn’t look like a grimace. “I’m sorry to say that we’re booked up for the night. We’ve got a line of people waiting down the block.” I wince, feeling bad for everyone who’s been waiting for some supposed famous guy that hasn’t shown up.
“We called ahead, Ains. Go ahead and check. I spoke with Regina earlier this afternoon and she said she’d set aside a large table in the back for us at six o’clock. I realize we’re a few minutes early. If the table isn’t ready yet, we’ll be happy to wait.” Dexter smiles at me cheerfully, as if he didn’t just shock me into next Tuesday.
“We—we don’t take reservations,” I say stubbornly.
“Well, I think you’ll find I can be rather persuasive when I have an end goal in mind.” He winks. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way. Less like you’re putting on a front and more like the girl we used to know.” His gaze runs down the length of me and a hungry appreciation for what he sees is written all over his face.
Feeling my face flush at his praise, I do my very best to keep from squeezing my thighs together as my body buzzes alight at his words and lustful gaze. Instead, I opt for avoidance as per my new normal around them and look over the seating chart. Sure enough, our largest table in the back has a small sticky note on it, reserving it for one D. DeLacey—party of five.
“It looks like you’re right.” I force another smile. “Charming as ever and still gets his way with any woman he comes across…perfect,” I mumble the last part, but the widening of his grin into a full blown smile tells me he heard me. “Let me just make sure it’s ready for you, if you’ll just give me one moment.” Turning on my heel I rush to the back hallway, passing the table in question completely. I already know it’s ready to go. I saw Mamma cleaning it a short while before she called me up to the front to greet my unwanted guests. I just need a brief moment to myself to keep it together.
“Calm down AJ, you can handle this. You know these guys and can play them at their own game.” But really, I’m not sure I can. Either way, I have to get on with this night. As much as I’d love to hide back here forever—preferably in the kitchen so I can stress eat bread and oil while I sulk—I know I can’t. Instead, I walk back to the front and motion with my hand that it’s ready, leading the way back to their table without a word. I know they’ll follow.
Chapter Twelve
Ainsley James Dylan
“DamnAinsley,thatshitwas delicious. Give my thanks to the chef.” Ezra says, moaning around a mouthful of meatball. “Or see if he’ll make us a cookbook. Otherwise I’m showing up here every night for dinner.”
They’d each ordered more food than I thought any one person could eat.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Georgio will be ecstatic to know another customer is walking out full and happy with the intent to return.” I laugh. I can’t help it, they all look a little high on life now that they’re settling into their food coma’s with glazed eyes and leaned back in their chairs with hands on their stomachs. “So, no dessert tonight then?” I question, hoping like hell they’re about to leave.
“No one said that,” Nix deadpans, fixing me with a look that says, “you’re crazy if you think we aren’t trying dessert after knowing what the food tastes like.”
“There’s always room for sweets,” Cyan agrees.
“Please tell me you’re on the menu,” Rebel offers up a fake pout that makes me quiver with need. Even with him begging sarcastically, overexaggerating a puppy dog pout he’s equal parts sexy, adorable, and frustrating.
“Not for you,” I quip, giving him a smile to soften the blow. When his pout grows bigger, I can’t hold back a small laugh. “Calm it down, guys. You won’t be sad when you’ve tasted some of Mamma’s treats. To choose from, we have Panna Cotta, Tiramisù, Babà Napoletano, Tartufo di Pizzo,Cassata Siciliana, or the more traditionally known Cannoli, and Gelato. You really can’t go wrong with any option as it’s all made in-house.” I offer my opinion and appreciate that they all look like they trust me implicitly.
“We’ll have one of everything.” Dexter decides and I almost choke on my tongue.
“Everything? How can you eat so much and look like…that?” I say, waving my hand aimlessly in their direction before I realize what I’ve said and cover my mouth with my hands quickly before anything else stupidly flies free.
“Like what, Little Princess?” Rebel asks, the corner of his mouth lifting in amusement.
“Yeah, I’d like to know as well.” Ezra chips in, wiggling his eyebrows at me. “C’mon Ainsley, don’t stop now. Tell us how undeniably desirable we’ve become,” he laughs and winks. The way he says it is more a flirtatious teasing and less like he’s actually making fun of my slip up. For a brief moment it feels like the happy-go-lucky guys I used to spend my days with all those years ago. Only grown up and sexier than they have any right to be.
“Don’t let these fuckers give you shit, Ains.” Cyan chimes in.
“I don’t know, Cy. She’s hot as fuck when she’s blushing. Maybe we should—” I cut Phoenix off with my voice sounding more like a small squeak. I’m so embarrassed.
“I’ll go put in your order and get you a fresh round of drinks!”
I scurry off and place the dessert order with the sound of their laughter following me and doing something incredibly stupid to my heart, then make a quick round to check on my other customers. Once I know everyone is settled and content, I grab a tray of new drinks for the boys, noting for the second time tonight how strange it is that none of them opted for the adult beverage menu, choosing sodas and sparkling waters instead. Not that I assume they all need a drink in their hands to be happy, just that it’s fairly common for people our age to be enjoying their newfound ability to drink legally. I’m now realizing how much I’m focusing on their habits and becoming too curious as to why they make the decisions they make. I’m getting caught up in them without even meaning to.
When I make my way back to the guys, I notice a group of women surrounding their table and have to stop myself from physically reacting when stomach acid starts churning in my gut. Of course they’re surrounded by beautiful women. They’re all hot as hell, funny, charming, sweet when they want to be, and insanely talented, but none of these women would know that. They’ll just know that spotting someone famous here was a bust and hone in on the group of attractive men with enough natural charisma it’s suffocating.
Squaring my shoulders, I move forward, preparing to set the drinks down and leave. “Excuse me, ladies,” I say with a smile on my face. They all sneer at the sound of my voice until they realize I’m just the lowly waitress, not a woman here to take the attention of these sexy as shit men. “I’ll be right back with your dessert, guys.”
“Ainsley—” Dex starts, grabbing ahold of my arm, but I cut him off.
