Chapter 4

ROCCO

I see Joanne making up the menus for the week when I walk into my sister’s office.

“What do you think?” she asks without looking up.

“About what?” I plop down in the chair on the other side of her desk. It was a long day and I wanted to pound some drinks back so I can fall into bed and sleep heavily. When she stops writing and looks at me from above her dark-rimmed glasses, I know exactly what she is talking about.

“The new girl, Rocco.”

“Well, she’s been here a week now.”

“Yes?”

“Definitely fuckable.”

“Rocco, come on. I thought we talked about this? You promised me you would stop doing this.”

“Asking me to stop my very natural and healthy sex life is like asking Charlie Sheen to play by the rules.”

“That’s not fair. You know I can’t fire you, even though I should have that right.”

“You love me too much to get rid of me.”

“And you know how important this restaurant is to me.”

“Okay, okay. Don’t break my heart with that look again, please.”

“So, do you have anything to say?”

“I do. I think if we are going to make this work, we need to let Tasha and Mary go, or at the very least, have a meeting with them and possibly give them some training on how to improve.”

“Really?” she says, pulling her glasses from her face. Her pleasant surprise is worth admitting my issues with them. “I couldn’t agree with you more, on the first part, anyway. I’m not training them again.”

“Maybe you’re right. With the history between us and the drama they like to start, I think it’s a good business choice. They aren’t very good at their jobs.”

“They never were,” she says, looking at me with a sly grin.

I know what she is thinking, and she’s right. The only reason I kept them on is because I liked playing around with Tasha and Mary could be good at her job, but her personality kept her back.

“You just have to promise me something.”

“What is that, Rocco?”

“You just hired the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Let’s not be so quick to do that again, huh?”

“Maddie?”

“Yes.”

“You say that about every single woman I hire,” she says, dismissing my request with a wave of her hand.

“I’m not kidding. This is different…”

“Oh, no. You and I had this conversation. You promised me you would leave my staff alone from here on out. Maddie is no exception.”

She’s right. I’m a fool for even thinking I have a chance with her. Maddie is nothing like the other women in my life.

“Yeah, no, I agree. I told you I would change. You have my word.” I say the words, but I didn’t want to.

“Okay. Good,” she said, keeping her eyes on me. “Give me a couple of days to find some replacements. We can let Tasha and Mary go Wednesday after their shifts. That should give me time to train some new girls and get them ready for the weekend crowd.”

Joanne looks at me for a long time without saying a word. She’s worse than our mother was. I couldn’t have a private thought without her knowing what I was thinking.

“Why do I not believe you about staying away from my girls?”

I shrug and look away without saying a word.

“Leave Maddie alone. Please. I need her here. She is an excellent pastry chef and I don’t want you ruining her before she has a chance.”

“I didn’t say anything,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

“I know that look. I don’t like that look. It’s more than knowing a new girl is working here.”

“Can’t get anything past you, can I? Honestly, I will admit, I’m having a hard time getting her out of my head.”

“It’s more than that. I can see it in your eyes. Rocco, I need you to focus. Please.”

“What the hell do you want me to do? I didn’t hire her. She just shows up in my doorway and stops me dead in my tracks.”

“Shit.” She rubs her forehead because she knows. She knows how I am with women, and this woman has already done something to me.

“Tell me what to do, Joanne. Unless you are going to tell her she can’t work here, you need to tell me what to do. I don’t understand this. I love women with long hair, she has short hair! No, it’s not even a sassy sexy bob, it’s shoulder length. How boring is that? I love women with experience. Maddie is so innocent I wouldn’t put it past her that she is a virgin! I love women with curves and moves, she has none of that!”

“I’m not getting rid of her. Not unless she screws up, or screws you.”

“That’s not fair.”

“It’s not fair that you think with your dick. She is your pastry chef, Rocco, not one of your lovers. What is the problem?”

“I can’t stop thinking about her.”

“Try harder.” She goes back to her menus and looks back up at me after a few moments. “We are done here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t call me that.”

I smirk and lean over the desk, giving her a peck on her forehead before leaving for the night. I am in trouble, and Joanne knew this. I’m hoping deep down that she does something about it, before I am forced to.

The next day is slow at the restaurant, so I hole myself up in my office and catch up on some paperwork. I’ll use that excuse because it sounds better than trying to stay away from trouble.

When the shifts end, I clean up, shut down my computer and smile as I leave my office, proud that I make it through the day with only thoughts instead of acts.

I walk into the dining area and look around. Everything is cleaned and put away as it should be. I peek in the restrooms and upon inspection, they are spotless as well. Walking back through the dining room, I hear a noise in the kitchen.

Maddie is leaning over the deep kitchen basin, washing some large cooking pots.

“You’re here late,” I say, leaning against the wall. I startle her and watch her body move as she turns and looks at me.

“I didn’t know anyone was still here. I was just trying out a few recipes before leaving. I hope that is okay. They came out beautifully. I was thinking we could use them on tomorrow’s menu.”

“That is up to Joanne.” I want to move the strand of hair from in front of Maddie’s face. It hangs there, taunting me, teasing me. I want to move it, I want to touch her. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“No. I’m just cleaning up. I’m almost done.”

My presence makes her uneasy. Her body language clearly shows that I affect her. If she only knew how badly she affected me, too. How am I supposed to stay away from such an angel when all I can think about is her?

“Maddie,” I say, softening my voice as I lean against the counter near her. Her breathing is faster. She isn’t cleaning the pot. She is standing there, nervous.

“Tell me what you feel when you see me. Tell me I am not reading the signs your body screams when you are near me. Tell me you are attracted to me.”

“I can’t,” she whispers but her eyes tell me differently.

“You can,” I tell her.

“I see it in you. You are unlike anyone I have ever met, Maddie. I feel a connection with you. I need to pursue it. It will drive me crazy if I don’t.”

“Rocco, please. Don’t do this. I need this job.” She is trembling and I just want to pull her in to protect her.

“No one needs to know. I want to be with you. I want to explore this feeling I have. I saw you in my office doorway when I was with Tasha. I saw the need in your eyes. You didn’t want to go. Did you, Maddie?”

She shakes her head slightly, but enough that I know she admits it.

“Don’t, please,” she says.

“Listen to me. I stopped because of you. As soon as I saw you, something changed in me. I don’t want Tasha. I don’t want anyone now, except for you.”

“Please, Rocco. Don’t do this. I don’t want this.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I’m not going to be just another one of your lovers. I hear how they talk. You’ve slept with more than half the women here. I refuse to be added to your collection.”

She walks away from me, the pot unwashed and I hear the front door open and close.

“Damn it.”