Chapter 8
779 Words
Gina
The weekend went quickly for me. Thank god Zander didn’t try to contact me through social media.
I was dreading walking into Mario’s coffee shop. What if Zander is there?
I walked in the door, the tingling of the little bell, alerting Mario someone had come inside the shop.
“Ah Gina! You didn't come to the family dinner yesterday.” He pouted.
“Sorry Mario, you know how it is. But I made you your favorite.” I said to him as I passed him a ziplock bag of my homemade pizzelles.
“Ah Gina, you know the way to this old man’s heart.” He said as he opened the bag and took a pizzelle out.
“Oh Mario, you flatter me!” I said to him.
“Ah so that is what gets your attention, an old man complimenting you.” A voice said from the room behind Mario.
“Zander, aftó ítan agenés!” (That was rude) Mario said.
“It is ok Mario, your son can speak his mind. And Zander, no, an old man complimenting me does not get my attention. From where I come from, I was respectful to your father.” I said to him.
Zander appears from the back room with a to go coffee cup in his hand.
“I believe the cinnamon latte is your usual, isn’t it?” He said as he handed me the coffee.
“Are you stalking me? Look, I felt bad Friday, it looked like your date was a disaster, so I sent you that drink. There was nothing more, ok?” I said to him.
Zander looked at me then turned to his father and reached into the bag to grab one of the pizzelles I made.
He took a bite of it, then said “Very tasty.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Zander, not impressed. Thanks for the latte. Mario, see you later.” I said as I put money on the counter and left the coffee shop.
——
Zane
I had to chuckle as I watched Gina leave my father’s coffee shop. Most girls would have swooned at me just now, not Gina.
I felt something hit the back of my head. My father hit me.
“You an i***t! Gina isn’t someone you can just woo with hello.” He said to me.
“I’m figuring that out papa. She's definitely not what I’m used to.” I told my father.
“Gina is a good girl, honestly she is too good for you. She is the type of girl you marry, not play hanky panky with. We both know you do not want to marry this type of girl.” My dad said to me.
“You are right papa, I don’t want to marry. But maybe I do need something different for a change.” I said to him.
“If you hurt her, I will hurt you, son or not. Leave the girl alone.” My dad said as he went back to chopping up meats for salads.
*
“Mr Preston, Natalie has been trying to call here several times. The switchboard is getting overwhelmed by her calls.” Sarah said to me when I walked into my office.
“I ended things with her. So I’m not surprised. How many people do we have working the phones?” I asked my secretary.
“Four.” She answered.
“Jill, Andrea, Carla , and?” I asked Sarah.
“Gina is the last one.” She said to me.
“Ahh Gina, well send each of the ladies some flowers with a sorry note from me. Also, see if you can send them each something from Morton’s steakhouse. The least I can do is get those girls lunch for putting up with crazy Natalie today.” I told Sarah.
“Hmm, I am glad you are done with that crazy. I will get on with this.” Sarah said to me.
“You know, Gina was the one the other day that accidentally let Natalie’s call go through to me right?” I asked Sarah.
“Yes, she is also the one from the Hard stock too.” She said.
“On Gina’s flowers, I think a note should be from me.” I said to her.
“Mr Preston, be careful, please.” Sarah sighed.
“Oh it isn’t that bad, just something like, now you know why I didn’t want her phone calls going through that type of message.” I told Sarah.
She looked at me and then sighed and said, “I will handle it.”
- Writer
