No Reservations

by Natalia Banks

  He takes a step toward me, a single long stride that leaves me trapped between him and the front door I’d pressed myself against. His fingers reach out and capture a stay strand of hair that’s hanging down along my cheek and he tucks it back behind my ear before his fingers trace the line of my jaw to the point of my chin.

  It’s like he’s touching something precious, something beautiful and it melts my heart.

  When he speaks, his words surround me and all of him inundates all my senses in the way only Gavin Rossi can. “I’ve got a charity ball—a work event—I’d love for you to come with me.” His eyes meet mine and all I can think about is kissing his lips. “As my date,” he adds.

  I’m frozen in place, stunned by the offer.

  He wants to take me out in public as his date. In front of people. In front of the world, actually. I know those events are often covered by media, magazines do articles; it’s a big deal.

  And he wants me to go as his date!

  I saw his date last year on the cover of Vogue. She’d been a stunning up and coming actor. They’d made a gorgeous couple.

  But reality crashes down on my shoulders. “I can’t,” I whisper, feeling miserable all of a sudden. What the hell would I wear? Leggings and the coat he’d given me? There’s no way in hell I could fit in at one of those things.

  But he takes my hand. “I’ve got something to show you,” he says and I follow him. My feet feel as heavy as my heart and I internally curse myself. Of course I could never do something like that. It was stupid of me to ever think I could be Rossi’s date for anything. He’s so very out of my league in every possible way. It’s sad, really, that he’s even stringing me along like this.

  He opens a door and I walk in, staring at my worn shoes, thinking about how I could never stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants that Gavin keeps company with. We come to a halt and I look up at him, wondering what he’s doing. Then I look forward.

  On a mannequin is a beautiful, brilliant blue dress that I’d swear is the same shade as my eyes. The bodice is stitched with shining silver embroidery and set with what looks like glittering diamonds.

  The shining gems give way to a full skirt that bells out beautifully to the ground. Beside it are some silver shoes. Around the mannequin’s neck is a heavy looking necklace that’s stunning and pale blue stones set with diamonds in silver. It’s beautiful.

  I look up at Rossi and see his dark eyes are on me. “For me?” I ask, and he nods.

  “Will you go with me?” he asks and I nod, looking back at the beautiful dress. How could I say no?

  Chapter 16

  Gavin

  I can finally breathe easy. She said yes. I glance at the dress. It had all cost a pretty penny, and the necklace with its genuine pale blue diamonds had been difficult to find and secure. But it was worth it to see how her face is all lit up right now.

  She pulls me into a hug and presses her lips to mine.

  There’s desperation in her kiss, a need that I recognize and mirror. Our tongues meet and dance and I know she’s mine tonight.

  Impatient, I pick her up and carry her to my room. I’ve been waiting for this for too long. I need her and I need her now.

  Cindy is still asleep when I creep out of bed and pick up the phone. It’s eight am and I’m wide awake. And I have phone calls to make. She’s so very sweet as she sleeps and everything in me wants to get back into bed with her and sleep until all the problems in our lives work themselves out.

  But that’s not going to happen.

  So I leave her sleeping and walk out to the living room and dial my phone. “Victor here,” The male voice sounds like old, white privilege. Which is not an inaccurate description.

  “Hey Vic. I’ve got an issue with a former employee,” I say as casually as I can.

  I hear him take a quick breath on the other end and I know instantly he’s part of the issue in one way or another.

  But I push on. “So, he was fired for theft. But when I reviewed the tapes of the day in question, I saw an issue.”

  Silence.

  “The date stamp on the tape didn’t match the date recorded on file. So I’m worried we’re open for possible liability on this,” I say, daring him to contradict me or try to bullshit his way out of this.

  “It won’t be a problem,” he says finally and I hear the part he doesn’t say. The Handbergs are poor. They can’t afford to hire an attorney to fight for them against this.

  “It is a problem,” I say. “I don’t take kindly to extortionists blaming those who can’t defend themselves.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re insinuating-”

  “You’re fired. I’ve already made arrangements and your replacement will see to the changeover. Have a nice day.” I hang up and notice I’m shaking with rage. I text Gideon Pike. He’s already on his way over to confiscate the files with the off duty cops I’d asked for a favor.

  Having friends in high places can come in handy. I’m fucking glad I donate huge chunks to the local PD, and I don’t call in favors frivolously.

  With a sigh, I think about how much is changing. If not for Cindy, I would never have learned that several people I trusted were abusing that trust. If not for her, I wouldn’t have learned that I always need to pop in and do my due diligence at random to keep people honest. If not for her, I would have forgotten that sometimes even a wolf like myself can help the underdog.

  “Gavin?”

  I turn toward Cindy’s sleepy voice and see her standing, wrapped in the sheet, looking totally adorable and disheveled in the doorway.

  “I’m here, love,” I say and she walks over.

  She plops down on the couch and leans into me. I wrap an arm around her shoulders and we sit there, entwined in one another in silence for a little while.

  “I was worried,” she says, her voice still thick with sleep, “when I woke up. I was worried it was all a dream. I still am.” She says, pressing her lips to my arm.

  “I’m here. It’s not a dream,” I say, loving how groggy she is. “Are you still tired?” I ask and she nods. “It’s your day off, why don’t you relax?” I ask and she shakes her head.

  “I’d like to actually help in the kitchen tonight,” she says, her voice stronger as if she’s waking up.

  “I’ll come with you,” I say and she tilts her head to look up at me, her blue eyes dancing with joy.

  “Really?” she asks and I nod. “That would be amazing,” she breathes and I kiss her forehead.

  “You’re amazing. If you’re not going back to bed, I’m going to make breakfast.” She moves enough for me to get up and I head toward the kitchen, not at all feeling weird about being in boxers around the house. Everyone is off through the holidays, so we have the whole place to ourselves.

  I move around, making bacon and eggs, toast and hash browns. While I cook, I wonder about the little things I don’t know about her. What’s her favorite way to have eggs? Does she love or hate onions? My experience is that no one is on the fence about onions; they love them or hate them.

  How about things like eggs benedict? Love or hate? I make a mental list of questions to ask her. Because I’d like to know more about her. I want to know everything about her. Even the silly stuff. The stupid stuff. The things people don’t care about.

  Because I care.

  When she walks in, I strike up a conversation and ask her if she likes orange juice. And the rest is history.

  We talk for hours. We eat and laugh, love and tease, hug and kiss.

  I learn more about her than I’ve known about any other human being in my life. And I tell her a little about myself. She’s candid, honest, and kind. Everything that draws me to her comes back to how real she is. There are no pretenses. No lies. No trying to seem like more than she is. She knows what she is, who she is, what she stands for. But she’s willing to learn, grow, and shift her thoughts if someone provides a compelling argument.

  She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever known.
<
br />   And I know I’m in deep fucking trouble.

  Because I think I’m in love with her.

  Chapter 17

  Cindy

  I can’t believe it. The dress, the offer, it’s all so much to take in. I’ve never seen a dress so pretty, and the necklace…

  Before I’m all ready to go, I slip into the room with the dress again and touch the necklace. It’s large, sure, something I’d expect to see on a movie star or a real life princess. I touch the large, cool stones, thinking about how pretty the blue ones are. The diamonds sparkle even in the low light of the room and I imagine when the light hits it it will become blinding.

  I’ve never worn anything even close to this. I’d never dreamed of it.

  With a sigh of excitement, I slip out of the room and meet up with Gavin as he hands me a sealed plastic container. Curious, I peel back the corner. The scent of food hits me and my mouth waters. One thing I can say about Gavin; he’s sure all about food. I’ve never eaten as well as I have the last few times I’ve come over to his place.

  “What’s this?” I ask, knowing full well it’s a fat salmon steak, a side of shrimp pasta salad and grilled asparagus. He stacks another container on the top, this one has a huge brownie he’d made for us.

  “For your father,” he says and my heart melts in my chest. It’s one thing for him to feed me while I’m here, but to send something home for dad? That’s the real way to my heart. He winks at me as if he knows. “We’ll drop it off before I get you to the kitchen.”

  “Thank you.” It’s all I can say. And I only barely get it out.

  He merely nods. Together, we head toward the front door and I feel a flash of sadness that I’m leaving. This place is really starting to feel like home.

  In the car, I hold the food for dad and stare out of the window at the world going by. The snow finally eased up. Christmas is only a couple days away and I’m excited. I think I made something for Gavin he’ll like. It’s nothing spectacular; it’s a memento, a keepsake so he can remember me even after we part ways.

  I’m not going to kid myself and pretend this thing between us will ever become something serious and lasting. I’ve heard the rumors about Gavin, hell, I’ve even gone so far as to seek them out. For him to even be with me as long—and as many times—as he has is out of character for him.

  He’s totally a—for lack of a better phrase—is a hit it and quit it player. He takes them to bed once, then he moves on. He’s not one to put down roots, and I don’t blame him. The precious little I know about him and the things he’s revealed mostly by accident tell me the people in his life don’t care for him as much as they should. They care about what he can do for them. What he can buy them.

  I can’t blame him for being a product of the world. The monster people see was created.

  “You’re being awfully quiet,” he says softly, his hand coming to rest above my knee. I place my hand on his and lace our fingers.

  “Just thinking,” I say, smiling over at him.

  “That sounds ominous,” he teases and I shake my head.

  “It’s not like that,” I say as we pull up in front of my house. I take the food and get out. With light feet and careful steps, I hurry up to the door and push it open. Dad’s in his chair, but he looks up when I walk in.

  “Brought you something,” I say, pushing the food into his hands. I hurry into the kitchen to grab him a fork. “Eat, okay?” I say, dropping a kiss on top of his head. “I’m going to the kitchen, I’ll be back in a few hours. Love you!” I say, stopping at the front door to blow him another kiss.

  I feel a sense of relief as he opens the containers and takes a bite before giving me a thumbs up. He’s not back to his old self just yet, but this feels like an improvement.

  Only when I’m back in the car do I feel sadness at the distance between my father and I now. I need to find a way to close this gap. I miss my dad. I’m grateful for the quiet as we pull into the kitchen’s parking lot.

  Struggling to push the painful thoughts from my mind, I force a smile to my lips.

  I’m looking forward to working in the kitchen tonight; I’ve been missing it. I enjoy working in the garden for sure, but there’s nothing quite like actually handing hot food from a freshly cooked batch of whatever we’ve made to someone who’s looking forward to it.

  We get out and make our way to the kitchen when he takes my shoulder and turns me around. I stare up at him, unsure what he’s doing. But he pulls me into a hug. I hug him back, glad for his support and strength.

  “You okay?” he asks softly and I nod.

  “I will be.” It’s true. I will be. We break apart and head inside. The place is warm and already filled with the rich scent of stew. Something thick, hearty and hot.

  “Sue!” I call and she comes around the corner, a huge smile on her face. She pulls me in for a hug and I hug her back. She’s a slight, frail old lady and I love her dearly. “You made stew, didn’t you?” I ask, inhaling the delicious scent as she lets me go and steps back.

  “Of course,” she says and I follow her into the back. “We’re ready if you’d like to open early,” she says.

  “I came in the back,” I say, feeling a little bad that I don’t even know if there’s a line. I’m sure there is.

  “We’ll open it up,” Rossi says and Sue finally looks over at him.

  She elbows me. “Who’s this handsome young man?” she asks in a stage whisper, a twinkle in her eyes.

  “A friend,” I say and she rolls her eyes.

  “In my day, if I had a friend that looked like that, he’d be more than a friend,” she says suggestively.

  I giggle and head toward the front to open the doors.

  Working beside Gavin all night is a pleasure. He’s kind to everyone. He’s quick witted and talks to everyone like they’re his equals. He doesn’t shy away from dirty hands or hugs. He’s got a quick smile for everyone and he’s funny and sweet.

  And I fall just a little deeper.

  Chapter 18

  Gavin

  I love the way she smiles. Her whole face is lit up and she keeps tossing glances my way that turn to shy little grins before she faces the people before her again. She keeps the line moving while somehow engaging everyone.

  And the people seem to love her.

  It’s wonderful to see her shine like this.

  When the tail end of the line finally trickles to a halt, she’s quick to call out to Sue. The team is on top of the dishes coming in, Sue is checking amounts and running numbers, and the whole group runs like a well-oiled kitchen. It’s amazing.

  I follow Cindy into the kitchen where she offers to help with dishes. But they shake their heads at her. “Go home,” One of the guys tells her and she grins.

  “You know, most people hate doing dishes,” she teases, bumping him with her shoulder. I feel an unreasonable stab of jealousy as the guy bumps her back. Do these two have something? Or is this simply an easy comradery that comes from working together?

  Whatever it is, I don’t like it.

  “Cindy,” I say and she looks over her shoulder at me, her expression flirtatious. “Let’s go,” I say, knowing the time has come to tell her about her father.

  She says her good nights and gives Sue a hug before heading my direction. Outside, the snap in the air is noticeable and I wonder if it’s going to start snowing again after all. I take her hand and we walk like that under the stars.

  Sometime while we were inside night had come swiftly and enveloped the world in silken darkness. As we walk, her head tilts back and I see the stars reflected in her eyes.

  Jesus, she’s fucking beautiful.

  “Do you think it’s going to snow?” she asks me and I take out my phone.

  “I’ll check,” I say, pulling up my weather app. “Supposed to be clear tonight,” I say as she nods.

  “It’s super cold,” she says and I pull her in closer to my body while putting an arm around her shoulders. “It’s really pre
tty, though,” she says and I look up at the stars with her.

  “I’m sorry about your father,” I say and her head snaps up so she can look me in the eyes. Her lovely lips part just a little like she’s about to deny something and I know she’s taking it all wrong. “He’s not a thief.”

  Anger courses through me at the thought of how I’d been tricked, lied to, used. And an innocent man without the means to protect himself had taken the fall for it.

  But Cindy pulls me into a real hug and presses her cheek to mine.

  “I told you!” She says and I hold her tight. Having her body pressed to mine wakes every part of me up and I want her. But she lets me go and we walk a few more steps.

  The crunch of snow underfoot is calming and I’m struck by the silence. It’s as quiet as if the snow is actually falling now. The inch of undisturbed snow on the path we’re walking is pristine and white, though turned a soft golden under the orange streetlight shining dully overhead.

  She doesn’t ask, but I volunteer information. “The lawyers who tried to cover it up are fired. I’m looking into it now to see how deep the corruption goes.” Again, that anger feels overwhelming. I don’t like to be made a fool. I’m not a fucking idiot. I’ve worked very hard to get where I am. And all the sweat and blood, sleepless nights and hard work just being bled dry by some greedy fucks pisses me off.

  “Are you okay?” she asks and I wonder how she does that. She’s much more perceptive than I thought she was. It’s endearing that she’s worried about me right now. Because it all comes down to the fact that this is my fault.

  If I’d been more aware of what was going on in my company, her father would still have his job. She wouldn’t be suffering. I feel totally responsible.