Table for Two

by Brandy Bruce

  “Accept it as a—”

  “Let it go, Mandy.”

  They sat staring at each other. After a few tense, silent seconds, it seemed as though Mandy was choosing not to fight this particular battle. She nodded.

  “All right, then. Thank you.”

  Leo knew it was his turn to speak, to explain.

  “You’re welcome. I apologize for lying to you—though I never exactly lied.”

  “Omission is as good as lying,” Mandy countered, her voice quiet. Leo clenched his jaw.

  “Okay! I’m sorry. I should have told you that my last name was Romano, that I’m part-owner of the restaurant you were going to, and that I’m currently the head chef you were reviewing. But I didn’t. Can you forgive me for that?” Leo knew his exasperated tone wasn’t exactly communicating contriteness.

  He could almost hear Carol Ann saying, That’s not an apology, Leo. When your heart is sorry, your words come out differently.

  The unwelcome memory of Carol Ann caused Leo to take a deep breath and try to steady his pulse. Thoughts of Carol Ann were the last thing he needed at this moment.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Mandy’s voice was truly curious. Leo sipped his coffee again and thought before answering.

  “If I had told you, from that moment the dynamic between us would have been different. You would have been more guarded, knowing that I was a chef you would be critiquing.”

  “I see. So deceiving me was for my benefit,” Mandy surmised. Leo frowned.

  “You’re being a little unreasonable, don’t you think?”

  He watched as Mandy’s eyes widened. “Unreasonable? Me? I... You...” Her sputtering would have been comical if Leo hadn’t felt so incensed.

  “Look, I came here to apologize to you. Obviously, you’re not interested in hearing what I have to say.”

  “You’re not really apologizing!”

  At that moment, she sounded just like Carol Ann. And it took all Leo’s strength not to pour out his frustration and anger on her. Even he knew at that moment, it would be misdirected.

  Neither of them spoke. Leo couldn’t believe this woman—practically a complete stranger—could incite such an emotional response from him. How many times had he dealt with angry customers and managed to keep his cool and defuse tense situations? With this woman, rather than defusing anything, he felt like a bomb ready to explode.

  * * *

  Under the table, Mandy’s hands trembled. She and Leo were both breathing hard, the tension between them so thick Mandy could almost see it. Leo’s excuse for lying to her was pathetic. She wished she’d never agreed to meet him for breakfast. Now she’d shared one of her very favorite places with someone who didn’t really care about getting to know her better.

  That thought, coupled with the anger she was feeling, was enough to make her want to cry.

  Not here. Not in front of him.

  Mandy swallowed with difficulty, trying to compose herself. She sincerely hoped Ashley had remembered to pray for her that morning.

  “Leo.” She cleared her throat, intending to redirect the conversation. She couldn’t suppress the tiny hope inside her that this meeting might still be salvageable.

  She forced herself to meet his gaze. Leo’s dark eyes flashed with anger. She paused at the sight, and a sinking sensation of disappointment filled her stomach.

  Mandy stood up and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Leo, I should go.”

  “That suits me fine,” he answered.

  She turned and walked out the door.

  * * *

  The moment Mandy stepped into the full sanctuary, she saw Ashley waving at her from across the room. The worship service had started and people were standing as the sound of praise music reverberated all through the building. Mandy dropped her purse on the pew next to where Ashley was sitting and stood next to her, hoping the music might quiet her spirit.

  “So?” Ashley asked, leaning close to Mandy’s ear. Mandy gave her a look and shook her head.

  “Let’s talk about it after.”

  “That bad?”

  “Ashley!”

  “All right! We’ll talk about it after.”

  The moment the pastor stood at the podium, Mandy had a terrible feeling he was going to preach about forgiveness and loving your enemies and all the things that she just couldn’t handle at that moment.

  She held her breath as he opened his Bible and began speaking about faith, directing the congregation to a passage in Hebrews about great men and women of faith in the Bible. Mandy breathed a sigh of relief.

  The moment the service ended, Ashley pulled Mandy into the church lobby and found a couch for the two of them to sit on.

  “So, what did you do?” Ashley asked.

  “Why do you assume it was my fault? He gave me some lame apology and acted annoyed when I didn’t accept it immediately.”

  Ashley nodded. “Oh. So that was it, then, do you think?”

  Mandy bristled. “Do you expect me to go out with a guy who treats me like that?”

  “I just wondered if there was the teeniest hope that you two might try starting over.”

  “I don’t think so, Ash,” Mandy tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

  Ashley looked at her with sympathy. “Gotcha. Well, you still have your review to write.”

  Mandy watched the people mingling in the lobby. “I know. I might start by describing the owner as rude—”

  “Hold your horses, girl! You’ve got to stay professional about this.”

  Mandy didn’t answer for a moment. “He certainly brings out the worst in me, doesn’t he?” she finally said.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that.” Ashley chuckled. “I was thinking that he brings out the fire in you. And in all the years I’ve known you, honey, I didn’t even know there was fire in you.”

  * * *

  Ashley’s words played like a broken record in Mandy’s head during the forty-five-minute drive to Evergreen. She tried to drown them out by turning the radio up as loud as she could stand.

  By the time she turned down the dirt road that led to her parents’ home in the small town of Evergreen, Colorado, she was desperate for some peace and quiet. Her younger brother, Brian, stood by the front door as she pulled into the drive.

  “I wanted to warn you,” Brian said as Mandy climbed the front porch steps.

  “Oh, no. Is she in one of her moods?” Mandy groaned out loud as she thought about wasting an evening listening to her mother’s criticisms.

  “Let’s just say she’s already made it clear that she thought Samantha and I would be having a baby by now, that I would be promoted at work by now, that Dad would have fixed the kitchen sink’s leak by now, and when it comes to you...”

  Mandy shook her head. “Don’t go there, Brian. I shouldn’t have come.”

  Brian laughed. “Come on. You don’t have to face her alone. And we both know that her complaints have more to do with her own dissatisfaction in life than they do with us. Try not to let her get to you.” He threw his arm around Mandy’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. The small gesture was enough to give her the strength to walk through the front door.

  “Mandy! Finally! I told you to be here at four.” Her mother poked her head out the kitchen doorway.

  Mandy just nodded. The clock on the mantle read ten after four.

  “Do you want me to set the table?” she asked.

  “Samantha did that already. Let’s just eat. Everything’s probably cold by now.”

  “Well, it smells great, Mom, as usual,” Brian said lightheartedly. Mandy’s dad opened his arms to her and she walked straight into them with a smile. He gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head.

  “How’s my girl?” he
asked with a grin.

  “I’m okay, Dad.”

  He cocked his head to the side and studied her. Mandy knew she wasn’t fooling him. They filed into the dining room and Mandy sat down next to her sister-in-law and felt Samantha reach over and grasp her hand warmly.

  “I’m so glad you came, Mandy.”

  “Thanks, Sam. It’s good to see you.”

  After Brian prayed over the meal, Mandy asked her mother to pass the gravy.

  “Not too much now, Amanda,” her mother said as she passed the gravy boat. “You know how fattening it is.”

  Mandy gritted her teeth. Then why do you make it?

  Samantha jumped in with a story about her and Brian’s search for a new car, and Mandy was reminded, not for the first time, how lucky she had been in her brother’s choice of a wife.

  They managed to get through the meal, and after Mandy helped with the dishes, she walked out onto the back deck and breathed in the scent of the evergreen trees. The sound of the rushing river right behind the house filled her ears and soothed her. She’d lived in this house from the age of five until she’d left for college. And moments spent by the river had always given her peace when she most needed it. She could remember sitting on the deck, writing in her journal as a teenager. Fishing with her dad. Throwing rocks in the water with Brian. And always—except for the very coldest weeks of the year—she could hear the sound of the water rushing.

  Mandy sat on the bottom step that led down to the riverbank and closed her eyes.

  “I know,” she said out loud.

  “You know what?”

  Mandy jumped at the sound of Samantha’s voice. She looked up as Samantha sat down next to her. “Samantha! You startled me.”

  “So I gathered. Who were you talking to?”

  Mandy looked back at the water. “God,” she answered with a sigh. “He was reminding me that I should have treated someone with more grace this morning.”

  “Ah. He does that to me, too. Brian’s usually the victim in my case. What about you?”

  After contemplating for a moment, Mandy decided to confide in Samantha and told her the whole story of her disastrous meeting with Leonardo Romano. Samantha listened quietly until Mandy had finished with Ashley’s perplexing comment about Leo bringing out the fire in Mandy.

  “What do you think about that?” Samantha asked. Mandy shrugged.

  “All I know is that every time I think about him, I feel angry.”

  “But have you thought about why you’re angry? I mean, the real reason.”

  Mandy looked confused. “I just told you the reason. He wasn’t exactly honest with me.”

  Samantha nodded. “Right. But I think the real reason you’re upset is that you liked him. And you were excited at the thought that he liked you, too. Now you don’t feel like you can trust his motives and you’re disappointed. Am I right?”

  Mandy threw a rock in the water. “You should have been a counselor, Samantha.”

  Samantha laughed. “It’s easier to see things about other people than it is about yourself.”

  Mandy wrapped her arms around her knees. “I think you’re right. I was disappointed. And I did like him. But it’s over now.”

  “Except for your review,” Samantha pointed out before standing up, dusting her jeans off, and heading back toward the house.

  My review.

  “Hey, Samantha?” Mandy twisted around. Samantha paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Did Brian bring his laptop?”

  Samantha grinned. “It’s upstairs.”

  Chapter 4

  Leo dried his hands on his apron and then drew a spoon to his lips. After tasting the red marinara sauce, he nodded to his sous chef, Jeremy. “You’re right. It needs more garlic. Then it should be perfect.” Leo looked back at the row of cooks behind him. “Carlos, the heat under that soup needs to be turned down. Come on, people, pick it up! We’re busy tonight. Get that bread out of the oven, Elliot.”

  Leo redirected his concentration to his work station. He leaned over the plate in front of him and delicately dropped parsley on top of a mound of steaming fettuccini.

  “Hey, chef,” Angelina said as she loaded her tray with the now-ready order. Leo waved her away.

  “Don’t distract me, Angie.”

  Angelina laughed. “Okay, I won’t tell you that Mandy Seymour’s review was posted online today.”

  Leo’s head jerked up. “Today? Why didn’t someone tell me?”

  “I just did!” Angelina called over her shoulder as she pushed through the swinging door.

  It had been nearly a week since Mandy had visited the restaurant, and Leo had checked the Denver Lifestyle website every evening looking for her review of Romano’s. More than anything, Leo wanted to drop everything and read the review. But it was Sunday night and the restaurant was busier than usual. The long list of orders needed his attention first.

  Four hours later, he had his first chance for a break and dashed to his office for a quick espresso and a chance to read Mandy’s column.

  I recently visited the new Romano’s on Fifteenth Street in downtown Denver, which is located between AfterHours Pub and Grill and Primrose Boutique. Romano’s white on black, classic outside decor was elegant and inviting. And a contrast to its famous sister restaurant on Franklin.

  I couldn’t help but feel impressed as I walked through the dimly lit restaurant. The sounds of Vivaldi, the glow of individual table lamps and the warmth from fireplaces placed strategically in small alcoves created a romantic atmosphere, perfect for conversation and an enjoyable dining experience.

  At the server’s suggestion I began with the Italian wedding soup, followed by Romano’s Lobster Magnifico, a dish made specifically for the Fifteenth Street location. The traditional soup was not unlike others I’ve tried, though I would say that it was perfectly satisfactory and an excellent example of the way this soup ought to taste. The flavors blended together and the meatballs were moist and delectable, but did not overpower the texture and consistency of the soup.

  I’m happy to say that I wasn’t prepared for Romano’s Lobster Magnifico. Just writing about this unique dish makes my mouth water. The chunks of lobster were cooked to perfection. The linguine was a perfect match for the heavy cream sauce, which in my opinion was nothing short of extraordinary. The thick texture and subtle tartness mixed with the sharp taste of parmesan—well, let’s just say it was an experience I hope to repeat.

  As for dessert, the cherry cassata torte was chosen for me and it was absolutely a worthy choice. The rich, decadent flavors and smooth, creamy consistency made this dessert absolutely heavenly. The head chef at this new Romano’s is none other than Leonardo Romano, son of the esteemed Gabriel Romano. And while it’s safe to say that the younger Romano is following in the footsteps of his father, I must add that, in my opinion, he is a superb chef in his own right. Check out Romano’s on Fifteenth Street. You won’t be disappointed.

  Leo sat back slowly and exhaled. He hadn’t realized his shoulders were tensed while he read Mandy’s review, but he could feel it now. He reread the last few lines again and tried to decipher his feelings. He felt grateful, of course, for the positive and thoughtful review. But there was something else. A gnawing sense of guilt that he’d had ever since their last, unfortunate meeting.

  And a quiet but consistent inward push to contact Mandy and apologize.

  A tap on the door interrupted his thoughts. Leo called out for whoever it was to come in.

  “In your office? Shouldn’t you be cooking?”

  Leo looked up at his father and smiled. “Hey, Dad. I couldn’t help it. A review was posted today and I had to read it.”

  “Positive, I hope?” his father said as he sat down across from his son.

  “Glowing.”

 
“Good, good. Though I’m not the least bit surprised.”

  Leo saw that his father looked tired. Out of habit, his eyes gravitated to his dad’s hands for signs of tremors. He saw his father’s right hand jerk slightly.

  “How are you feeling tonight, Dad?”

  “I’m all right. A little worn out, I guess. But Isa called and wanted your mother and me to join her for dinner at the newest Romano’s and I wasn’t about to say no. Not when Leonardo Romano is cooking.” His dad grinned at him and Leo chuckled.

  “I can’t believe Angie didn’t tell me you were here. Maybe she did and I just didn’t hear her. The kitchen’s been busy tonight. So what did you have?”

  “Farfalle with mushrooms—one of your new additions. It was excellent, Leo. I want you to consider putting it on the menu at the Franklin location.”

  Leo smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Isa and your mother are having dessert now. I wanted to talk some things over with you. I’ll wait till closing, of course.”

  Leo stood up and shook his head. “There’s no need for that. Jeremy can take over for me in the kitchen. Let me just go check on things and I’ll be right back. Can I bring you anything?”

  “Some water, that’s all.”

  Leo rushed to the kitchen and found that the orders were slowing down. His staff had everything under control. Leo left instructions for Jeremy and headed back to his office with a bottle of water.

  His dad took the bottled water and this time there was no mistaking the shudder in his hand.

  Leo tried to keep his face devoid of emotion, hiding the anxiety he felt every time he saw his father shake. Gabriel Romano had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years earlier, but the symptoms had been nearly nonexistent for a long time. Over the past six months, however, the effects of the disease had started to manifest more quickly.

  “So what’s up, Dad? Everything going well at the Franklin Romano’s?”

  His father waved his hand absentmindedly. “You know it’s a well-oiled machine. I rarely have to even show up. My staff is excellent. But even so, your mother—well, your mother thinks the stress of the restaurant is starting to affect my condition.”