Table for Two

by Brandy Bruce

  An enlarged photo of Leo and his father stood out from the center. Leo couldn’t have been more than three years old in the photo. He had a chunk of bread in his hands and he was being held by his father’s strong, healthy arms. Gabriel was laughing, his face full of happiness. Most of the photos were of Leo and his family. Some were taken during their years at the Los Angeles Romano’s. Some were photos taken during family vacations in Italy at Leo’s great-grandmother’s villa. Every photo stirred an emotional memory.

  On the adjacent wall, in bold, cursive black letters, these words had been painted:

  Jesus said to them: Come and dine.

  —John 21:12

  The office could not have been more perfect. It occurred to Leo how well his mother knew him. While the office decor seemed much more in line with the Fifteenth Street location, this was his space, Leo’s space. His mother had turned the office into a reflection of Leo and made it a place that he could own.

  Leo hung his jacket behind the door and sat at his desk, where one last surprise awaited him.

  At the corner of his desk rested a small framed photo, also black-and-white. Leo took the photo in his hands and studied the people in the picture—himself and Mandy. It was the photo taken at his father’s party. He stared at Mandy’s unruly hair, her beautiful smile, her composure that always seemed to tame his anxiety.

  Leo set the picture back in its place, right where it belonged.

  * * *

  Mandy wanted to cry. She looked at the mess that was her kitchen and sat down right on the floor.

  Insisting on dinner at my house was obviously not my brightest moment.

  Her great intentions to cook Leo one of her fabulous-but-untried recipes from the Food Network had turned out to be disastrous. The breading wouldn’t stick, the supposedly fresh lettuce she’d bought looked limp, she’d had no idea she was out of vinegar until it was too late, and the dessert needed to set overnight in the refrigerator—a small detail she’d somehow overlooked in the recipe.

  The fan over the stove ran loudly; Mandy’s attempt to suck out the smell of burned bread crumbs. With an hour before Leo was slated to arrive, Mandy gave up.

  There’s no way I’m serving this inedible mush to an accomplished chef. What was I thinking?

  Am I trying to make Leo turn around and run? I should’ve known that a little luck in the kitchen would be more than I should hope for.

  With an exasperated groan, Mandy pulled herself up off the floor and tried to decide which to do first: order takeout or clean the kitchen.

  Takeout.

  After placing an order to the Peking Duck down the street, she rolled up her sleeves and prepared to work a miracle in her apartment.

  At least I can trust the Peking Duck to provide the best Chinese food in Denver.

  Mandy froze in her steps.

  What if Leo doesn’t like Chinese food?

  She shook away the thought. Everyone liked Chinese food. And since she’d just spent $50 on rice and shrimp and dumplings—he’d just have to like it. She concentrated on mopping the kitchen floor and wiping down the counters, hiding the trash filled with burnt-to-a-crisp crumbs out on the back patio, and vacuuming the area rug. She lit candles all around the living room and turned on her favorite instrumental CD. Since her kitchen table was so small, Mandy decided to serve dinner at the coffee table.

  Good thing I vacuumed the rug.

  With ten minutes to spare, her huge paper bag of Chinese food arrived via teenage boy, giving her just enough time to set out the food and make everything look pretty.

  The doorbell rang just as Mandy set fortune cookies by each plate.

  She paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead and fan herself.

  Okay, you’ve been going nonstop for hours. Time to relax and have Chinese food.

  With Leo.

  Since the day he’d brought breakfast to her workplace, Mandy could tell that Leo was doing his best to be friends with her without asking for more. He emailed often and asked about her work. He kept her updated about his dad’s condition. But something had shifted the night of Gabriel’s retirement party. She’d sensed it in the way Leo talked to her and looked at her, and when she’d received the email from him asking her to have dinner with him, she felt it even more strongly.

  Her nerves didn’t subside so she just opened the front door and there stood Leo. Her heart did that flip-flop thing it seemed incapable of not doing in Leo’s presence. He held out a bouquet of white roses.

  “Thanks, Leo.” His smile matched her own.

  She graciously took the flowers and found a vase for them while Leo looked around the apartment. Granted, that took him all of half a minute.

  Mandy wiped her hands on a dish towel and motioned toward the boxes of Chinese food.

  “I was going to cook,” she began apologetically, but Leo shook his head as he took off his jacket and draped it over the sofa.

  “Don’t worry about it. Chinese food is perfect. And I can’t wait to see what you ordered for us.”

  Mandy threw two pillows onto the rug for them to sit on and they sat cross-legged on either side of the coffee table, facing each other.

  “We’ve got fried dumplings to start with, and shrimp fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, and beef and broccoli. I was hungry so I ordered a little bit of everything,” Mandy said sheepishly.

  Leo picked up chopsticks and reached for the carton of dumplings. “Sounds good to me.”

  “So when are you going to Italy?” Mandy asked as she opened the box of shrimp fried rice.

  Leo hesitated.

  “The ticket your parents gave you?” Mandy reminded him and he nodded as though it had just dawned on him.

  “Right. Well, that’s sort of up in the air. Maybe in September, but I doubt it. I was thinking more like next spring. I like Italy in the spring. Have you ever been?”

  Mandy shook her head. “No. It’s on my list, though.”

  “List?” Leo echoed.

  Mandy handed him the box of rice and opened a Styrofoam container of beef and broccoli. With relief, she noticed that the tangy aromas of the Chinese food adequately drowned out the smell of burnt bread.

  “Yeah, my list. You know, my list of things to see, places to go, things to accomplish.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  Mandy reached for her chopsticks. “What’s on your list?”

  “Well...I’ve always wanted to go sky diving.”

  Mandy shuddered. “Terrifying. So not on my list.”

  Leo chuckled. “What else is on your list?”

  “I want to ice skate in Central Park in December.”

  Leo smiled. “That’s a good one.”

  They ate quietly for a moment, then Mandy broke the silence. “I was glad you asked to have dinner with me, Leo.”

  “I’ve missed you, Mandy,” he said and she drew in a sharp breath.

  I think the vibe between us just raced over the friendship border.

  “I’ve missed you, too. At the party the other night, you said you needed to talk to me. I’m listening, Leo.” Mandy waited, hope rising up inside her too fast for her to squelch it.

  Leo wiped his mouth and set aside his napkin. He looked directly at her. “I’ve changed my mind, Mandy. And I know that sounds immature and childish. And I want you to know that I have no expectations of you, but...things have changed for me.”

  “What things?” Mandy wondered.

  “In here.” Leo held his hand over his heart. “Really, my circumstances haven’t changed—I’ve changed.”

  Mandy tried to swallow. But he was looking at her with those dark eyes of his—in that way only he could. “I see,” she forced herself to say. “And what have you changed your mind about?”

  “Seve
ral things. I’ve stopped blaming God for my dad’s illness. I’ve stopped doubting my decision to keep the restaurants. And I’ve changed my mind about us. I’d like for us to be in a relationship. I want that more than anything else, Mandy.”

  Oh Lord, what do I say? You know what I want to say. What do You want me to say?

  Mandy set down her chopsticks.

  “I’m afraid you’ll change your mind again,” she confessed.

  “I won’t.” Leo’s confident tone reminded her of Gabriel. He reached across the table and took both her hands in his. “And once you’re working for Take Me There, I’ll support you 100 percent. I’ll miss you when you’re gone, but I know it’s a great opportunity. I’m behind you all the way.”

  Mandy appreciated his words more than he could know. She let go of his hands, picked up her chopsticks, her pulse slowed and she relaxed. She looked down for a moment. “Thank you for saying that, Leo. But you should know I’ve decided only to do occasional freelance jobs for Take Me There. I’m not going to be joining them full-time.” Mandy peeked back up at Leo; he looked stunned.

  “Why not?”

  “I’m happy where I am. Plus...going to interesting places by myself isn’t all that appealing.”

  Mandy watched as relief filled Leo’s face. “I have to admit, the thought of you being away so much—well, let me just say that I don’t want us to be apart like that.”

  Mandy took a deep breath. “I want to believe that, Leo.”

  “Mandy, please give me the chance to prove it to you. Please. Even if only for my family’s sake, who are desperate for us to be together,” Leo begged. At that comment, Mandy laughed. Leo smiled. He leaned over the coffee table and touched Mandy’s face before pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that begged for more.

  After a moment, Mandy pulled back, trying to clear her head, at the same time hoping she never lost that delicious, fragile feeling that came over her whenever Leo kissed her.

  “For your family’s sake, huh?” she teased.

  “For my sake. I am desperate to be with you.”

  Mandy didn’t say anything for a moment.

  “Mandy?” Leo said with concern. He gently lifted her chin until their eyes met. “What’s wrong?”

  Mandy tried to shake away her feelings and just enjoy the moment, but she couldn’t.

  “Leo, what do you like about me?”

  He stared at her for a moment.

  “I need to hear it from you,” she said quietly.

  Leo stood up, reached for Mandy’s hand and led her to the sofa where they sat down next to each other.

  “Mandy, as far as I can tell, there isn’t anything I don’t like about you. But if you want to know specifics—I like the way I feel when I’m with you. Everything can be chaotic around me, but when I’m with you, I feel like I can handle it. I think you’re beautiful. I think you’re an incredibly talented writer. So many things attract me to you—your faith, your easy way of getting along with people, your heart for helping others.”

  Mandy absorbed Leo’s words. They seemed to run over her and through her, filling her with confidence.

  “And there’s something else I want you to know, Mandy. Something really important.”

  “What’s that?” Mandy asked. Leo sighed and leaned close enough to Mandy that their foreheads touched. He closed his eyes.

  “You can ask me what I like about you as many times as you want to, as many times as you need to. I’ll never get tired of answering.”

  “Really?” Mandy whispered.

  “Positively,” Leo answered just before he kissed her again. A deep, lingering kiss that both of them seemed reluctant to end.

  Happiness filled every inch of Mandy. “So our next date is your choice, Leo. Where are we going?”

  Chapter 19

  Mandy poured two cups of hot tea and handed one to Ashley.

  “So, I’ve lost you forever,” Ashley bemoaned. “Not that I’m complaining or anything.”

  Mandy stirred a spoonful of sugar into her cup. “Are you serious? Haven’t you been the one pushing me toward Leo ever since the moment we met?”

  Ashley ignored Mandy’s questions. “I’ve barely seen you for the past month!”

  Mandy opened her refrigerator, searching for cream for her tea. “That’s funny. I keep thinking I saw you at Bible study two days ago.”

  “You haven’t even asked me to be a bridesmaid,” Ashley pouted.

  Mandy nearly choked from laughing. “That’s because there’s been zero talk of marriage! We’ve been dating steadily for six weeks, Ashley. No one’s getting married right now.”

  “Fine. But once we start talking about it, I want you to know my expectation.”

  Mandy suppressed her amusement. “Thank you for the warning.”

  “Speaking of marriage, has the boy told you he loves you yet?” Ashley asked bluntly. Mandy shook her head.

  “No, but neither of us is in a rush, Ash.”

  “Well, somebody oughta be. Biological clock and all.”

  Mandy rolled her eyes. Ashley sat at the kitchen table and Mandy sat across from her.

  “Mandy, in all seriousness, do you want to marry him? Are you in love with him?” Ashley’s eyes were wide with curiosity.

  Mandy shrugged and sipped her tea. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe! What kind of an answer is that?” Ashley screeched.

  “The only kind you’re going to get,” Mandy retorted.

  Ashley paused and gave Mandy a sly smile. “You’re forgetting my incredible powers of persuasion.”

  “You’re right. I should just give you an answer now to skip all the hassle,” Mandy agreed.

  “My point exactly.”

  “I love him. I think he loves me. As for whether I would like to marry him, I need to pray about that.”

  Ashley sat back, crestfallen. “How can I argue with that?”

  “You can’t,” Mandy replied jovially.

  * * *

  Leo finished going through both restaurants’ payrolls and then reviewed his marketing expenses. He carefully examined the outgoing expenditures of each restaurant and then analyzed the profits. Two of his younger waiters had resigned because of college schedules, so Leo needed to hire new people. He checked the clock, knowing he was running the Fifteenth Street kitchen that evening since Jeremy was on vacation. He finished his paperwork and headed toward the kitchen. The restaurant was already buzzing with staff preparing for the evening.

  Leo walked into the kitchen and put on his apron. The smell of bread baking competed with the aroma coming from the stoves where enormous pots of soup simmered.

  “What’s our special tonight, Margo?” he asked his sous chef.

  She tied her apron around her waist. “Spinach artichoke pizza with goat cheese. One of my kids’ favorites.”

  Leo inspected the freshly washed spinach. “Sounds good. Thanks, Margo.”

  “Hey, chef.” Angelina clocked in.

  “Angie, I thought you were off tonight.”

  Angelina shrugged. “Dana asked me to cover for her. Something came up with her family tonight. So here I am.”

  “Good. Isa’s supposed to be coming in tonight with her boyfriend for the first time.”

  “Gotcha. I’ll take care of them.” Angelina washed her hands and dried them on a towel, then leaned against the kitchen counter. “How are things with Mandy?”

  Leo tied a bandanna around his head to keep his hair out of his eyes. “Everything’s fine, Angie.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Angelina disappeared out of the kitchen and Leo turned to his work station.

  Things were more than fine, if Leo were honest. Every moment he spent with Mandy only confirmed his feelings fo
r her. He felt certain she felt the same way. But every time he started to think about marriage, old thoughts of his broken engagement plagued his mind. He recognized that he wanted to marry Mandy, he just told himself it wasn’t the right time yet.

  Leo knew that his relationship with Mandy didn’t mirror his relationship with Carol Ann. The maturity, the friendship, the deep respect he felt when it came to Mandy took their relationship to an entirely different level.

  He knew it was the sort of relationship that could end in the kind of marriage he’d always hoped for. Why, then, did old fears resurface whenever he wanted to broach the topic with her?

  As the staff continued to fill the kitchen and the dinner rush began, Leo set aside thoughts of Mandy and marriage and poured himself into cooking.

  By the time Leo dragged himself out to his car that night after eleven o’clock, he felt too exhausted to think of anything. For some reason, he felt the urge to drive to his parents’ home and sleep in his old room. He jingled the keys in his pocket. Why not? His mother would be thrilled to see him at breakfast. Leo switched lanes and drove to the Romano family home.

  He parked in the driveway and used his house key to go inside. Something about the familiar place always comforted him. He dropped his coat on the sofa and headed to the stairs.

  “Leo?”

  Leo’s hair stood on end at the sound of his father’s voice. He noticed a light on in the kitchen and walked in that direction.

  “Dad, it’s me. I hope I didn’t alarm you. I just felt like waking up here at home tomorrow. You know, letting mom cook me breakfast.”

  His father sat at the kitchen table, an old scrapbook open in front of him. “She’ll be thrilled. You go on up and get some sleep.”

  But Leo pulled out a chair and sat next to his dad. “Why are you up?”

  “Insomnia, unfortunately. I’m not sleeping well these days. I didn’t want to disturb your mother. I started looking through some old photos, reminiscing. It’s the kind of thing old people enjoy doing,” he said wryly.

  Leo glanced at his father’s trembling hands. “It’s the kind of thing I enjoy, too. Let me take a look.” He pulled the scrapbook in his direction and flipped through the pages of old photos from his dad’s childhood. He turned to a page full of his parents’ wedding photos.