Can't Fool Me Twice: Sweet Contemporary Romance: Belles in the City Book 1

by Mayne, Debby

  She sat down in the booth and nervously glanced around. One of the customers at the table a few feet away grinned at her. She smiled back but quickly turned around. She wasn't in the mood to strike up a conversation about why she'd just arrived at work, only to take a lunch break before she started working.

  Dante and Riley, the new head cook who'd recently moved to New York from Alabama, carried plates of food to the table. "This is more than I would have gotten," she said as she skimmed the bowls of chicken and dumplings, greens, beans, and other vegetables.

  "What I have to say might take a while." Dante laughed. Dante looked around at the food. "It all looked so good I couldn't resist."

  "I think he's a southern boy at heart," Riley said. "Can I get y'all anything else?"

  "Not now, but thanks." After Dante dismissed Riley, he looked over at Sunny. "I was worried when my mother's cousin had to quit, but Riley's working out just fine."

  "Yeah, in fact, he fits right in."

  Dante smiled and nodded his agreement. "Do you want to say the blessing, or should I?"

  "Why don't you do it?" Sunny tried to disguise her surprise over Dante volunteering to say the prayer. Although he claimed to be a Christian, until he met Judd, he didn't go to church regularly. Now, though, he managed to be there most Sundays.

  He cleared his throat and began, "Lord, thank you for this beautiful day and for the opportunity for Sunny and me to enjoy lunch together. I pray that she will find it in her heart to forgive me for messing up before we even met. I've already asked Your forgiveness, and you've given it to me. I'm thankful for that. Please bless this delicious food that we are about to eat. In Your name, Jesus, we pray." Dante paused. "Amen."

  As Sunny listened to Dante's blessing, something struck her hard, smack dab between the eyes. She realized something important. She'd been blessed by God's forgiveness for her many mistakes, yet she'd been too stubborn to grant Dante the same thing.

  She opened her eyes, took a good look at Dante, and blinked. He didn't look any different, but she now saw him differently. She saw someone who truly wanted to be forgiven, and now she realized she should forgive him. It wouldn't be easy, but she was ready to work on it.

  "Dante," she said slowly, never taking her gaze off of his. "About this whole forgiveness thing …" She swallowed hard. "I think I really need to give you another chance … that is, if you'll give me another chance."

  The look of pure delight covered his face. "That's all I want—another chance."

  They ate their lunch with light conversation and plenty of smiles. Although she still had a tiny niggling of doubt in the back of her mind, Sunny felt as though she was doing the right thing ... sort of.

  They'd barely finished eating when they got slammed. "I really need to get back to work," Sunny said as she stood.

  "Put me to work too." Dante placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I meant what I said about helping out."

  She allowed herself to enjoy a few seconds of unspoken communication with Dante, but she couldn't forget where she was. "Okay, why don't you seat people while I clear the table?"

  "I have a better idea …" His voice trailed off. "I'm here to help, and you're the manager, so I'll clear the table while you take care of something else."

  "Smart man," Estelle said as she walked past. "I'll help you clear the table as soon as I put this stuff down."

  The afternoon went by in a flash, with Dante doing a mix of things—from seating people to busing and helping the kitchen with prep work when things slowed down between lunch and dinner. Sunny was amazed by how little direction he needed.

  "How do you know to do all this?" she asked as she stopped for a moment to drink a glass of water.

  He shrugged. "Remember, my family has been in the restaurant business since long before I was born. I was raised doing all the jobs in a restaurant."

  Sunny thought about the differences between her upbringing and Dante's. He'd always known what he wanted to do, and he had choices. She still wasn't sure about her career, but it was all she knew how to do. She'd taken the first job she could find right out of high school, and now she was doing the same thing. It wasn't exactly her choice, but she didn't mind it either. It was comfortable—at least until Dante entered her life.

  After the last dinner guest left, Sunny went to work cleaning. Without being asked, Dante picked up the sweeper and started running it. They finished up for the day in half the time it usually took.

  "You ought to come around more often," Estelle said.

  "I would if I thought it would help." Dante grinned at Estelle and then at Sunny. "But I have a feeling I'd get in the way."

  Estelle flashed a look of understanding at Sunny and then turned to Dante. "Maybe you can talk her into putting you on the schedule."

  After Estelle left them alone, Dante took Sunny's hand. "I wasn't kidding when I said I'd work everyday if you want me to."

  "The question is, do you want to?" She held his gaze in spite of the churning sensation in her abdomen.

  "Actually, that wouldn't be a bad idea. I still have some administrative things to do in the office, but on days when I can get away, I can come here and do whatever you need."

  Sunny's feelings were mixed. On the one hand, having him help would relieve them of their tight schedules and heavy workload. However, the distraction might prove to be more than she could handle.

  "Why don't we play it by ear?" he finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "I'll start tomorrow, and then we'll take it a day at a time." He tilted his head toward her and lowered his voice. "You take the lead and let me know what you want, okay?"

  She nodded. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Dante's way of continuing to make amends for his deception. She knew he needed to do this even more than she needed the extra help in the diner.

  Once all the lights were turned off, she slipped into her jacket and walked toward the door. "See you tomorrow, then."

  "Whoa," he said. "Not so fast."

  He reached for her arm and spun her around to face him. No one else was in the diner; they'd all gone home for the evening. Now that it was just the two of them, they could speak freely.

  "We're done for the night," she said softly.

  "We're done with the diner, yes, but you and I are definitely not done for the night."

  At that moment, she knew he was about to kiss her. Her lips quivered, and her knees weakened as he lowered his face to hers.

  Chapter 4

  When Dante pulled away, his eyes were half closed, and she wanted to pull him back for another kiss. But she didn't dare. Her emotions were too raw. She'd decided to give their relationship a chance, but this kiss put it on a deeper emotional level much more quickly than she expected.

  "I liked that," Dante said. "In fact, if the circumstances were different, I'd kiss you again, but I don't think that's a good idea right now."

  He was right, but that didn't negate the fact that he'd just grabbed a huge chunk of her heart. "I know. It's a terrible idea." She tried to make a goofy face but wasn't sure she pulled it off. "Too many kisses like could give a girl a heart attack."

  Dante tilted his head back, a goofy grin on his lips. "I didn't say it was a terrible ideas. I just think it's too soon to expect you to—"

  She lifted a finger and placed it on his lips. "Let's not talk about it, okay?" What she really wanted to do was yank him right back into another smooch, but what she planned to do was mentally process the one they just shared.

  "Can I take you home?"

  Sunny shook her head. "No, I think I need to go alone." She smiled. "But thanks. Maybe next time?"

  He nodded and smiled back. "Absolutely yes, next time."

  Dante hailed a cab, handed the driver some money, and blew Sunny a kiss. Trying her best to remain calm, she managed a smile while her insides continued shaking like a bunch of leaves in a windstorm. Falling in love with this man was dangerous, and if something happen
ed, she knew she'd get the short end of the stick. Although she promised to give him another chance, she needed to take things nice and slow, or she'd always wonder if she made the right decision.

  For the first time since Miss Lucille went into rehab, Sunny wasn't lonely. She felt as though she was floating around the house as her lips still tingled with the kiss.

  Falling asleep was easy, but her dreams were all over the place, and she kept waking up, unsure of where she was. It was long past midnight when she prayed for restful sleep and a sense of peace. She kept that prayer in her mind as she drifted back to sleep.

  She awoke feeling somewhat refreshed but still thinking about last night. Thankfully, Estelle had offered to open for the early breakfast crowd, and she didn't have to be at the diner until mid-morning.

  Since she had a couple of hours to kill, she called Miss Lucille to check on her. "How did things go with Bubba Dante yesterday?"

  Sunny thought for a moment. She hadn't mentioned anything about seeing him. "What do you mean?"

  Miss Lucille laughed. "He told Judd who told Bethann who told me that he was going to hang out with you at the diner. She called me last night to ask if I'd spoken with you about it yet."

  "Oh." She should have known. "It went okay."

  "Just okay?"

  "It went really well."

  "Want to talk about it?" Miss Lucille was relentless, and Sunny knew that if she didn't expound, the questions would continue until the older woman was satisfied.

  "He came to help out. We had lunch together, and afterward, he pitched in and worked at the diner."

  "Did he get in the way?"

  "No, in fact, he was a huge help. We managed to go home earlier than normal after closing."

  Miss Lucille sighed. "I always thought it would be wonderful to find a man who knew his way around a kitchen. As much as I loved and appreciated both of my husbands, neither of them could do more than pour a glass of water. What else happened?"

  Sunny thought about the kiss, but that was something she wanted to keep to herself. "We just talked a little bit, and he asked me to give him another chance."

  "Now we're getting to the good stuff." Miss Lucille's voice took on a girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone. "What did you say?"

  "I said I would."

  "And I hope you meant it. Bubba Dante is a sweet man who made a mistake. I don't know a single solitary person on this earth who hasn't made a mistake."

  "This was a doozy, though."

  "I agree, but at least you're doing what I think the Lord would want you to do."

  Sunny had talked enough about herself, and now it was time to change the subject. "So how's the therapy coming along?"

  "Oh, didn't Bethann tell you? They're releasing me in a couple of days, as soon as they can get all my home visits lined up with the therapists."

  "But I thought—"

  "That it would be another week or so? Me too. But the therapist said he thinks I've made all the progress I can at the rehab center, and now they're going to put more emphasis on occupational therapy in more normal surroundings. They said they'll work with me until I'm able to cook a full meal for myself." She chuckled. "That'll be a first. Apparently no one told them I've never known how to cook."

  "You can cook," Sunny argued.

  "Yeah, but only if it comes from a box with extremely good directions. I think I'll have to bake a cake from scratch or something."

  Sunny glanced at the clock. "I'm excited you'll be coming home. I'll get your room ready."

  "Don't worry about that. Just tell the cleaning service to dust everything."

  "I'll make sure you have all your favorite reading materials in your study and beside your bed."

  "Sunny, you're a sweet girl. I don't know what I would have done if Bethann hadn't brought you home."

  "You would have done just fine, but I'm glad she brought me home with her too." Sunny didn't want to keep talking, or she risked Miss Lucille asking more questions about Dante. "Call me back when you have an arrival time. I'd like to be here."

  "Okay, I get the message. But remember that after I get home, you and I are gonna have a girl-to-girl talk … about you and Bubba Dante"

  Sunny heard her loud and clear. "See you soon."

  "Love you, sweetie."

  After Sunny hung up, she sank back in the large, overstuffed chair and thought about what she had to look forward to. First of all, Miss Lucille would keep her busy with the cooking and chitchats she enjoyed so much. Second, Bethann would probably stop by more often to see her great-aunt. As it was now, Bethann didn't have much time left over after visiting the rehab center. And third, she'd have to explain her feelings about Dante, which would be difficult since she had a hard enough time understanding them herself. But she knew things were different now, and she sure did love his kisses.

  *

  Determined now more than ever, Dante set up his schedule to include full days at the diner. His dad once told him he'd be better off making occasional visits because it made the employees nervous to have the owner underfoot all the time. They also liked to know that they were trusted with the business.

  However, Bubba's Home Cookin' was different. Dante had managed to hire people who were confident in their skills and even more comfortable in their southern ways, and they didn't seem fazed in the least by his presence. Even Sunny managed to do her job as though he weren't there, even when he stood right behind her.

  He was about to leave the family business office when Anthony rounded the corner. "Hey, I took a message for you earlier. Did you see it?"

  "No." Dante tilted his head. "What's the message?"

  "You know that place you were looking at over in Harlem?"

  Dante squinted his eyes. He hadn't looked for a place in Harlem since before he opened Bubba's. "It's been a while, but yes."

  "Apparently the tenant has left the building, and the owner is looking for someone to come in and take over the lease."

  "I'm not paying what the other guy offered." That was why he'd been outbid, but he couldn't afford a higher price. Still, though, the Harlem location was perfect as an up-and-coming area ripe for the type of food Bubba's served.

  Anthony grinned. "That's the beauty of it. The other guy couldn't afford it either, which was why he left in the middle of the night. It's been sitting there vacant for more than a month, and the realtor said the owner is willing to take what you originally offered."

  This was something Dante never expected. He wanted to open more restaurants after the first one was in the profit column for at least a year, which was drawing close.

  "Why don't you come down a little on your offer?" Anthony said. "He sounded desperate."

  In the past, Dante would have taken advantage of someone's desperation, but what he'd offered had been a fair price—one he was willing to pay. But he doubted Anthony would understand that, so he didn't argue. He also needed to think about it before he made an offer.

  "Did you get his number?" Dante asked.

  "Yes, of course. I put it on your—" Anthony paused for a second. "No wonder you didn't get the message. I got sidetracked. Hang tight, and I'll go get it for you."

  Dante stood still while his brother ran to his office and then returned with a slip of paper. "Thanks."

  Anthony placed his hand on Dante's shoulder. "I wouldn't wait too long, or someone else will come along and snap it right up. That's prime real estate for a restaurant."

  "Yes, I know. I'll call him first thing in the morning."

  "What's the matter with right now?"

  Dante didn't want to rush into anything. He definitely wanted the real estate, but even if he didn't get it, he knew he'd be fine.

  "C'mon, Dante. Where's that sense of urgency you used to have?"

  Dante shrugged. "I might have grown up a little. But I'll call."

  Anthony shook his head. "If you weren't my brother, I'd call and pull it right out from under you. I hope you don't wait until it's too late."


  If it was meant to be, it would happen. One night shouldn't make that much difference.

  As soon as Dante got outside, he bowed his head and asked the Lord for guidance. When he opened his eyes, he knew if God wanted him to have the space, tomorrow morning wouldn't be too late.

  The next morning, Dante got to the office early and called the realtor first thing. The property in Harlem was still available, and the owner would be delighted to let him have it for the price he'd originally offered. Dante asked if that was as low as the owner would go, and after a short pause, the realtor said maybe, that the owner was desperate and needed to find someone quickly.

  "Let me get back to you on that," Dante said. "I need to speak with my attorney."

  As soon as he had Judd on the line, he explained the situation. Judd agreed that the price was fair, but he didn't think there was anything wrong with offering less.

  "Unless," he said, "there's a reason he needs more. Have you asked if he owes any money on the property? If he does, there's the risk that a lower amount would put him in a negative cash flow position, and you don't want him to default."

  "I want to do a fair deal," Dante said. "Both parties should come out satisfied."

  "Why don't you let me do a little research and make a quick call?" Judd asked. "I'll get back with you as soon as I know something."

  "Call my cell phone. I'm going to help out at the diner for the rest of the day."

  Judd laughed. "Oh, the things we'll do for the women we love."

  "I just wish I knew what she was thinking," Dante said. "It's so hard to tell."

  "If you figure it out, let me know how you did it. Even being married to Bethann, I'm not always sure what's going on with her. Maybe the mystery of it is part of the allure."

  "You're probably right."

  They chatted some more about the property in Harlem before they hung up. Dante said another prayer asking for guidance before heading over to the diner. When he got there, the place was packed, with a line going out the door and about twenty feet down the sidewalk.