Relentless Pursuit

by Lulu Pratt

  “Is there something funny?”

  “Not at all.”

  “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t decide to hire Nancy.”

  “You can’t blame this on her.”

  “I can, and I do. Are you defending her?”

  He doesn’t offer an answer. “I know you don’t like her, Maddie, and I’m pretty sure I know why.”

  Okay, my turn to stay quiet.

  “Want some help?” he asks, pulling an apron from a cupboard. He moves close to me and watches for a minute, then he falls into place as if he has done this a million times before.

  “I have to admit, I was a little surprised that you offered to do all of this,” he says as he pulls at the dough on the counter, stretching it and kneading it into a ball.

  “Do all of what?”

  “All these desserts. They are some of the hardest to accomplish.”

  “I didn’t offer.”

  “Ah,” he says matter-of-factly. “Another one of Joanne’s tests. She likes to push those she believes in.”

  I smile a little. It makes what I’m doing seem a little more tolerable and doable, knowing the woman I work for believes in me.

  “If it makes a difference, Maddie, I believe in you too.”

  “Thank you,” I say humbly.

  I can feel the heat between us as we talk about how long he has been in the business and why I chose the culinary arts. The tension is thick but neither of us crosses the line, even though I flirt on the border of it. Every time he reaches over me to get a couple eggs, I can feel the heat of his body.

  Just as we finish the last of the desserts, Joanne pops in and smiles at the countertop covered with my newly created accomplishments. She sweeps the kitchen area with her eyes. There are several desserts lining the counter as I put the finishing touches on the last of the baklava.

  “I do believe we are finished. I have another batch of pies coming out of the oven. After I top them, that should be all.”

  “Maddie, I am impressed. I honestly didn’t think you could do it when I initially asked you. When the incident happened, I was sure we would be without dessert this evening. Between the specialty desserts and our signature cakes, you did it. You got everything done.”

  The cakes! I feel the blood drain from my face. I didn’t make the cakes! Bistro Italiano is known for their signature cakes and every week they sell out of them. I look at the clock and it’s almost four-thirty. There is no way to make them in time, even with help. I screwed up. It’s time to admit defeat.

  “Joanne?”

  “Give me just a moment, Maddie. I hear my office phone. I will be right back.”

  She disappears from the kitchen and I scramble around in hopes that some miracle helps me put four different cakes together and get them ready in the next half hour. I run into the supply room and pull as much as I can carry off the shelves.

  “Maddie?” Rocco’s voice stops me for a moment. I can’t give him the time of day right now. “Stop what you are doing and come out here please.”

  “I’m busy at the moment, Rocco. It will have to wait.”

  “No, it can’t. Come here, now.”

  His forcefulness causes my breath to catch and I slowly walk into the kitchen with my arms full of ingredients.

  “You won’t be needing those.”

  I look at the counter as he sets the last of four cake display stands with covers next to my pies.

  “What is this?”

  “I knew that you would be too busy to prepare everything, especially after what had happened, so I took the liberty of preparing these.”

  “You are kidding.” I put the boxes down and dash over to the displays, pulling the tops off two of them. Each one holds a signature cake, perfectly decorated and ready to be served. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “Stepping up and stepping in is what a boss does. I hope this helps.”

  “What is it you needed, Maddie?” Joanne walks back in and looks at the food. “Everything smells delicious.” She stands and looks at me, waiting for me to speak.

  “I, um,” I glance at Rocco as he takes a small slice out of one of the cakes.

  “Good job on the chocolate mousse cake,” he says, shoving a forkful into his mouth. He winks at me and turns away.

  “Rocco took care of it,” I say, smiling.

  “Very good. Everything is ready?”

  “Yes.”

  She smiles and hesitates, looking at the dishes and then back at me. “Duly noted.”

  All through dinner, my mind is on Rocco. Maybe I am wrong about him. I know it’s been tough fighting the feelings I have for him. Everything tells me I need to talk to him about it. Open communication is the key to any good relationship, even a business relationship, right? If I tell him everything, maybe I’ll get a better idea on how to move forward. After the dinner crowd thins out, I find Rocco in his office going through receipts.

  “Can I talk to you?” I ask, standing in his doorway.

  “Absolutely, come in.”

  I walk in and quietly close the door. “I want to thank you for what you did for me today. If it weren’t for you, I would have…”

  “It’s okay, Maddie. You were struggling. It’s the least I can do.”

  I sit down in a chair against the wall and fidget with my bracelet. “Can I be honest with you about something?”

  “Of course.” He sets down his pile of receipts and turns to me giving me his full attention.

  I swallow a lump in my throat and take a breath. “From the day I met you, I feel like…”

  His door opens without warning and Nancy walks in, past me and stands directly in front of me.

  “I need to talk to you, Rocco,” she demands.

  “What is it?”

  “I’ll wait until Joanne joins us. This is something you both will want to hear.”

  Chapter 8

  ROCCO

  Nancy is angry about something so I wait patiently for Joanne to join us. She blocks Maddie from my sight until Joanne walks in and takes her position by my side.

  “Okay, what seems to be the problem?” I ask.

  Nancy puts her hand on her hip and leans forward on my desk. “I don’t think I can work in a place like this.”

  “What is the issue?”

  “It’s the food she made.” She turns and glares directly at Maddie. I wasn’t aware she knew Maddie was even in the room. “Do you have any idea how many complaints I had to deal with tonight?”

  “What was there a problem with, specifically?” Joanne asks, concerned.

  “Well, the strawberry upside-down cake she made was horrific and that chocolate mousse almost made one family sick.” She cocks her head to the side before turning back to me and Joanne. This girl is out for Maddie and I’m pretty sure I know why. Jealousy is a senseless, yet vulgar feeling that makes people do crazy things.

  “Were there any complaints about the other desserts?” I ask before anyone says anything else.

  “No, I mean, there were no praises about them, but I guess they were okay.”

  “Maddie?” Joanne is quite concerned. “I thought everything went smoothly. You told me it was all set.”

  “I am, I mean, I was.” She shoots me a worried glance.

  “Joanne, I made the cakes,” I admit.

  All heads turn to me, their mouths gaping open.

  “What, Rocco? Why are you doing Maddie’s job?” Joanna crosses her arms and cocks her head.

  “Joanne, you ask her to make four almost impossible desserts in one day and even after they were destroyed, you didn’t offer to change the menus or offer a helping hand. I knew Maddie had her hands full before the sabotage,” I stress, looking at Nancy, “so I took it upon myself to make the cakes at my apartment and bring them in. I know it isn’t the proper way to do things, but it was necessary given the circumstances.”

  “Wait a minute. You tasted them, Rocco,” Joanne says. “I watched you.”

  “
And they were damned good too.”

  “Nancy? Are any of the customers who have complained still here?”

  “No,” Nancy says, shifting her weight. “They… left. They didn’t stick around. They probably wanted to get out of here as quick as possible.”

  “Did you get their information?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Why wasn’t I or Rocco informed immediately when there were so many complaints?”

  “I thought…” Nancy’s face turns red with embarrassment when her ploy to sabotage Maddie backfires. “I thought I could handle it.”

  “Did you?”

  “Maybe I was wrong. I’m sorry.”

  I look into her eyes and clench my jaw. “Nancy, I’m going to ask you something and I want a straight and honest answer. Your job here depends on it. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes,” she says in a demure voice.

  “Did you destroy Maddie’s desserts last night?” I press my glare into her and wait for her to lie about it.

  “No, I didn’t. I was just as shocked at the horrible mess as you were. I mean, who could have done such a thing?”

  “Thank you, that will be all.”

  I silently wish for Joanne to follow Nancy out of my office, leaving Maddie with me to continue the conversation she wanted to have in private, but Maddie is the first one to leave. I can’t blame her. In my heart, I know what she wants to tell me. I need to tell her as well, my feelings for her, my need to be around her, my desire to please her. But I need to take care of this first.

  Chapter 9

  MADDIE

  I quickly leave Rocco’s office, not looking back until I’m out the front door and in a cab. Just as I get into my apartment, my phone goes off. I pull it from my purse and read a text from Rocco.

  Meet me for a drink.

  A drink? Should I? Isn’t this against company policy? He texts me again.

  I’d really like to see you.

  I smile at the idea.

  Maybe continue our conversation before we were interrupted. Don’t feel bad about what happened. I will deal with Nancy.

  I hesitate, but only for a moment. I want to meet him, but I’m not ready. I need time to let this Nancy thing play out and dissolve. I close my phone and turn off the ringer before piling myself into bed.

  *

  I get into the restaurant early to get started on the menu for the day. I like the quiet but it is short lived when I hear the front door open. I look at the clock and assume I will see or hear Joanne very soon. When Rocco walks into the kitchen, my heart speeds up and I look at the clock again.

  “What brings you in so early?” I ask.

  “Joanne has some personal business to attend to. I told her I would come in to be sure everything goes well.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. Nothing to worry about.”

  When he leans against the counter and watches me, my stomach begins to form a knot and an uneasy feeling creeps in.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes,” I say a little too quickly. “Everything is great.” I turn away from him to grab a pie tin, pretending not to see it right away so I can get my bearings about me. Why is he making me so nervous?

  “I texted you last night.”

  “I know, Rocco. I’m sorry I didn’t respond. I didn’t get them until this morning. I was so tired from what happened yesterday, I fell asleep as soon as I got home.”

  “Maybe tonight?”

  “Um, maybe.” I try to keep my voice upbeat but the way he is looking at me, I’m sure he can sense I am trying to put him off.

  “Listen, Maddie. I don’t want to play games with you. I think I know what you wanted to tell me,” he says.

  My heart speeds up another notch and I find myself fidgeting with the ingredients, not really knowing what I’m tossing together.

  “I just want to let you know that I feel…”

  “Good morning!” A bright and cheery Nancy bounces into the kitchen, interrupting Rocco’s confession at precisely the right time. She leans over the counter in front of Rocco as if he isn’t there and looks at me. “Can we talk, Maddie? Please?” She looks so sincere and almost lost.

  I grab the opportunity, glancing at Rocco before I wipe my hands on my apron and I give all my attention to Nancy. Rocco turns away and walks out of the kitchen and my heart drops.

  I’m not interested in what she has to say any longer. My main goal is to keep Rocco from confessing something I’m not ready to hear and I accomplished that. Now I feel crummy and want to make it right with him. My eyes trail after him as he disappears from sight and all I’m left with is Nancy.

  “Listen,” Nancy continues.

  “I want to sincerely apologize for the way I acted yesterday. I was jealous and I shouldn’t have been.”

  “You’re sorry?”

  “From the bottom of my heart.”

  “For destroying my desserts?”

  “Oh, no. For trying to get you into trouble with Joanne and Rocco. I didn’t destroy your desserts.”

  “I know you did, Nancy.”

  “I assure you, Maddie.” She is so convincing and sweet that I want to vomit. “If I knew who did that to you, I would have said something, but it wasn’t me. I will admit to trying to make you look bad in front of Rocco, only because I thought I liked him. But I can clearly see how you two feel about each other and I know when to back off.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I stop putting my pie filling together as I try to figure out what her angle is.

  “Not at all. I want you to know that he is yours. I can see you are shy around him, but I think you should go for it. Rocco is a great catch,” she says, looking back at the door with enamor all over her face.

  I do not believe her little act, but maybe she is right.

  “So, why the change of heart?”

  “I see the way he looks at you and I just wish I had that again.”

  “Again?”

  She nods with a solemn look in her eyes. “I was so in love once. He was my everything. When I lived back in Franklin, Minnesota, we ruled the town together.”

  My heart begins to hurt for her as she unravels her love story gone wrong.

  “What happened?”

  “We were together for two years and he dumped me for Tanya Messinger.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too. Small town like that, you can’t get away from it. That’s why I moved out here. I thought it was time to work on my acting career.”

  “How long have you been in New York?”

  “Long enough to know that it doesn’t happen overnight, or within a few months, or possibly never.”

  Maybe I am a little hard on Nancy. I begin to sympathize with her. It can’t be easy changing your whole life because of a breakup.

  “Can we get together after work, Nancy? Maybe we can come up with a plan.”

  “I’d like that,” she says, smiling.

  I smile back, praying I am making the right decision.

  My shift ends a few hours before Nancy’s does so I take the courage I have worked up through the day and I find myself looking for Rocco’s name on the list of buttons on his apartment building. I push the buzzer next to his name and I have to fight myself to stay put long enough to justify why I’m there.

  “Hello?” I hear his voice over the speaker.

  I open my mouth to talk, but nothing comes out. This is wrong. What am I doing? I back away from the speaker and scurry down the stairs to the street.

  “Maddie?” His voice is much clearer.

  I freeze and close my eyes. My heart pounds through my chest and my mouth dries up. When I turn around, Rocco is standing in the doorway, his face smiling at me. I slowly walk back to him with my hands balled up together.

  Chapter 10

  ROCCO

  When I open the main door and see Maddie there, my heart speeds up. I never imagined I’d get a chance with her.

>   “Maddie, come in. Please.”

  I hold the door open for her until she brushes against me as she walks into the building. I walk her up to the second floor and invite her into my apartment. When she hesitates before entering, I know why she is here. I smile again as I try to play it cool.

  “Would you like a drink?”

  “No, thank you. Actually, yes. Wine or beer would be great.”

  She follows me to the kitchen and I hand her a cold bottle of beer. I watch her as she struggles to open it then tip it back, drinking about half the bottle.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. I am, I just…”

  “Come here. Sit with me.” I cover her hands with mine and I can feel her tremble. “We don’t have to talk.” I lean to her and I kiss her forehead. My lips linger on her skin as I pick up the familiar scent of her shampoo. I close my eyes and inhale deeply. “God, you smell good,” I whisper. I kiss the side of her face, inhaling deeply again. I hear her breath catch when I slide my fingers up her arm. I kiss her cheek as I raise her face to mine. I watch her open her gorgeous brown eyes and they penetrate me to my soul.

  It’s hard to tear away from them, but I do, only to look at her lips, so full and luscious. She parts them slightly and they beg me to kiss them. I cup my hands around her face, giving her a moment to pull away, but she doesn’t. Her breathing is shorter and faster. Her eyes don’t leave my face.

  I savor the moment before my lips touch hers. That moment of angst knowing I will finally get what I want. Knowing I will feel her lips touch mine. I will taste her tongue on mine. I will feel her close to me again. I pray she doesn’t pull away from me this time.

  “Maddie,” I whisper. The feel of her lip brushes against mine and she leans in, pressing her mouth into me. I lose the ability to breathe for a moment, realizing I finally have her here with me, the way I need her to be. I wrap my arms around her and deepen the kiss. The sweetest gasp escapes her and it penetrates me to my core. My mouth opens and is greeted with the tip of her tongue as it glides along my top lip. My cock jumps to attention and wants to take control but I subdue it with a deep breath before I allow myself to go further.