The Guy Next Door

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Placing the last dish in the cupboard I draped the slightly damp tea towel on the oven handle, finally done drying the dishes from dinner. Dinner went pretty smoothly if you don't count Marbella grilling me from across the table and Wes's constant absence from the table every ten minutes or so, I asked where he went but was brushed off each time. Other than those minor glitches tonight went better than I expected and to thank the Wes's family for their hospitality I afforded to assist Anna in the kitchen since she made the meal the least I could have done was help clean up. At first she refused straight away but I wasn't taking no as an answer.

"Thanks again, although you're the guest you shouldn't have been cleaning up." she said me

"I wanted to help." I reminded her and watched her set a small scoop of espresso ice cream beside the generously portioned size of chocolate cake

Each miniature plate looked like something out of a gourmet restaurant, the way Anna placed the cake in a slight thirty-five degree angle so the softened ice cream would melt around the cake resembling a molt rather than drip onto the cake cause it to become soggy. The details and thought put behind Anna's dishes tonight were very impressive and had me wondering why she wasn't off on her own restaurant putting her talents to use and getting recognized.

"You're staring." she smiled with her head set downwards

Rather than dwell on how she knew I was staring I asked the question buzzing around in my head like a pesky fly "Why aren't you working in a higher classed restaurant? I don't mean to pry but you have talent that deserves to be seen."

Setting the scooper down she straightened her posture so we were eye to eye "I've always had a passion for food just like my dad, he taught me everything I know after realizing my love for culinary. As I grew so did my skills especially after my parents bought our restaurant, I learned further from the other cooks that worked there and I was ready to start my dream."

"So what happened?"

Weaving her fingers in front of her she lowered her gaze, a sad smile occupying her lips "I took a summer trip to Italy courtesy of my mom who thought slaving in a crowded, busy kitchen would be a waste of my life. She thought I could use a little freedom before applying for any jobs. It was that summer that I met my brother's childhood friend and our old neighbor."

"Dominic."

Her full lips stretched "I didn't plan on any relationship let alone one with a man I thought I hated or to willingly leave behind everything I thought I wanted for him." she added with a shrug "My short vacation turned into a year and a wedding in the old village I grew up in."

"That's so romantic." I gushed wondering how wonderful it would be if I were swept off my feet by an Italian hunk in Italy

She picked up the scooper and scoffed at my hopeful sigh "Trust me the was the furthest thing from romantic. Dominic's knew what he wanted while I was confused and torn between what I wanted and what I needed. Our first month together was a roll coaster ride of me crying at night, screaming I hate him and falling into a fit of rage where I almost lost the one thing I hold so precious."

"Really?" I asked in shock

She nodded and finished the last of the plates "Nothing about the beginning of our relationship was easy and that was my fault, I was too scared to let go of what I knew and take a chance on something my very soul craved."

"How did you decide?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me

"It's not as hard as I first thought." she spoke as she placed each plate on a large serving tray "All I had to was-"