(BHM-FFA-Romance)
Author's note: Here's a prequel to my story 'A Little Out Of The Way Place'
Illustration by Broken Cassette on DeviantArt
Chapter 1: a story over coffee and cheese cake
The last customer had just left Iris' restaurant and the staff began the task of cleaning up and getting ready for the next days' business. Iris and Gina went over the evenings cash totals, and satisfied with the balance, placed the days take and locked it in the office safe to be deposited in the bank early in the morning.
As Iris and Gina went over the remainder of the business of the day, Bill and Carlo lumbered from the office living quarters carrying a couple of suitcases. They placed the suitcases into the trunk of Bill's car parked in front of the restaurant. With the suitcases secured and the trunk locked, the two large men gave each other a small salute and reentered the restaurant.
"Iris sweetie", Bill called out, "The suitcases are in the trunk. What time is our flight leaving again?"
"Not till 1:30 AM, Bill", Iris answered.
Bill looked at his watch which showed 11:00 PM.
"I'm glad we got the late flight, and that we were able to close the place earlier tonight. Thank goodness for slow Tuesdays", Bill said to Carlo.
"Yes", Carlo agreed in his gruff accent, "slow Tuesdays very good. Gina and me can have night off after staff leave".
"Yep", smiled Bill, "and Iris and I can head to Hawaii for our little business vacation for the opening of our new restaurant there."
"Hawaii sounds so good", Carlo grinned. "Maybe I take Gina there one day."
"Well", Bill answered, "You two are due for some vacation time. Let Iris and me know and we'll set aside the time for you."
"Thank you Bill, I much appreciate it", Carlo smiled and the two men clasped their large, beefy hands and shook on it.
"Ok guys", Iris said as she and Gina entered the dining room, Gina holding a pot of coffee as Iris carried in a tray with four cups and a large dish of cheese cake. "We've got a little time before we have to drive to the airport. Let's say we just relax a little and talk before Bill and I leave."
"Great idea", Bill grinned as he took the tray from Iris and set it at their favorite table at the back of the restaurant. Gina set the coffee pot on the table as Carlo pulled two extra chairs and set them at the table. They all sat down and Gina began pouring the coffee as Iris cut the cake. She placed a big slice of cake in front of Bill who gave her one of his sly looks.
Gina also cut a large slice of cake and placed it in front of Carlo who gave it one of his funny looks and then he turned to Gina.
"You sure not too big a slice for me?" he asked in his funny, gruff accent. Gina returned his glance and patted Carlo's big stomach.
"I'm sure, it's not too big a slice for you", Gina said lovingly in her soft, accented voice, and gave Carlo a quick peck on the cheek, causing Carlo's face to go a little red in front of Bill and Iris, who were looking on with slight amusement.
Bill cleared his throat as he started to scoop a piece of cake onto his fork. "So um, tell me Carlo, how did you and Gina meet? Iris told me a little about it, but I'd like to hear more about it from you".
"Oh well", Carlo said, fumbling his words as he tried to recollect. "Um, Miss Iris hire me to work as chef here in her restaurant. Gina was server here and we met."
Then Carlo took a sip from his coffee and scooped a piece of cake into his mouth.
"That's it?", Bill blinked. That's all there is to the story? I thought there was more to it than that."
Iris gave a small laugh. "There is", she chuckled. "Carlo has a habit of leaving out important details".
"Very true", Gina smiled. "My Carlo is like a clam, have to pry it out of him sometimes."
Then turning to Carlo, Gina spoke to him in a soft, coaxing voice. "Carlo, my darling. Please, tell more of the story to Bill."
She gave Carlo another kiss on his cheek to encourage him.
"Oh, Okay", Carlo answered, his large face blushing a little. "It go back some years ago, when Miss Iris was first starting business and came to visit my country."
Bill and Iris quietly sipped their cups and munched on their cakes as Carlo began his story, Gina holding on to his big beefy arm to give him support as he told the tale.
Author's note: Here's a prequel to my story 'A Little Out Of The Way Place'
Illustration by Broken Cassette on DeviantArt
Gina & Carlo: A Love Story In Several Courses
by RVGleason
by RVGleason
Chapter 1: a story over coffee and cheese cake
The last customer had just left Iris' restaurant and the staff began the task of cleaning up and getting ready for the next days' business. Iris and Gina went over the evenings cash totals, and satisfied with the balance, placed the days take and locked it in the office safe to be deposited in the bank early in the morning.
As Iris and Gina went over the remainder of the business of the day, Bill and Carlo lumbered from the office living quarters carrying a couple of suitcases. They placed the suitcases into the trunk of Bill's car parked in front of the restaurant. With the suitcases secured and the trunk locked, the two large men gave each other a small salute and reentered the restaurant.
"Iris sweetie", Bill called out, "The suitcases are in the trunk. What time is our flight leaving again?"
"Not till 1:30 AM, Bill", Iris answered.
Bill looked at his watch which showed 11:00 PM.
"I'm glad we got the late flight, and that we were able to close the place earlier tonight. Thank goodness for slow Tuesdays", Bill said to Carlo.
"Yes", Carlo agreed in his gruff accent, "slow Tuesdays very good. Gina and me can have night off after staff leave".
"Yep", smiled Bill, "and Iris and I can head to Hawaii for our little business vacation for the opening of our new restaurant there."
"Hawaii sounds so good", Carlo grinned. "Maybe I take Gina there one day."
"Well", Bill answered, "You two are due for some vacation time. Let Iris and me know and we'll set aside the time for you."
"Thank you Bill, I much appreciate it", Carlo smiled and the two men clasped their large, beefy hands and shook on it.
"Ok guys", Iris said as she and Gina entered the dining room, Gina holding a pot of coffee as Iris carried in a tray with four cups and a large dish of cheese cake. "We've got a little time before we have to drive to the airport. Let's say we just relax a little and talk before Bill and I leave."
"Great idea", Bill grinned as he took the tray from Iris and set it at their favorite table at the back of the restaurant. Gina set the coffee pot on the table as Carlo pulled two extra chairs and set them at the table. They all sat down and Gina began pouring the coffee as Iris cut the cake. She placed a big slice of cake in front of Bill who gave her one of his sly looks.
Gina also cut a large slice of cake and placed it in front of Carlo who gave it one of his funny looks and then he turned to Gina.
"You sure not too big a slice for me?" he asked in his funny, gruff accent. Gina returned his glance and patted Carlo's big stomach.
"I'm sure, it's not too big a slice for you", Gina said lovingly in her soft, accented voice, and gave Carlo a quick peck on the cheek, causing Carlo's face to go a little red in front of Bill and Iris, who were looking on with slight amusement.
Bill cleared his throat as he started to scoop a piece of cake onto his fork. "So um, tell me Carlo, how did you and Gina meet? Iris told me a little about it, but I'd like to hear more about it from you".
"Oh well", Carlo said, fumbling his words as he tried to recollect. "Um, Miss Iris hire me to work as chef here in her restaurant. Gina was server here and we met."
Then Carlo took a sip from his coffee and scooped a piece of cake into his mouth.
"That's it?", Bill blinked. That's all there is to the story? I thought there was more to it than that."
Iris gave a small laugh. "There is", she chuckled. "Carlo has a habit of leaving out important details".
"Very true", Gina smiled. "My Carlo is like a clam, have to pry it out of him sometimes."
Then turning to Carlo, Gina spoke to him in a soft, coaxing voice. "Carlo, my darling. Please, tell more of the story to Bill."
She gave Carlo another kiss on his cheek to encourage him.
"Oh, Okay", Carlo answered, his large face blushing a little. "It go back some years ago, when Miss Iris was first starting business and came to visit my country."
Bill and Iris quietly sipped their cups and munched on their cakes as Carlo began his story, Gina holding on to his big beefy arm to give him support as he told the tale.
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