Read Online Chas's Fervor: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 3) by Chiah Wilder - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chiah Wilder
Ads: Link
and we can be on our way.”
* * *
The savory smell of Italian dishes enticed Addie and Matt as they entered Little Peppina’s Restaurant. Garlic, basil, olive oil, and the pungent scent of Parmesan cheese drifted in the air and welcomed diners. The white stucco restaurant with the red-tiled roof had been family owned since 1933. Wrought-iron curlicues decorated the windows and the front door, and inside, the walls were decked with hand-painted murals of Naples. Booths along the walls, tables with white and red checkered tablecloths, and rustic Chianti bottle candleholders filled the room. Plastic red and green grapes on silk-leaved vines and colorful Italian pottery decorated the built-in shelves along the back wall. On the overhead speakers, Sicilian and Napolitano folk music played.
“It smells wonderful in here,” Addie said as she sat down.
“This is my favorite Italian restaurant. Have you been here before?”
“No. I love Italian food, so it’s good to find a new place to order takeout.”
After placing their order, Matt asked her questions about her life prior to coming to Pinewood Springs. Addie answered in generalities, always steering the conversation and questions back to him. How could she ever tell him the truth about herself? If he knew, she was sure he would run out of there before she could even begin to explain.
Matt had a wonderful sense of humor, and Addie found herself laughing more in the short time they were in the restaurant than she had in a long time. Surprisingly, she was actually enjoying herself.
Halfway through dinner, a small voice cried out, “Ms. O’Leary.”
Twisting her body sideways, she looked behind her and saw Jack waving at her as he marched toward her, his stone-faced father behind him.
“Whatcha doing here? We just finished eating. We had pizza. What’re you having?” Jack peered at Addie’s plate.
“I’m having baked ravioli. Was your pizza good?” Addie asked while avoiding Chas’s stare.
“It was so good, huh, Dad?” Jack tilted his head up and looked at Chas.
With his teeth biting down on his lower lip, Chas nodded, his stare boring into Addie.
“And we had spumtoni, too, Ms. O’Leary.” Jack placed his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter.
“ Spumoni ,” Addie corrected him. “I bet it was delicious.”
“It was.” Jack covered his mouth again as his body shook. “I don’t know why I keep laughing. I’m just happy. Tonight is the bestest.”
Addie, ready to correct his word usage, stopped when she saw the smile Jack’s comment brought to Chas’s stone-face. Her heart melted.
Flicking his look to Addie, his dark eyes pulled her in, and she felt a connection to him like she never had with any man. From the glimmer of surprise which flashed briefly across his face, she knew he felt the link, as well. Nodding at her in acknowledgement of what had just passed between them, Chas placed his hands on Jack’s shoulder.
“Come on, little buddy. Let Ms. O’Leary finish her dinner.”
“Who’s that?” Jack asked, pointing his finger at Matt.
Wincing, she said, “This is Matt.” She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten he was there. Whenever Chas came near her, she turned into an insipid mess. “This is Jack and Chas—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Chas pulled Jack toward him, scanned her face, and said, “Say goodbye to your teacher, buddy.”
“Bye.” Jack’s voice trailed off as Chas tugged him toward the exit.
Turning around, Addie met Chas’s dark, brooding look. Holding her stare for a heartbeat, he walked out the front door with Jack in tow.
“That was intense,” Matt said with a slight laugh.
“What?”
“That guy, whom I presume is the boy’s father. Does he have a thing for you?”
Making light of it, Addie replied, “Oh, no. He’s the Rochester type, you know, brooding with a dark storm swirling within. Jack is in my after-school reading circle at the library. He’s
* * *
The savory smell of Italian dishes enticed Addie and Matt as they entered Little Peppina’s Restaurant. Garlic, basil, olive oil, and the pungent scent of Parmesan cheese drifted in the air and welcomed diners. The white stucco restaurant with the red-tiled roof had been family owned since 1933. Wrought-iron curlicues decorated the windows and the front door, and inside, the walls were decked with hand-painted murals of Naples. Booths along the walls, tables with white and red checkered tablecloths, and rustic Chianti bottle candleholders filled the room. Plastic red and green grapes on silk-leaved vines and colorful Italian pottery decorated the built-in shelves along the back wall. On the overhead speakers, Sicilian and Napolitano folk music played.
“It smells wonderful in here,” Addie said as she sat down.
“This is my favorite Italian restaurant. Have you been here before?”
“No. I love Italian food, so it’s good to find a new place to order takeout.”
After placing their order, Matt asked her questions about her life prior to coming to Pinewood Springs. Addie answered in generalities, always steering the conversation and questions back to him. How could she ever tell him the truth about herself? If he knew, she was sure he would run out of there before she could even begin to explain.
Matt had a wonderful sense of humor, and Addie found herself laughing more in the short time they were in the restaurant than she had in a long time. Surprisingly, she was actually enjoying herself.
Halfway through dinner, a small voice cried out, “Ms. O’Leary.”
Twisting her body sideways, she looked behind her and saw Jack waving at her as he marched toward her, his stone-faced father behind him.
“Whatcha doing here? We just finished eating. We had pizza. What’re you having?” Jack peered at Addie’s plate.
“I’m having baked ravioli. Was your pizza good?” Addie asked while avoiding Chas’s stare.
“It was so good, huh, Dad?” Jack tilted his head up and looked at Chas.
With his teeth biting down on his lower lip, Chas nodded, his stare boring into Addie.
“And we had spumtoni, too, Ms. O’Leary.” Jack placed his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter.
“ Spumoni ,” Addie corrected him. “I bet it was delicious.”
“It was.” Jack covered his mouth again as his body shook. “I don’t know why I keep laughing. I’m just happy. Tonight is the bestest.”
Addie, ready to correct his word usage, stopped when she saw the smile Jack’s comment brought to Chas’s stone-face. Her heart melted.
Flicking his look to Addie, his dark eyes pulled her in, and she felt a connection to him like she never had with any man. From the glimmer of surprise which flashed briefly across his face, she knew he felt the link, as well. Nodding at her in acknowledgement of what had just passed between them, Chas placed his hands on Jack’s shoulder.
“Come on, little buddy. Let Ms. O’Leary finish her dinner.”
“Who’s that?” Jack asked, pointing his finger at Matt.
Wincing, she said, “This is Matt.” She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten he was there. Whenever Chas came near her, she turned into an insipid mess. “This is Jack and Chas—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Chas pulled Jack toward him, scanned her face, and said, “Say goodbye to your teacher, buddy.”
“Bye.” Jack’s voice trailed off as Chas tugged him toward the exit.
Turning around, Addie met Chas’s dark, brooding look. Holding her stare for a heartbeat, he walked out the front door with Jack in tow.
“That was intense,” Matt said with a slight laugh.
“What?”
“That guy, whom I presume is the boy’s father. Does he have a thing for you?”
Making light of it, Addie replied, “Oh, no. He’s the Rochester type, you know, brooding with a dark storm swirling within. Jack is in my after-school reading circle at the library. He’s
Similar Books
