Read Online From This Day Forward: Multicultural Romance by Cassandra Black - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cassandra Black
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great add-on sales for the restaurant.
By seven-thirty a.m., she would dart out for a quick walk around the cleared part of the grounds, which was almost three miles if she took some of the hidden vineyard trails. The walking did wonders for her heart. The chest pains she’d suffered with for years were no longer a factor. And with the regular exercise, garlic cloves, and green tea she’d added to her daily diet, she was feeling healthy and finally getting her body back in shape.
Everything was falling into place just fine, and Alonzo had continued to be invaluable, especially with the renovations.
By nine-thirty each morning, she was heading to the restaurant to oversee the crew and try to pitch in without getting in the way too much as they worked.
Alonzo would make his way over by late morning to check on things, and time permitting, jump in and do some of the manual labor with the crew.
One late July evening, Alonzo walked back out to the restaurant as the crew was leaving.
He invited Loretta to his home, saying he had something he wanted to show her.
After she closed up, she hopped into his tall truck, and they drove beyond the tall, thick trees in the distance.
“Come on in,” Alonzo invited, opening the gate to his estate home at the back of the vineyard.
“Your home is beautiful,” Loretta looked wide-eyed at the palatial property. “I had no idea all of this was back here.”
“Most people don’t,” he said. “This home was here when my father purchased the vineyard. It’s my retreat when I want to get away from it all.”
“But I thought you lived up front, in the house on the Eastern end of the vineyard.” Loretta reflected on the large, elegant home, which was not even a quarter of the estate home in which she stood.
“I do stay there,” he said. “But this is my home .”
Loretta looked around. The property resembled one of the homes in The Great Gatsby . As they made their way further inside, she could see through the parlor that most of the furnishings were covered with large, white sheets. Alonzo guided her through the wide, marble foyer through a side door that led to a long kitchen. The room, which resembled a servant’s work kitchen, held a set of doors that led downstairs to the spacious cellar.
The tall, stone cellar was adorned with an ornate, arched ceiling resembling that of a monastery. The large room was filled with tables, chairs, and other restaurant furniture. Piles of porcelain dishes were stacked in various nooks and crannies.
“All these things were left by Marissa, years ago,” Alonzo offered with a gesture.
“Beautiful,” Loretta said, fingering some of the furnishings.
“I thought you might like to use some of them for the restaurant.”
Loretta’s eyes danced on several pieces of decorative ironwork, pottery, cobalt blue candle decorations lining the shelves of the cellar. Traditional Italian pottery was heavily clustered in one area of the room. Loretta walked around the space, fingering several tall oil paintings that depicted the Italian countryside leaning against the walls. She could see his wife had an excellent sense of style.
“Everything down here is at your disposal, if you’d like to use them, “Alonzo said, watching her explore dishes and long-stemmed glasses. He liked seeing her in his space. Alonzo didn’t come out to the estate home that often, because it was too lonely and held memories he’d tried for years to forget.
“Thank you,” she said. “Yes, this will give me a great head start.”
“No problem,” Alonzo said. “Just let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll arrange for a couple of the workmen to meet with you so you can have things you like moved at your leisure.”
“You are too kind, Alonzo. I don’t want it to be any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” he said, looking at her with a
By seven-thirty a.m., she would dart out for a quick walk around the cleared part of the grounds, which was almost three miles if she took some of the hidden vineyard trails. The walking did wonders for her heart. The chest pains she’d suffered with for years were no longer a factor. And with the regular exercise, garlic cloves, and green tea she’d added to her daily diet, she was feeling healthy and finally getting her body back in shape.
Everything was falling into place just fine, and Alonzo had continued to be invaluable, especially with the renovations.
By nine-thirty each morning, she was heading to the restaurant to oversee the crew and try to pitch in without getting in the way too much as they worked.
Alonzo would make his way over by late morning to check on things, and time permitting, jump in and do some of the manual labor with the crew.
One late July evening, Alonzo walked back out to the restaurant as the crew was leaving.
He invited Loretta to his home, saying he had something he wanted to show her.
After she closed up, she hopped into his tall truck, and they drove beyond the tall, thick trees in the distance.
“Come on in,” Alonzo invited, opening the gate to his estate home at the back of the vineyard.
“Your home is beautiful,” Loretta looked wide-eyed at the palatial property. “I had no idea all of this was back here.”
“Most people don’t,” he said. “This home was here when my father purchased the vineyard. It’s my retreat when I want to get away from it all.”
“But I thought you lived up front, in the house on the Eastern end of the vineyard.” Loretta reflected on the large, elegant home, which was not even a quarter of the estate home in which she stood.
“I do stay there,” he said. “But this is my home .”
Loretta looked around. The property resembled one of the homes in The Great Gatsby . As they made their way further inside, she could see through the parlor that most of the furnishings were covered with large, white sheets. Alonzo guided her through the wide, marble foyer through a side door that led to a long kitchen. The room, which resembled a servant’s work kitchen, held a set of doors that led downstairs to the spacious cellar.
The tall, stone cellar was adorned with an ornate, arched ceiling resembling that of a monastery. The large room was filled with tables, chairs, and other restaurant furniture. Piles of porcelain dishes were stacked in various nooks and crannies.
“All these things were left by Marissa, years ago,” Alonzo offered with a gesture.
“Beautiful,” Loretta said, fingering some of the furnishings.
“I thought you might like to use some of them for the restaurant.”
Loretta’s eyes danced on several pieces of decorative ironwork, pottery, cobalt blue candle decorations lining the shelves of the cellar. Traditional Italian pottery was heavily clustered in one area of the room. Loretta walked around the space, fingering several tall oil paintings that depicted the Italian countryside leaning against the walls. She could see his wife had an excellent sense of style.
“Everything down here is at your disposal, if you’d like to use them, “Alonzo said, watching her explore dishes and long-stemmed glasses. He liked seeing her in his space. Alonzo didn’t come out to the estate home that often, because it was too lonely and held memories he’d tried for years to forget.
“Thank you,” she said. “Yes, this will give me a great head start.”
“No problem,” Alonzo said. “Just let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll arrange for a couple of the workmen to meet with you so you can have things you like moved at your leisure.”
“You are too kind, Alonzo. I don’t want it to be any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” he said, looking at her with a
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