ONE ITALIAN LOVE

- Chapter 9 -

The moment Massimo parked the car in front of Osteria da Fortunata that same evening, an odd sense of deja vu flushed over Bianca. She realized that control over her life no longer beloned to her, and accepting this turn of events was out of the question. She simply refused to do so. Nor did she acknowledge the fact that someone she knew for no more than a day would not pay for it in the long run...

Then again, rather than putting up a public fight about everything Signore Toscana ever so rudely chose on her behalf would not bring on the kind of sweet revenge she had in mind. Oh, no. She had dealt with self-centered mules before. Obvious vengeance would not work on THAT man. Bianca decided that in order for karma to work its best magic, it had to be served cold - and wisely...

"Would You please enlighten me as to why You reasoned coming back to visit my aunt was a good idea?" Bianca inquired, anticipating a snarly answer from her companion.

"I'm hungry," Massimo replied in short. He exited the car and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for Bianca before she could object.

"If You were hungry, the bed and breakfast You are staying at serves food," she puffed out air in disapproval. "As for Your unnecessary gesture of masculine chivalry, I can open my own door, Thank You Very Much."

"Your sense of flat sarcasm falls short of its mark. Your tone of voice is far too soft for that sort of snarky retort," he flashed his pearly whites, utterly unbothered, closing the door in one swift move once Bianca retrieved the crutches from the back seat.

"And how could You know anything about my tone of voice?" She paused, scolding him.

"You are predictable." Saying so, he turned on his heel and made his way toward the restaurant, leaving Bianca without and possibility of a comeback he knew perfectly well wouldn't have come.

"Ah, Buona Sera Signore Piccante!" Aunt Gemma greeted Massimo with her cheery warm voice, causing a considerate number of heads to turn his way.

"Buona Sera, Aunt Gemma," Massimo took hold of her hand, kissing it as if the gesture was a natural part of his upbringing.

"Suckup," Bianca noted dryly as she joined them.

"Bianca Mia, never reprimand a man for his good manners," Aunt Gemma shook her head at her niece.

"I can assure You, this man lacks good manners," Bianca tipped her head toward Massimo. "I bet he never greeted a woman this way before."

"I assure You that Your assumption is inaccurate," Massimo retorted, stilll holding Aunt Gemma's hand in his.

"You didn't greet me this way." She wanted to sound confident. She wanted to bring salt to injury of his ego. She failed. It backfired in the cruelest of ways.

"Your jealousy and interest in my manners is flattering, but pointless," he said in short, turning to Aunt Gemma. "I hope my reservation did not come too late in the day. I would not intend to burden You with such a request."

"Massiomo, a friend of my Elisabella becomes family. Keep that in mind." Aunt Gemma patted his hand and guided them to the table Massimo reserved on the outdoor patio.

"You cannot possibly imply that I could be jealous of You," Bianca chuckled with sarcasm.

"You are," both Aunt Gemma and Massimo replied in unison over their shoulders without turning back to look at her.

"I am not," Bianca clutched her fists around the crutches handles.

"It sure appears this way," Aunt Gemma smiled from ear to ear. "But on the off chance You are not, stop pretending otherwise. It is a bit unbecoming."

"And unattractive." Massimo chimed in as he moved a chair away from their table, gesturing for Bianca to take the seat.

"I don't need a man to pull out my chair," Bianca advised him in the nicest tone of voice possible.

"And yet, here we are. Thank my manners for it," he gestured toward the seat again, and watched as Aunt Gemma bit her lip to prevent a bout of laughter.

"I will not comment on that false premise," Bianca flashed a fake smile his way, and sat in the chair. She turned to Aunt Gemma, and asked if Elisabella will also be joining them.

"That daughter of mine is a force to be reckoned with," Aunt Gemma smiled. "She will come by shortly. She said she has a surprise for all of us. Heavens only know what that could be."

"I wonder what she has in mind," Bianca said more to herself than in response to her Aunt.

"We will find out soon enough," Massimo noted. "You seem like a person who does not favor surprises."

"I do not. Life is tough as it is. Surprises often serve a painful curveball," Bianca replied matter-of-factly and grew silent, blocking Massimo's view with the menu...

As expected, the food served at the Osteria da Fortunata was second to none. It hit the pallete in all the right places. It also lifted Bianca's mood considerably. As did the arrival of her best friend.

"Ciao, Bianca Mia!" Elisabella's voice, much like her mother's, formed smiles on the faces of the restaurant's patrons. She rushed into the restaurant and walked right toward the outdoor tables. "Signore Piccante, I see You took a liking to my mother's food?"

"Not only that," Aunt Gemma appeared out of nowhere and spread her arms to embrace her daughter. Thanks to the gesture, her comment went unnoticed to both of her guests, but not to her daughter.

"I agree," Elisabella winked at her mother. "What's good on the menu tonight?"

"Everthing," Bianca smiled, complementing her Aunt's cooking skills, though the statement was misconstrued by her best friend in the wickiest way.

"I'd be less obvious, Bianca Mia. Massimo will think You are flirting," Elisabella chuckled. "He's not on the menu."

"What?" Bianca all but choked on the sip of apéritif she was drinking.

"I second that motion," Massimo smirked in a cocky way.

"You're not my type." Bianca responded to his cocky smirk with a gaze that sent off sparks from her eyes.

"Likewise." He saluted her with his glass of the apéritif, rose from his chair, reached for a chair from the adjacent table, and offered it to Elisabella.

"And they say chivalry is dead," Elisabella beamed with appreciation and joy after a long day of work.

"It is," Bianca offered her dry response.

"She's jealous," Aunt Gemma chimed in at the perfect time.

"But in a subtle way," Massimo whispered under his breath, masking his grin with the glass raised to his lips.

"I bet," Elisabella chuckled.

"Cara Mia, be nice," Aunt Gemma shook her head but continued to smile. "So, what's the surprise?"

"I took the time off work next week," Elisabella straightened in her chair.

"That's not much of a surprise?" Aunt Gemma raised her eyebrow.

"It is if I took three days in a row and I'll be heading to Alberobello," Elisabella clasped her hands with excitement.

"Next weekend?" Bianca narrowed her eyes on her best friend.

"Yes. I'll join You both in Alberobello when You'll arrive there," Elisabella continued to chirp out the news.

"Interesting. Why not take the whole two weeks off and go with Piccante now?" Bianca tried her best to speak calmly.

"I'm glad You finally accepted the nickname," Massimo saluted her.

"If You continue to misconstrue my words, I will send You off on Your way alone and will visit my grandmother by myself," Bianca advised him with such a sudden change in her tone of voice that he could not help but to take notice.

"You would do that?" Elisabella asked, surprised a bit as well.

"Yes. I promised my grandmother I will go see her, and my word matters to me. It matters far less what You do with Your time," Saying so, she stood from the table and walked out of the restaurant...