De Luca

Chapter 9

Giovanni POV

“Come on. This is too easy!” I boosted with a smile on my face. I was currently destroying my family on the pool table. We broke the game into teams. My team was Jason, Leo vs. Nicolo, Lenny (Lorenzo), and Hendrick.

“Oh, come on! Somebody hurry wipe his ass off the table!” Nicolo pleaded. We always bet money on the games we play to keep it interesting. I'm usually a mellow player, while Nicolo and Jason were the show-offs. But tonight, I was the show-off, jumping the cue ball over their balls and landing my shots. My only play remaining was the eight ball. This has been going on for two rounds already. 

“Fellas,” Aunt J whistled, getting everyone's attention. I choose to listen while I prep to take my shot. “I’d like you to meet my good friend and my choice in the cook-off Nathalie,” Aunt J announces. It was about time. I looked in my aunt's direction just to get a quick glimpse of the woman of the hour. I did a double-take, taking my shot. It couldn’t be.

Nicolo, Lenny, and Hendrick cheered, and Jason and Leo groaned. I missed my shot, but it was worth it.

“Princess,” I whispered under my breath. She was my aunt’s star chef, and she looked beautiful. Princess, well now known as Nathalie, wore green high waist pants with a plain strap white shirt, green sneakers, and the Pandora set I bought her. Her curly hair suited her look. However, she styled her hair; it suited her.

I couldn’t help the s**t-eating smile that was on my face. I don’t know why, but I was happy she finally got to see me. It put the debate to rest. 

Her eyes scanned the room before settling on me. As her eyes roamed my body, I got hard at that. Nathalie tilted her head to the left, narrowing her eyes. I followed her gaze, which led to the watch she gave me.

Realization hits, and her eyes widen. I winked at her once our eyes made contact. I put the pool stick down. My hands were suddenly itching to hold her. My aunt introduced her to all the guys individually, taking her sweet time getting to me. Once it was my turn, there was no holding back. I pulled her to me. “Ciao, mia regina,” she blushed. Her arms wrapped around my neck.

“Reds. In all honesty, I was expecting a burnt face or a scarred face, blind in one eye, or something like that,” I chuckled. Princess bit her lower lip, bringing my attention to them. I'm leaning ready to claim the prize that I've denied myself for three years.

“Time out! You guys know each other!?” Aunt J shouted out, making us pull apart. My arms rested on her waist.

“Bad timing, aunty, real bad timing!” Nicolo and my sisters said in unison. My mom, aunt, and sisters were shocked to know that I was seeing Nathalie, who quickly corrected our semi-non-but-in-existence relationship. 

“It’s nice to meet you, but the war has begun. LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN,” my father shouted. We all cheered and started setting up for the cook-off, more like taste off.

Jason, Lenny, Francesco, and Michele brought out the tables. Four tables were set up, one for my dad, mom, and Michele (the only one that is actually a top chef in Paris). The other table was for my dishes, and the next was for Nathalie.

“First up, the guys, Giovanni present your dishes,” Hendrick said.

“With pleasure, I got Patti’s Mussels a la Mariniere, cooked in wine, served with some crispy white garlic bread. Filet Mignon with Rich Balsamic Glaze. Lobster tail with garlic lemon butter, side of mash potatoes, green bean, asparagus, and spinaches,” 

“Baked lemon and mushroom salmon, with steam-fried vegetables. Oh, my favorite, pork chop agrodolce, with a side of yellow rice and broccoli. Chicken Tetrazzini, shredded chicken, mushrooms, onions, garlic, herbs. Creamy sauce with parmesan over the linguine. And a very spicy lasagna. I had to keep the last one simple. I didn’t want to scare the competition.” I finished presenting my dishes, looking over at my girl.

Nicolo and Michele being the hype man that they are, threw spit talk.

“Ohh, he just said you’re not a competition,” Michele said.

“A smack to the face, how are you going come back from that” Nicolo add fire to the flame.

“Child’s play,” a chorus of oh’s rang out. Your dishes look fancy, sound fancy, but that doesn’t mean it taste good,” Again, the chorus of oh’s rang out. I put my hand over my heart. Her smack talk caught me off guard.

“Let your mouth’s watered with a sweet well-done steak, with mash potatoes, asparagus, spinach, baby tomatoes, and mushroom sauce as gravy. Shrimp kobo with mushroom, sweet peppers, and for a side, rice. You got some whelks soup, with French fries. Crockpot chili crab soup. Fried calamari. Fried fish with lemon sauce, and mix veggies. And Mongolian chicken.” She finished presented her dishes. I'd be lying if I said her dishes didn't make my mouth watered. It all sounded so f*****g good. I was ready to drop out of the competition. 

“s**t, that sounds and looks good,” Hendricks said. Our hand-picked judges tasted our food, and it came to a tie. The dessert would determine the winner.

“Caramel flan with blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry toppings,” I said.

“I love it,” Michele commented. “Nathalie, what you got?” My dad asks.

“Something simple. Cookie and Cream ice cream with Irish bailey’s, chocolate syrup, and whip cream.” She stuck her tongue. The simple, innocent gesture made my d**k twitched.

“Oh my god, I want that!” Noemi and Serena shouted.

“We have a winner!” my dad shouted.

“Nathalie!” Michele boomed. My family agreed with him as they dipped into her dessert.

“Oh, come on! You’re my brother,” I told Michele.

“Sorry, man, her dessert was just better. It has alcohol. Lots and lots of it,” That made me laugh. You would swear he was an alcoholic. We continued to socialize as the fella's started a new competition which I happily sat out. I laid on the couch, my head resting on Nathalie's lap. 

“Giovanni, uhuh. I thought you had a manic name, Like Lucifer or Stephano,” she thought out loud, watching as my brothers rough each other up.

“Hahaha, well, I was expecting Becca or Jazmine for your name.”

“Eww, goodness no. I work with a Jazmine, and trust me, she is a b***h,” It wasn't until four in the morning when everyone started leaving.

“So, where do you live?” I asked her, leading her to my truck.

“I’m not showing you where I live, but you can drop near my house, and I would just walk the rest of the walk” I looked at her as if she lost her mind. We went back and forth on the matter. She was dead set on me not finding out.

I let her think I agreed to her terms and park at some coffee shop. She said she would text me when she got home. I waited until I saw her turn the corner. I pulled out my badge and my police-issued gun and rolled down my sleeves. I out of the truck, locking it.

I jogged to where I last her. She was casually strolling to a rundown apartment complex. Just before the door closed, I stopped it. “Princess, it’s not as bad as you made it seem,” She screamed, and I laugh.

“What is wrong with you!?” she punched me. I gotta say she hits hard.

“I mean, you didn’t seriously think I was gonna let you walk home by yourself,” I asked her, raising one eyebrow at her.

“Yes! You scared me.” She held a hand over her chest—a shadow cast over us. I looked up to see a peeping tom.

“Is everything okay, Nathalie?” the peeping tom is a middle-aged woman.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It's just my friend. He scared me a bit.” Nathalie waved her off.

“You’re a cop?” she directed her attention to me. Nathalie looked down for my badge and smiled.

“Yes, ma’am. Officer Ferdinand, do you need my assists?” I asked her, looking up to her small head peeking over the railing.

“No, no. She just finally choose a good guy,” she smiled and winked at Nathalie. If only she knew.

“Goodnight, Amy!” Amy laughed. The sound of her door shutting was loud in the entryway. We went up to Nathalie’s place, and I made myself comfortable on her bed as she went to change. I crashed at her place, obviously. We cuddle, and that was that.

For now.