"You did what?!" Ramona cackled out as she tossed her purse onto the sofa. "I told you I accepted his invitation to dinner for tonight." I brushed my hair back behind my ear. "Okay, I think I was dreaming so you have to start at the beginning, Epps, this is huge!" She squealed as she bounced down on my living room sofa. "Well, we were bumping into each other every day, twice a day even." I began as I walked into my kitchen for something to drink. "He asked my name and I guess I was too entranced to remember to get his, so I didn't get his name until yesterday. He asked me out to dinner for tonight and I'm going to go." "I'm going with you," She stood up abruptly just as I sat down opposite her. "What like some sort of double date?" I asked as I watched her start pacing the floor. "No, of course not, I'll go and be in the background." She waved her hand in the air, before heading into the kitchen. "You can't go alone, I won't let you, you don't know anything about him." "That's
"Mr. Hyland, your party will be here, in about twenty minutes," Adrianna scurried from behind her desk as her heels clicked with each step. "What?" I questioned as I entered my building with my cousin in tow. "What party?" "Oh, Mr. Ricci..." Her voice sounded strained as she tried to sound seductive watching my every move. "Ricci!" Russ yelled out as he started toward the meeting office. "Thank you, Adrianna," I announced as we made our way to the elevators. "What does that old bastard want?" Russ inquired as we entered the meeting room to prepare for Giovanni Ricci. "Haven't a clue," I stated as I sat in my chair at the head of the table and watched the glass door swing open to Giovanni Ricci waltz in as if he owned my company. "Ricci," "Hack Hyland, so glad you agreed to meet me," Giovanni smiled widely as the gap in between his two front teeth began to show more clearly. "Yes, seems I might have to employ yet another receptionist," I said as I turned my head toward Russ. "
"Mr. Hyland," I said as I bumped into that beautiful man once again. I am infatuated with this man, from his alluring accent to the dimples when he smiles. "Mr. Hyland, I thought we were past such formalities?" Hack smiled as he looked down at Lilly the pug puppy Griffin asked me to walk. "Of course, sorry I'm just..." I began as I looked over at Russ who was staring me down like a hawk. "Nervous?" Russ questioned as he moved toward me with a huge grin on his face. "We keep running into each other, this is Lilly," I brushed off Russ's question as I directed my attention back to the other Italian in front of me. "We do, did you enjoy our date?" Hack asked as he switched his weight from one foot to the other while putting his hand in his pocket. "Yes, I did very much, your restaurant, the food was delicious," I stated as I let Lilly's leash out a little further. "Good, good, I would like to take you out again, tonight?" Hack inquired as he reached for my hand, but before I could g
"So, about that date?" Hack smiled as I put my hand in his. "How about I take you and your friend for lunch and tonight you and I can eat, wherever you like," "I uh..." I began as I was still mesmerized by his looks. "We'd love to, and she'd love to," Ramona cut me off as she took me by the arm. "Wonderful," Hack clapped his hands together before gesturing us forward. "I know a few good restaurants in this direction," "I'm feeling French food, what about you Epps?" Ramona said as she interlocked our arms together. "I'm not sure, I could eat anything," I replied as we passed more people on the street. "I may be partial but I do love Italian food," Hack hoarsely chuckled as he looked back at his cousin. "Well, I did enjoy our meal when we went on our date," I replied, looking toward my best friend. "But, today we have Ramona for lunch, so I suggest we eat at a French place. Tonight we can dine at an Italian place if you don't mind." "I don't quite have an appetite for Frenchmen
"What's happened, Rocco?" I asked with a fever as I hurried into my SUV. "Niles DeMarco's dead, Tony Rizzio's been shot, Mario Pugliese's dead, and Ollie DiNiro has been shot, Sir," Rocco answered as he continued to wipe the blood and sweat from his face. "Who was it?" I demanded, as I looked back at my cousin. "Who the hell hit me? Who had the gall enough to hit the most potent family without a blessing?" "We aren't sure," Rocco began as he ached in pain turning to his right side. "Oh, I feel it now, I... I think they have shot me." He looked down to see a hole in his suit jacket, he lifted his shirt to reveal a bullet hole spurting blood on the leather seats. "Aren't sure? What do you mean?" I asked as I placed my handkerchief on his side. "There were two cars, mixed of three families, The Ricci's, The Fontana's, and Messina's," Rocco replied as he started to wail in agony. "Enzo Fontana, Bosco Messina, and that damn Giovanni Ricci," I hopped out of the vehicle and hurried u
"Oh, thank goodness you're awake," I struggled to open my eyes hearing the voice that sounded all too familiar. "I was a little worried,""What?" I questioned as I squinted to see Hack standing over my bed. "Where am I?""Hello, to you too, Epperly." Hack chuckled as he grabbed my hand. "You're in the hospital, you've been asleep for the past two days. You hit your head pretty hard.""No, oh no, Ramona," I stated as I tried sitting up in the bed but I winced in pain."Take it easy, Epperly." Hack smiled as he helped me. "Ramona is fine, she's been here the entire time. She left to get food,""Oh my, you're finally awake!" Ramona yelled as she walked through the door, dropping the sandwiches onto the floor. "You had me so worried, I didn't want to leave you,""It was Rusty wasn't it?" I breathed in deeply as Ramona walked to my side. "I woke up though before, I remember waking up here.""Yeah, the nurses checked you out. You woke up and I was in the bed next to you getting examined. Yo
"Epps, do you think it's a good idea to get back to you know.. doing all the things you do so early?" Ramona asked as she tried to push me back onto the bed. "What?" I inquired as I sat back up. "Who else is going to feed the homeless, take care of the animals, read to the homeless?" "Oh, please," Ramona scoffed as she plopped on the side of me. "What do you honestly think, Claudia, does this all out of the goodness of her heart?" I raised my eyebrow. "The only place I haven't seen her at is the homeless shelter. They don't pay there," I rolled my eyes as I watched a smile creep up my best friend's face. "True, but I think you should stay in bed a little longer," Ramona whined as she rested her head on my shoulder. "You did just have a horrific head injury, so rest up. I'll go get you some soup." "Ramona, it's been two days since I've been out of the hospital. I'll be fine, it's Monday. It's time to go to the soup kitchen." I throw the blankets off of myself and hop out of bed
As I headed to the soup kitchen to start the week, a man bumped into me. "Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry." I pushed up my thick black glasses, today of all days my cat, Monty had to mess with my last pair of contacts. "Watch out, watch where you walk." A tall man behind me spoke out. His accent was nothing from around here, but if I had to guess it sounded Italian or maybe Sicilian. "It's okay, Russ, it was my fault, now let's go before we're late." The man I bumped into grumbled as he brushed down the wrinkles on his dark gray suit, before turning abruptly and walking away. "Sorry!" I screamed out as I pushed my glasses back onto my face. "Today's not my day." I sighed trudging on the sidewalk to Anna's Soup Kitchen. "Morning Romona," I waved to my not-so-cheery best friend. I watched as she put her long ebony hair in a bun. "Epperly, we are here every Monday, can't we at least go one Monday to like the beach or something?" She whined as Clark handed her a hair net. "Romona Lirette, c
"Epps, do you think it's a good idea to get back to you know.. doing all the things you do so early?" Ramona asked as she tried to push me back onto the bed. "What?" I inquired as I sat back up. "Who else is going to feed the homeless, take care of the animals, read to the homeless?" "Oh, please," Ramona scoffed as she plopped on the side of me. "What do you honestly think, Claudia, does this all out of the goodness of her heart?" I raised my eyebrow. "The only place I haven't seen her at is the homeless shelter. They don't pay there," I rolled my eyes as I watched a smile creep up my best friend's face. "True, but I think you should stay in bed a little longer," Ramona whined as she rested her head on my shoulder. "You did just have a horrific head injury, so rest up. I'll go get you some soup." "Ramona, it's been two days since I've been out of the hospital. I'll be fine, it's Monday. It's time to go to the soup kitchen." I throw the blankets off of myself and hop out of bed
"Oh, thank goodness you're awake," I struggled to open my eyes hearing the voice that sounded all too familiar. "I was a little worried,""What?" I questioned as I squinted to see Hack standing over my bed. "Where am I?""Hello, to you too, Epperly." Hack chuckled as he grabbed my hand. "You're in the hospital, you've been asleep for the past two days. You hit your head pretty hard.""No, oh no, Ramona," I stated as I tried sitting up in the bed but I winced in pain."Take it easy, Epperly." Hack smiled as he helped me. "Ramona is fine, she's been here the entire time. She left to get food,""Oh my, you're finally awake!" Ramona yelled as she walked through the door, dropping the sandwiches onto the floor. "You had me so worried, I didn't want to leave you,""It was Rusty wasn't it?" I breathed in deeply as Ramona walked to my side. "I woke up though before, I remember waking up here.""Yeah, the nurses checked you out. You woke up and I was in the bed next to you getting examined. Yo
"What's happened, Rocco?" I asked with a fever as I hurried into my SUV. "Niles DeMarco's dead, Tony Rizzio's been shot, Mario Pugliese's dead, and Ollie DiNiro has been shot, Sir," Rocco answered as he continued to wipe the blood and sweat from his face. "Who was it?" I demanded, as I looked back at my cousin. "Who the hell hit me? Who had the gall enough to hit the most potent family without a blessing?" "We aren't sure," Rocco began as he ached in pain turning to his right side. "Oh, I feel it now, I... I think they have shot me." He looked down to see a hole in his suit jacket, he lifted his shirt to reveal a bullet hole spurting blood on the leather seats. "Aren't sure? What do you mean?" I asked as I placed my handkerchief on his side. "There were two cars, mixed of three families, The Ricci's, The Fontana's, and Messina's," Rocco replied as he started to wail in agony. "Enzo Fontana, Bosco Messina, and that damn Giovanni Ricci," I hopped out of the vehicle and hurried u
"So, about that date?" Hack smiled as I put my hand in his. "How about I take you and your friend for lunch and tonight you and I can eat, wherever you like," "I uh..." I began as I was still mesmerized by his looks. "We'd love to, and she'd love to," Ramona cut me off as she took me by the arm. "Wonderful," Hack clapped his hands together before gesturing us forward. "I know a few good restaurants in this direction," "I'm feeling French food, what about you Epps?" Ramona said as she interlocked our arms together. "I'm not sure, I could eat anything," I replied as we passed more people on the street. "I may be partial but I do love Italian food," Hack hoarsely chuckled as he looked back at his cousin. "Well, I did enjoy our meal when we went on our date," I replied, looking toward my best friend. "But, today we have Ramona for lunch, so I suggest we eat at a French place. Tonight we can dine at an Italian place if you don't mind." "I don't quite have an appetite for Frenchmen
"Mr. Hyland," I said as I bumped into that beautiful man once again. I am infatuated with this man, from his alluring accent to the dimples when he smiles. "Mr. Hyland, I thought we were past such formalities?" Hack smiled as he looked down at Lilly the pug puppy Griffin asked me to walk. "Of course, sorry I'm just..." I began as I looked over at Russ who was staring me down like a hawk. "Nervous?" Russ questioned as he moved toward me with a huge grin on his face. "We keep running into each other, this is Lilly," I brushed off Russ's question as I directed my attention back to the other Italian in front of me. "We do, did you enjoy our date?" Hack asked as he switched his weight from one foot to the other while putting his hand in his pocket. "Yes, I did very much, your restaurant, the food was delicious," I stated as I let Lilly's leash out a little further. "Good, good, I would like to take you out again, tonight?" Hack inquired as he reached for my hand, but before I could g
"Mr. Hyland, your party will be here, in about twenty minutes," Adrianna scurried from behind her desk as her heels clicked with each step. "What?" I questioned as I entered my building with my cousin in tow. "What party?" "Oh, Mr. Ricci..." Her voice sounded strained as she tried to sound seductive watching my every move. "Ricci!" Russ yelled out as he started toward the meeting office. "Thank you, Adrianna," I announced as we made our way to the elevators. "What does that old bastard want?" Russ inquired as we entered the meeting room to prepare for Giovanni Ricci. "Haven't a clue," I stated as I sat in my chair at the head of the table and watched the glass door swing open to Giovanni Ricci waltz in as if he owned my company. "Ricci," "Hack Hyland, so glad you agreed to meet me," Giovanni smiled widely as the gap in between his two front teeth began to show more clearly. "Yes, seems I might have to employ yet another receptionist," I said as I turned my head toward Russ. "
"You did what?!" Ramona cackled out as she tossed her purse onto the sofa. "I told you I accepted his invitation to dinner for tonight." I brushed my hair back behind my ear. "Okay, I think I was dreaming so you have to start at the beginning, Epps, this is huge!" She squealed as she bounced down on my living room sofa. "Well, we were bumping into each other every day, twice a day even." I began as I walked into my kitchen for something to drink. "He asked my name and I guess I was too entranced to remember to get his, so I didn't get his name until yesterday. He asked me out to dinner for tonight and I'm going to go." "I'm going with you," She stood up abruptly just as I sat down opposite her. "What like some sort of double date?" I asked as I watched her start pacing the floor. "No, of course not, I'll go and be in the background." She waved her hand in the air, before heading into the kitchen. "You can't go alone, I won't let you, you don't know anything about him." "That's
"Oh now boss this is getting ridiculous, you have to..." Russ began as I once again bumped into this woman for the fourth time in two days. "You look different," I started as I looked her over, it was true she did look a little different. "Yes, I put my contacts in," She replied, I couldn't help but smile, her contacts it was so obvious, how did I miss that? "What's your name?" I asked her, I felt it only right, not only to put a name to this face but for Russ' sake. "Epperly Wakes, Epperly Sacha Wakes," She answered. I was stunned, a beautiful name for a beautiful woman but I couldn't allow myself to be distracted not with the phone call I received this morning. "Well Epperly I'll have to keep my eyes on you, I'll have to since we keep running into each other like this." I took her small hands in mine and gently kissed them. "Have a good day," I took off in a hurry to get to my building as I rounded the corner I heard her yell something out but I couldn't understand. "Good morn
"The next day, why couldn't he wait until next week?" Russ began complaining as we headed back to my building down the overly crowded street. "You, again?" He barked out as I held out my hand to the girl I ran into yesterday. She must be going back to the soup kitchen, I held up my hand as we continued to walk down the sidewalk. "Mr. Hyland," Adrianna began as she got up from her chair and rushed to my side. "Your party called to let you know they are running a little behind and will be an hour late." "Ugh, that's fine." I looked at my gold watch as I started down the hallway to the elevators. "Sir, if there's anything you need, anything at all let me know." She rubbed her hand down her chest opening her pink blouse more showcasing her breasts. I ignored her and made my way into my office as Russ sat opposite me. "She wants you." Russ laughed as he crossed his left leg over his other. "What? Who?" I asked opening the newspaper on my desk. "Your whatever you want to call her secre