Chapter 4 - Georgia's New Boss.

"Georgia! We have to talk," said Valery, who had been biting her nails waiting for her friend to arrive.

"I have nothing to talk with you," growled Georgia, putting on her apron and tying it in the back.

Although Georgia had been so tired the night before that she had brushed off everything that had happened, the truth was that Valery's actions had put her in danger. If she hadn't left her alone, Georgia probably wouldn't have accepted those drinks from a stranger and therefore wouldn't have ended up sleeping at Alessandro's place... thinking of his name, she remembered the text message she still hadn't answered.

If Alessandro thought he had any power in Georgia's life, he was very wrong, and she was going to show him in whatever way she had to.

"Georgia! Wait! You can't run away from me like you're not listening because clearly you are," grumbled Valery, grabbing her friend's arm to stop her.

"I have a lot of things to do, the boss isn't happy with me and I have to fix the dessert display case," she explained with annoyance, partly because she didn't feel like talking to Valery and partly because it was one of her least favorite jobs.

The display case was always cold and it gave her sinusitis to be exposed to the cold for so long.

"You don't have to worry about the boss, he's not here today," explained Valery, although this piqued Georgia's curiosity, she didn't ask about it. "And as for the display case, I can do that job for you, I know how much you hate it."

Valery was trying to buy Georgia's forgiveness and that was obvious.

"Honey, let me explain," pleaded Valery.

That sweet face of Valery's would have moved anyone, except for Georgia.

"What do you want to explain? That you left me alone as soon as we got to the bar? That some man almost made me go with him? That I woke up in a stranger's house who threatened me? All because of what? Why did you want to fuck the first man who crossed your path?"

By the time Georgia finished that tirade, Valery was too confused so she wants to ask many questions, unfortunately Georgia wasn't going to answer them anyway.

"Who did you spend the night with?" was the only thing she dared to ask.

"That's none of your business and leave me alone, I have work to do," Georgia walked away and went straight to the dessert display case, where she stayed for a while, feeling Valery's glances with the corner of her eye.

It was true that the two women weren't going to be angry with each other for long, but Georgia wanted Valery to understand the gravity of her actions. Something bad could have happened to her and Valery wouldn't have known!

With her arm aching and her back tired from being bent over for so long, Georgia decided to take a break, it wasn't yet lunchtime when there were more customers, so the woman could afford to take a break.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to bother you with my questions or my apologies," said Valery dramatically as she approached her. "I just wanted to tell you that the boss is waiting for you in his office."

"You told me he wasn't here today."

"The new boss," explained Valery.

Georgia frowned and went in the direction her friend indicated, when she was in front of the office, she wiped a little of the pastry cream off her apron and fixed the loose hairs that were falling out of her bun.

"Come in!" someone shouted from inside when she knocked on the door.

"I was told to come here."

The man was focused on the computer reviewing the restaurant's accounting, so it took him a few seconds to look up.

"Yes, I'm having a meeting with each..." he looked at Georgia and then had to swallow hard at such beauty in front of him, the man straightened his black tie knot and leaned back in his chair. "Now that I've taken over the management of the restaurant, I want to meet each of the employees," he explained, while sliding his gaze from Georgia's feet to her eyes again.

"I understand," she replied.

Unlike what he did with the rest of the people, the new boss stood up and confidently approached her in an attractive way.

"My name is Doménico," he extended his hand and Georgia shook it kindly.

"I'm Georgia," she smiled.

The handshake lasted a little longer than normal, Doménico didn't want to let go, her skin was soft and the contact was pleasant.

"Tell me a little more about you, Georgia," he invited her to come closer and sit in the chair in front of the desk.

She obeyed, it was easy for her to get along with this kind man. In fact, as rarely in her life, Georgia felt calm telling him about her life, and even though she knew the details weren't very interesting, he seemed interested in each of the things she mentioned.

"You're very young, Georgia, you should be in college, why do you work here?"

That was the first and only question that made the woman uncomfortable. "My grandmother is very sick, she needs medication and care, she's a stubborn woman so she hasn't wanted to live with me, so I have to support two houses," she explained.

"And your parents?"

"They... their voices broke momentarily. "They died when I was just a child, I didn't know them well enough."

Doménico saw her as so weak and fragile that he wanted to hug her to put her broken pieces back together, that woman was different from all the ones he had met before, she wasn't arrogant and didn't seem vain either, despite her beauty, Georgia showed herself as a very humble person and that was an attribute he respected and admired in anyone.

"Georgia, I'm sure you're not used to hearing this kind of thing here, I know my uncle and I know he wasn't the best at treating his employees, but you can be sure that anything you need, my doors are open for you, no matter what it is, ask me and I'll make sure you have it in the palm of your hands," he offered, with the firm conviction of keeping his word.

"The old boss is your uncle?!" she asked amazed, that other man was grotesque, rough, and a little unpleasant too, on the other hand Doménico was the opposite, handsome, kind, and extremely courteous.

"Yes, he had to retire because he was given some medical exams and he needs to have surgery. I've come to cover his absence."

Georgia felt a tingling in her stomach.

"I must go now, lunchtime will start soon and I have to work.

"Of course!” He stood up and accompanied her to the door “See you later, Georgia” he said goodbye.

As she left the office, the head waitress asked her to go and take the order of one of the many customers who were already starting to fill the restaurant, so she didn't have much time to think about her boss, and that's because in the few moments she could catch her breath, she found herself thinking about Alessandro, not Doménico.

For Doménico, on the other hand, it was completely the opposite, although he also had many pending tasks, he couldn't help but be distracted thinking about her, about her blue eyes and red lips. The man wanted to be able to be alone with her, but she was a woman with a complicated life and something told him that it wasn't easy to get into her heart, so he would have to be creative to achieve it.

At quitting time, Georgia left before Valery could insist on her forgiveness, the woman changed and went to the bus stop just as Doménico was also leaving in his sports car.

"Georgia! Where are you going?" the man asked, lowering the pilot's window.

"To my house, I'm waiting for the bus," she replied, hugging her body to take shelter from the night's cold.

"Get in! I'll take you," he proposed.

She bit her lower lip, the proposal sounded tempting, she saved time, the wear and tear of the bus, and above all, the money, but she didn't want to confuse things with the new boss, so she wasn't sure if she should accept.

"Please don't think anything bad!" he teased when he saw her face "I just want to give you a ride, that's all."

She saw that perfect smile and that was enough for her to go around the car and get in.

"Thanks for offering," she said, putting on her seatbelt.

As the car was about to move and Georgia was settled, the woman shuddered when she saw a shadow projected in the side rearview mirror, it was a man, looking fixedly in their direction, she couldn't make him out due to the distance, but she could swear it was Alessandro Mascherano.

"Are you okay?"

Georgia nodded.

It was impossible that Alessandro was watching her, she thought.