Smitten: A Mafia Romance — Chapter 40

Ever since Ms susie, Korina's boss had decided that they serve more varieties of pastries at the restaurant, Korina had the cause to get out of bed early and get to work as she was one of the baker's, well actually, the only baker.

She literally shouldered the whole thing, her boss made her do it as she was very good at baking.

The alarm went off at 5:30 AM. She grumbled while getting out of bed, she knelt down beside it and said a short prayer before heading to the bathroom to clean up.

After brushing her teeth, she went to the kitchen and proceeded to making breakfast, she had egg, toast and tea as she didn't feel like taking Coffee today. She immediately went to take her bath after her short breakfast. Later on she got dressed and headed for work.

"Taxi." She screamed hailing one down with the movements of her arms. She got in and told the middle aged man her destination and he sped off with out a single hesitant thought.

Korina got to the restaurant in the nick of time, it was already 6:30 AM. Other restaurants and diners around them were already opened.

She found the doors to the restaurant unlocked and got in, she saw Mark already busy with the cleaners and other waiters.

Phew, I won't be lonely today, She reasoned as she walked to where Mark was.

"Good morning everyone." She greeted as she passed by the workers, they all responded cheerfully.

"Good morning Mark." Korina met him behind the counter and placed a kiss on his cheek while pulling off her jacket.

"Good morning Korina." Mark returned her greeting, "You are really early these days." He smiled.

"Why not?" She grabbed and apron and a chef hat, "With all the work load and not wanting to face Godzilla, I have to be early."

Mark laughed has she used their new nickname for Ms susie.

"The list of what you have to make and the batches are on the table counter." He told her, "Get to work, the other workers and I will handle the rest."

"Okay." She said as she tied her apron firmly around her waist, "Did you help me get the ingredients out of the pantry?"

"Yes, I did." Mark replied, "Oh dear, customers are swimming in already."

Korina looked at the door and watched the early customers troop in, in twos and threes.

Just another Monday, She sighed, another very typical Monday.

Korina wiped the sweat from her brows and rang the bell, a signal for other workers to come and take the pastries.

She was done with the three hundred batches of scones and two hundred and fifty batches of British meat pie and she did them all alone as usual.

She stopped to catch her breath for a moment and then flexed her fingers before she dug into the dough she had already prepared and followed the same old procedure to make some buns and crossiants.

"You look down beaten." Mark said accessing Korina's tired form as she came out from the kitchen.

"How the hell wouldn't I be?" She groaned, "I just finished making impossible numbers of all those." She pointed her hand at the show glass holding the pastries.

"I am pleased with you." He remarked, "But Godzilla isn't as usual. She came complaining earlier that the crushed berries were too sparse in the scones."

"What the hell?!" Korina was angry but not too surprised at her statement, "Did any customers complain?"

"Of course not." Mark rolled his eyes, "They found them perfect but you know her. She always has something to complain about."

"Yea, she does." Korina said, "I am famished."

She grabbed a paper plate and put some buns and scones on it while Mark helped her make an espresso.

"Here you go." He handed it over to her.

"Thank you." She grabbed it from him, took a seat and began to eat.

"Cole's aunt dropped by earlier." Mark told her.

"Again?" Korina rolled her eyes smiling slightly as she stuffed her mouth with buns, the woman really likes me I think.

"Yea." Mark nodded, "I told her you were really busy in the kitchen."

"Oh, what did she say then?"

"She said that she'd drop by tomorrow."

"Oh well...I..."

"NO EATING BEHIND THE COUNTER, KORINA! GET BACK TO WORK!"

She never got to finish her statement as the voice of her boss startled her. She jerked causing her coffee to spill on her white shirt.

Korina looked down and saw a big ugly brown stain on it, Dammit, just my luck.

It was 8:00 PM when she finally closed and Cole was already waiting for her outside the restaurant. They had another home date tonight but this time at his home.

She didn't know why but she already trusted him enough to hang out at his home.

"Hey!" They both said simultaneously as Korina got into the car.

"How was work?" Cole asked watching her buckle her seat belt.

"It was fine, a little tiring." Korina answered, "How about yours?"

"Not too bad." He replied.

"So let's go!" She tapped the dashboard excitedly.

"Ready to see my place?" He asked starting the car.

"You bet."

The drive to Cole's house wasn't less than thirty minutes, they entered a mildly reserved area with lots of trees and drove through it, the car tyres crunching on the gravel.

They got to an iron gate and Cole got a remote from the pigeo hole and pressed it, the gate opened and they drove in.

"Wow." Korina said marvelling at the tall white duplex as they got down from the car.

"You like it?" Cole asked smiling as he saw that he had manage to impress her.

"Of course." She grinned, "I knew you had good accounts and good taste but wow, this is just wow."

"You didn't expect this?" He asked.

"To be honest, Nah." Korina shook her head.

"I am offended." He faked frowned and gasped putting a had on his chest.

"Oh, come on." Korina said pulling his hand, "Come show me around."

The two were in Cole's sitting room now. It was painted white with a little splash of grey. Korina sat down on the snow white sofa marvelling at it.

"Your sitting room is nice, I love the decor, it makes my apartment look like a pantry." She joked, "It's even classier than Daniella's."

"Oh really?" Cole laughed, he was returning from the kitchen carrying a glass of water for Korina which she had requested for earlier.

"Do you like it?" He asked as he handed her the glass, "Do you like my place?"

"Like it?" She asked, "Nope I don't, I love it."

They both sat chatting excitedly into the night while looking through the pictures in an album Cole brought out. The album contained his childhood pictures.

"Oh look." Korina pointed at a pic, "You got some drool in this one." He looked about a year old in it.

"Now that's embarrassing." Cole said making her laugh. They continued looking through the pics with Korina either laughing or complementing each.

"Uhhmm...Korina I want to ask you something."

"What's that?" She said dropping the album and facing him.

"I would get straight to the point."

"Okay..." She trailed off not taking her eyes off him.

"I know you have been through a lot and you still carry the hurt from the past but I really don't care but I do care."

She nodded.

"The thing is I really like you and if you let me, I would show you how much you mean to me and how much I cherish you, How much I am attracted to you."

"So..." Korina said her heart beating fast, is this what I am thinking it is?

"Hmmm..." Cole cleared his throat, "Korina Black, would you be my girlfriend?"