Page 2 of Taking Care of the Target

She tried to come up with something clever, but her brain failed, so she just said, “I guess we’ll see.”

Despite the temptation to watch him walk through the restaurant the way she usually did, she forced herself to turn around. Besides, now she could let the goofy grin that tugged at her lips free. Three months of working together—most of which she’d spent trying not to drool when he spoke—and they were going to have dinner, win or lose. So really there was no losing.

Coming in on my supposed-to-be-day-off was totally worth it.

The opening door made her automatically switch into welcoming hostess mode. Only it wasn’t a customer; it was Mr. Carlo Rossi, the owner. His stops into the restaurant were sporadic and unannounced, but he was forever in a good mood, an impossible-not-to-return smile on his face.

“Afternoon, Cassie,” he said, his enigmatic personality lighting up the entire entryway. “How’s my favorite waitress today?”

That was probably an exaggeration, but she played along. “I’m well. You want a table, or are you heading to your office?”

“Business first, dinner later. When Dante and Sal get here, can you send them back to my office? We’ve got a meeting scheduled, and it’s very important we’re not interrupted.Capisce?”

“No problem,” she said.

Mr. Rossi shot her another big smile and then walked back toward his office. When he’d hired her, she had no idea about the rumors claiming he was involved in the mob. It wasn’t until she mentioned where she worked at study group one night she’d learned people thought he was some sort of Mafioso.

“Doesn’t he fit the type?” one of the guys in her econ class had asked as she’d scribbled down notes.

She’d filled her words with as much sarcasm as she could manage at ten p.m. “You mean Italian?”

Ever since, she found herself watching him as he had dinner with his usual group of friends, wondering how the rumor had gotten started. Surely it was just that—there was no way he was connected. Each time she scolded herself for even questioning it. When she was desperate for a job that paid well and worked around her schedule, he’d hired her and had been nothing but nice. The truth was, while he looked completely intimidating, he was a teddy bear of a guy who owned a restaurant with delicious food and a loyal customer base.

People and their gossip,she thought, shaking her head. Thinking of study groups reminded her that she should be cramming while she could. Only her motivation had disappeared about an hour after her last cup of coffee.

Cassie drummed her fingers on the hostess stand. With her and Vince’s competition on the horizon, standing up here for the next hour or so was going to be torture.

The door swung open again, and she straightened, her hostess smile fading when she saw Dante and Sal.

“Hey, girl.” Sal winked at her, the cavalier expression on his face showing how smooth he thought he was. “I didn’t know you were working tonight.”

The guy was everything Vince wasn’t—scrawny build, pointed nose, and his hair looked like he’d used Crisco to slick it into place. He’d asked her out several times, and even though she’d politely declined each time, using her busy schedule as an excuse, he was persistent.

I only hope Vince decides to be as persistent. If he even wants to pursue me. Maybe he’s just bored, and I offered something to help make the hours pass faster.A ball of nerves formed in her gut. Tonight was her chance, and she needed to focus so she didn’t blow it with one of her signature awkward moves, like the time she joined a coed volleyball game to try to impress a guy and ended up serving the ball right into his face while he shouted encouragements. The “you can do it” affirmations stopped once blood started gushing from his nose.

“Mr. Rossi here yet?” Dante asked, crossing his massive arms over his chest. He, on the other hand, was good-looking and completely aware of it. But Cassie was as uninterested in him as he was in her—his tastes roamed more toward the silicon-enhanced type of girl.

Cassie nodded. “Yeah, and he wants you two to meet him in his office.”

“We don’t want any interruptions once we start our meeting.” Sal placed his hands on the hostess stand and leaned in. “But maybe later I’ll come interrupt your work.”

The innuendo in his voice made her skin crawl. Luckily she was saved when a family of five walked in. “Excuse me. Duty calls.”

After she seated them, she pulled out her books and read through her notes while rolling silverware. She glanced at the time on her phone.Forty more minutes till dinner rush.

Cassie inwardly groaned when Allegra Rossi strolled in. She had two variations of animal print spandexed to her body, and her dark hair was teased into a bouffant, as usual. If anyone were scary enough to be a mob boss, it would be Allegra. She’d probably whack someone over something as minor as breaking a nail, or her lipstick not being fuchsia enough.

“I need to see my husband right now,” she said in her heavy New Jersey accent.

Cassie shot Allegra her most winning smile—at least she hoped it came off that way. “Mr. Rossi’s in a meeting and specifically said he didn’t want to be interrupted.”

Allegra placed her hands on her hips and stared at Cassie like she was an idiot. “Did hespecificallysay not to let his wife in?”

“No, but—”

“That’s what I thought. It’s an emergency. Now go tell him that I’m here.” Allegra waved her hand in a shooing motion. When Cassie didn’t immediately respond, the woman glared at her.

Cassie sighed. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

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