Chapter 1

She'd been stood up… again.

Maybe he was just running late? Sophie couldn't fool herself. It had been over an hour and in that time she had polished off two mocktails and three complimentary baskets of bread with herb butter. She bit her lip, not sure if she was holding back laughter or tears. He's not coming.

She fidgeted with the cloth napkin in her lap. She wasn't sure why she had such terrible luck dating. She was average looking. Nothing exceptional, but her body was fit and lean, and she prided herself on dressing well. Maybe she was too uptight? Did people think she was prudish? Was she too clingy?

“Ma’am? Are you alright?”

Sophie flinched, started by the sudden voice disrupting her thoughts. Only then did she realize tears had spilled onto her cheeks. She hurried to wipe them away, embarrassed to be seen crying in public. “I'm alright, really. My date just stood me up…”

“A pretty woman like you? He's a fool. If you give me his name I'll make sure we're always “overbooked” if he tries to eat here in the future.” The waiter gave her a charming wink, his mischievous smile revealing the dimples in his cheeks. He was handsome, his tall slender body accentuated by the formal server attire he wore. “Can I take your order? Nothing mends a broken heart like comfort food, that's why I opened this place. Nothing is more comforting than Italian- in my humble opinion” he said followed by another charming wink.

Truth be told, between her anxiety, and all the buttered bread she had eaten, her stomach was twisting itself into knots. She didn't feel the slightest bit hungry anymore. It would be rude to eat all the complimentary food and not order something. But the server was looking at her so hopefully, she couldn't let him down. “I'll take whatever you recommend, since you're the owner right?”

He was practically beaming, “that I am. Michael Bianco, proud owner of Bianco's. I'll get you the best, a family favorite. He was practically skipping as he hurried to place her order, but she could have sworn his eyes lingered on all the empty bread baskets on her table.

Before she had much time to linger on it, Michael returned carrying the largest plate of spaghetti and meatballs balls she had ever seen. Glowing with pride, he placed it in front of her and covered it with a heaping mound of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. “I hope you enjoy it, please let me know if I can get you anything else.” His tone was almost sensual.

Despite feeling full already, Sophie couldn't stop herself as soon as she took a bite. Homemade marinara sauce and noodles blended beautifully with the parmesan cheese and the hand rolled meat balls. Before she knew it the plate was empty and her stomach was painfully full. The tight black dress she'd worn for her date was digging uncomfortably into her stomach, but she tried to ignore it.

Michael returned, gushing about how she had eaten everything, and carrying a large dish of gelato. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoy my food. Would you try some gelato, it's home made?”

“I'm sorry, but I'm already quite full,” Sophie looked down, embarrassed to refuse when he'd already gone through the trouble of dishing up the dessert for her. “May I have the check please?”

“Oh no- tonight is on the house, it's the least I can do to make up for your good-for-nothing date,” he smiled the same cheerful smile that seemed to permanently live on his face, “but you have to try a bite of my gelato.”

Not wanting to seem ungrateful, or miss out on a free meal, she accepted the gelato and took a bite. Then another, then another, then another. The sweet, creamy rich flavor of pistachio and almond melted on her tongue. She reached out to take another bite, only for her spoon to scrape against the glass bottom of the bowl. She had eaten it all.

“Happy to see you enjoyed it!” Michael said with a hearty chuckle.

She blushed. It was only then she realized he had watched her inhale the gelato, it had tasted so good she didn't notice he was still there. Her face burned and her stomach felt really to explode, but at least she didn't feel as sad as before. “Thank you, you really made my night, Michael.”

“No need to thank me,” he winked at her for the third time that night as he cleared away her empty dishes. “Just promise you'll come back to Bianco's soon!”

“I Promise,” her heart fluttered. Despite how good the food was, she knew the real reason she'd be coming back was to see the charming restaurant owner, Michael Bianco.