Love Struck Read online

  Gloria thought about it for a moment, she did not have a problem with eating with her tall, kind hearted stranger, it was more attractive to her than eating out alone. “Sure, why not? It could be some fun.”

  Tommaso smiled pleasantly, it would do them both some good, to enjoy a fine dinner, partake in a conversation and then call it a day, it sounded more appealing than sitting in his hotel room, pining for a lost love and wallowing in his own self pity for losing her.

  CHAPTER 31

  Tommaso took Gloria to a high-class restaurant, the swankiest joint in the entire resort, it served only the most excellent cuisine and offered only satisfaction with their top notch service to their respectful customers.

  He had booked a table in advance for Sara and himself before arriving, believing they would be seeing the island and all its sights together, and then eat out at the reserved table on their first night.

  As often was the case, one could be an expert planner and arrange everything accordingly to the book, but when it came for the plan to be executed, nothing ever turned out how one envisioned it, there were always cracks to form in the well presented arrangement, as Tommaso had seen for himself. He had never foresaw his beloved Sara falling for someone else during the trip, putting a massive dent to his planned evening for her.

  Even though his efforts of presenting Sara a five-star dinner for two had sunk without a trace into the depths of his own disappointment, he had spent money on the finest restaurant in the world, he might as well not let the reservation be squandered. He would be eating in her name, Sara would be with him in spirit while her body was occupied with another.

  “Talk about classy.” gasped Gloria, she had never seen a more extravagant establishment reserved for consuming food.

  “It's the classiest.” Tommaso could attest to that, he examined it extensively before choosing it over all the others. He picked only the definitive best.

  Gloria had only seen the outside, when brought into the restaurant, she was triply amazed at how prestigious the building really was, she could not help feeling like a pauper among all the princes and princesses. “Do you think I'm a little under dressed for a place like this?”

  “You look presentable.” Tommaso said, quickly observing her, she may not have been dressed in a fancy garment like the rest, but she would pass through, he would see to that.

  Tommaso and Gloria waited in the queue, there were plenty of flamboyant and eccentric well-to-do patrons in front of them, they kept to themselves minus a few glances at the common, casual young lady.

  Had it not been for her presentable accomplice, she would have been shown to the door by a high strung, snooty member of staff and forced to go to an establishment more in line to her more ordinary social class, denied service in their house of societal classed ignorance among the same species as herself, divided only by their misguided delusion of grandeur due to the amount of money in their bank accounts.

  “I wanted to take Sara to this place but she has...” he grimaced, he could not say what, it caused him too much grief “prior engagements.””

  “Sara?” that name rang a bell she was all to familiar with.

  “She's a... friend of mine.” that was about all he could say about her, she could have been more, had it not been for his worst enemy getting in the way: himself.

  The line moved forward. Gloria looked to him, intrigued to know more. The day was shaping into a series of very unusual events all linked to a definite Sara. “This Sara, it wouldn't happen to be a certain Sara Sarracini?”

  Tommaso shot her a bemused look, how did she know of Sara Sarracini.

  “Her prior engagement wouldn't happen to be having a strapping young man giving her a tour?”

  He stared at her with a flabbergasted expression, it was an uncanny coincidence. Did the young girl even exist, was she a figment of his imagination to subdue his unbridled woefulness “How do you know?”

  “The young man she's with, he is...” she paused, it would take some getting used to knowing she had loved and lost “I mean, was... my boyfriend.”

  The line moved forward again. There was only one couple to be seated before them.

  “I'm so sorry.” he said, giving her his sincere, sympathetic condolences, they had a lot more in common than first let on. They both had their lives devastated by the exact same charming young man.

  “Don't be.” she said “It's just one of those things.”

  A bitter silence loomed between the two lost lovers, torn from their reasons to love.

  “I guess we have something in common.” Tommaso faked a laugh, trying to lighten the mood and see the funny side to it “We're both having problems with matters of the heart.”

  “Yeah. We make quite a pair.” she faked her laughter too, trying in the same vain attempt to lift the atmosphere from their shoulders and find some humour in their irony.

  Served at the counter, despite some disapproving looks and sneers from the staff and customers, they were brought to the private dining room he had ordered for Sara and himself to enjoy a nice, quiet meal together with some privacy, just the two of them without any interruptions from fans, and there he would have gathered the courage to declare his feeling affections towards her and proclaim his love for her.

  That would not be taking place in the private, enclosed room with his new companion.

  He found her to be a kindred spirit and nice company to be around with and nothing more, Tommaso was positive her feelings were on a similar nature towards him.

  Brought inside the elegant and luxurious private room. Gloria and Tommaso were seated to the table by their refined and snobbish waiter who handed them both a menu with some xenophobia aimed at the restaurant's first and he hoped only common guest. The day was full of surprises for everyone at the resort, uncharacteristic from the rest since the arrival of the illustrious superstar.

  CHAPTER 32

  “For starters, the soup of today is tomato.” the Refined Waiter told them, his voice full of broad snobbery and high self-importance.

  “Sounds nice, we'll have that.” answered Tommaso with a directness, he didn't mind what he had, it would all taste the same without his dearest Sara to enrich the flavour.

  “Very good, sir.” the Refined Waiter commented as he wrote it down. “And for the main course?” he asked as he finished noting it on his pad. He looked back at them, the oddest couple he had ever seen in all his years of servicing the highest the upper class had to offer.

  “I'll have the salmon and roasted veg in lobster cream sauce with

  a side of Mediterranean oven roasted vegetables.” Tommaso requested the first thing he spotted on the exuberant list of cuisine imprinted on the fancy menu.

  The Refined Waiter wrote it down, the gentleman had an exquisite taste in food, well suited for this kind of restaurant that dealt in exquisiteness. “Excellent choice, sir.” he complimented the tall, suave gentleman.

  Next came the hardest thing the waiter ever had to do, serve a commoner. He forced himself to look at Gloria, “And you, young lady?” he asked with much reluctance.

  Gloria stared at the vast selection of gourmet meals in bemusement, she had never heard of any of them, she had no clue what they were. “I'm still deciding.”

  It was fine with him, the Refined Waiter looked back to someone much farer up his alley, Tommaso. “And what would you have to drink, sir?”

  “I'm in the mood for something sweet, so I would like a bottle of your Tempranillo Rosado.” Tommaso replied swiftly, he needed some form of sweetness to take away the sour bitterness clouded around him.

  “A very good choice, sir.” the Refined Waiter said writing it down, he was impressed with his suave customer's selection, his taste was faultless.

  The Refined Waiter looked back to Gloria, “Have you decided, young lady?” he asked, less than enthused.

  Gloria could not make up her mind, it was like reading a menu written in another language, she could not make heads or tails out
of it. “Not yet.”

  If she didn't order at all, that would have suited him fine. The Refined Waiter looked back to Tommaso, “And what do you want for dessert, sir?”

  “I would like a slice from your delicious Chocolate Ganache.” Tommaso requested decisively.

  “A perfect choice, sir.” The Refined Waiter noted it down, the suave gentleman knew quality when he saw it, just the way the waiter liked it.

  With the gentleman's order written out, he had no distraction to hold it off, he had to serve the commoner's order, if she ever made up her mind and worked out the menu that was out of her league.

  The Refined Waiter looked snobbishly to Gloria, he wanted to get it over with quickly. “Now, young lady, what would you like to order?”

  Gloria blankly looked to the waiter, and shrugged in bewilderment, “I'll have what he's having.”

  The Refined Waiter's composure faltered, he should have guessed she would have no cultivated taste of her own. He quickly picked it back up, “Very good, young lady.”

  The Refined Waiter wrote an 'x2' by the order. “Your dinner will arrive shortly.”, and with that he left the two contrasting opposites to themselves. What they saw in one another, only they knew.

  CHAPTER 33

  Gloria observed the private dining room in its entirety, the after-taste of its richness was not fading. “To eat out at a place like this must cost a pretty penny. You must have a good paying job.”

  “I do. I'm Sara Sarracini's personal assistant.”

  Gloria gave him an interested look. “Oh, so you must have got to know her quite well?”

  “Yeah, we've been friends for many years now, even before I was her personal assistant.” his faded eyes gleamed with a spark of vitality, a reminiscent smile shined on his downtrodden face, the relief from his inner pain was easing “I still remember the day we met. It was so magical, I'll never forget it.”

  A younger Tommaso was at a photo shoot, on location in the outskirts of the city, in the rural Italian countryside, right beside a flashy, eccentric perfectionist of a Fashion Photographer wearing a pair of shades to match his all black attire and a jet black ponytail to go with his own artistic style which was himself. Tommaso was working as his personal assistant. Everyone involved in the shoot waited outside the cabin in the peaceful, beautiful piece of earthly perfection.

  “It was nineteen-eighty-four and I was the personal assistant for a top fashion photographer. He was shooting for a magazine article featuring rising star: Sara Sarracini. In my youthful ignorance I was unaware of her and her movies, but all that was about to change.”

  The door to the cabin was opened, the grand moment they were waiting for was at hand, the dazzling superstar was about to blind them with her illustrious beauty.

  “I will never forget the moment I first saw her.”

  A youthful, vibrant Sara stepped out the doorway, garmented in a long black, strapless dress. Her hair flowing freely, shining a golden blonde, stylised like the diva she was, her eyes enthralling all with their shimmering blue.

  “I will never forget the sensation in my heart.”

  The youthful Tommaso became so very transfixed by the divine sight gracing his eyes for the very first time.

  “She was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. From that moment on, I knew what an angel looked like. She was a goddess, perfect in every way.”

  The young, alluring maiden, Sara stood by the door, she spotted the charming and kind young personal assistant marvelling at her beauty, she gave him a cute wink. Tommaso was blown away by her. It was the first, but not the last time, he was love struck by her.

  “My heart raced so fast, my stomach filled to the core with fluttering butterflies, my body trembled, it might sound cliché but it was love at first sight.”

  The Photographer got straight to it, he snapped picture after picture of the vibrant, beguiling and beautiful starlet posing in various elegant positions by the cabin door. Tommaso watched her in enthralled amazement.

  He could not take his eyes off her. They said the eyes were the window to the soul, it was absolutely true for when he gazed at her enchanting blue eyes, he could clearly see the windows to her absolutely beautiful self, absolutely sweet heart and absolutely wonderful soul, a soul which reflected her inside and out, she was the most splendidly beautiful woman in the world, always and forever

  “I knew she was the one for me, the one I wanted to spend my whole lifetime with.”

  After the shoot, Sara returned outside in her casual clothes, a pair of jeans and a white shirt, complete with a stylish leather jacket. Even when looking informal after a hard day's work of shooting, Sara was fresh and lush as a spring morning. There was nothing she couldn't do that would not captivate and impress her silent admirer standing beside his employer who was congratulating his divine model on an excellent day's work.

  Of all the models he had worked with, she was at the top of his list, the most professional, dedicated and stunning, the camera loved her, so did the photographer “Great work baby, you were on fire today.”

  “Thank you.” her radiant smile stole every last ounce of the breath away from the stunned personal assistant.

  “You're going to make it big, baby, I can feel it.” the photographer had an acute eye for talent, he knew a natural superstar in the making when he saw one, and none was more super in all stardom as her.

  She modestly blushed, even then Sara did not know how to react to flattery aimed at her.

  “I'm having a little party tonight at my hotel, if you're not busy come over, there will be a lot of important people there interested in meeting a fresh talent like you.”

  Sara hadn't been invited to a big party where various socialites congregated, eager for the scent of new talented blood, it sounded exciting. She gratefully accepted the kind invitation “Sure, I'd love to.”

  “Great, here's the place.” he handed her a card with the hotel's name and address on it. “See you there at ten.”

  The Photographer walked off from another successful shoot, adding to his long, flawless portfolio of perfect photography.

  Finally alone with her, the young, anxious personal assistant built up the courage to speak to her. “You...” his voice nervously broke like a record scratching. He quickly cleared his throat, put on a front of confidence, attempted to put the needle back on like the obstruction in the melody had never occurred. “You were really good today.”

  The rough start went off without a hitch, it would only get smoother from there.

  Going against his expectations, Sara actually giggled, she liked him instantly, he was a trustworthy and good natured guy with a gentle heart and honest mindset, she could tell by the warm reflection on the outside with his eyes giving her a clear view into the sweet soul he was inside. “I'm glad you liked it, it's my second time modelling, I'm getting the hang of it. I'll be a pro in no time.”

  Tommaso had great yearning to tell her. “Sara?”

  “Yes?” she could see it in his amorous gaze, she waited eagerly to hear him.

  He paused, hesitated to express his feelings.

  “I wanted to tell her how she made me feel, I wonder if maybe I should have done, but something in my head told me that it wasn't

  the right time, it was too soon.”

  The hesitant admirer brought himself to speak to his admired angel. “I'm Tommaso.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” she said with all the sincerity she could give.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” he replied with the same magnitude of sincerity.

  They hit it off right there, in one beautiful instance, the groundwork had been laid to construct something timeless and ageless for just the two of them.

  “So? How are you getting to the party?” Tommaso threw the question at her, leading it towards the off chance of offering his assistance to her.

  Sara pondered on it for a second, she hadn't thought much about that little detail to the bigger picture. “I'll probably get
a taxi.”

  The opportunity to take her to the party and get to know her better along the way was open to him, with a chivalrous politeness, he seized it before the chance got away “Well, I could take you there, if you wanted.”

  “You would?” Sara exclaimed with much wide eyed appreciation, he was a knight in shining armour to her fair maiden in need of a champion. It wasn't so much because of transportation, there were many methods of getting there, she was overjoyed by the prospect of spending more time with her considerate and selfless new admirer.

  “Absolutely. Gives me a reason to go now.” he laughed nervously, trying hard to play it cool and smooth, he wasn't doing a subtle job at it.

  Sara was charmed by him instantly, it was love at first sight for her as it was for him. “I like you.”

  Tommaso almost fainted, he could barely stand on his light feet and weightless legs hearing such great words expressed in three small paragraphs “You do?”

  She nodded, Sara was not leading him astray up some path, building him up just to knock him down, she was being honest “You are the kindest guy I've ever met.”

  That he was, she was an excellent judge of character and her verdict of him was precise.

  Sara walked along the trail, heading off to the road that lay ahead, past the cabin and its woods. She peered over her shoulder at the love struck admirer, left numb from his first encounter with an angel on earth. “Coming?”, she called out, pulling him out his numbed enamour.

  Tommaso opened his mouth, no words could be uttered, he was gripped by love, he could not bring himself to speak. She had held him captive by her enchantment, only she had the key to free him, but neither yearned for that outcome.