Slowburn

Chapter 1

"Thank ya, sir" the homeless man put his two hands together in thanks before handing me back the cash. The suited man gave a curt nod. No emotion on his face. Relaxed body language as he remained leaning his broad shoulder into the building's side alley we were in front of. A building I now know to be a restaurant.

Looked peculiar for a restaurant though. It was a commonplace brick building just after the skyscrapers of downtown, and the drapes were drawn shut during peak lunch hours.
The name is heavily Italian but unfamiliar to me.

        "You too" the suited man caught my attention. You'd think he's completely indifferent if not for the eyes. They blazed when they settled on you and they told me he wasn't offering. He was ordering me to come along.

"Oh, that's okay. Thank you for helping this gentleman though" I motioned to walk away. He pushed off the wall and took one step in front of my path. "You stay with him or he doesn't come in" his voice was something heavy and made my insides clench.

"Oh" I looked at the hungry man and back at the man in the suit. I guess he wanted me to be held accountable in case the homeless man did something? I couldn't deny the man a meal so I just quietly nodded.

        As soon as I stepped inside the door with it's closed sign hanging in the frosted glass window I knew this place was upscale. The outside was deceiving, it looked like a brick building with squared windows that were closed in thick burgundy colored drapes. I suppose they do look like fancy drapes. The lights were dimmed like this place was in fact closed.

When you initially walk in there is a hostess podium. After that there is booth seating along the left hand wall behind it leading up until a set of doors that was obviously the kitchen.
Towards the right were the more scattered tables but the back right hand corner was a bar. The walls made the place feel slightly more homey with the homage to the mother country Italy. Plates with hand painted craftsmanship and tiles.

The booth seats were upholstered black leather and since there were no table clothes I could see the deep mahogany type of wood that it was made of. The scattered tables towards the right had tablecloths so those I don't know.

The bar was made up of that same deep colored wood and the pendant lighting overhead hung down in a gold hue just like the strategic way they have the back shelves lit to showcase their pricier liquor items.

        The suited man pulled a dark stool that blended with the bar tops counter space. "Sit" he ordered me, and I assumed the homeless man, but he had only pulled out my chair. After that the suited man walked through those doors to the back of the establishment and I was left with the homeless man whose name I should really ask because it's rude to just keep referring to him that way.

"I'm Kat, what's your name?" I extended my hand to shake his. He hesitated and looked down at his own hands. "They're dirty" he didn't extend to shake mine. "So...mine probably are too" I giggled.

By his stringy gray hair beneath the rolled cap he had on I would say he is in his 50's or 60's. He'd taken the cap off out of respect when we sat down. The man chuckled.
"Peter" he introduced himself and this time he took my hand and shook it. I won't lie and say I didn't notice a bit of an odor but I didn't mind it.

        When the suited man appeared he had two bowls of pasta with a regular bolognese sauce. He placed them in front of each of us. Honestly, I am pinching pennies so I eat far less good food then I should just because of cost. This hearty bowl looked delicious and I thanked the man before digging in.

"Oh wow...this doesn't taste like jarred sauce" I smiled to compliment the flavor. His face was stone still. Okay then.

"Because it isn't" was all he said before walking behind the bar we were sitting at and grabbing himself a short glass. I decided to turn my attention to Peter. Before I could ask him a question he beat me to it.