Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 78054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
My dad’s lips twitched. “You’re both acting like adolescents.”
Rosa nodded. “You go home. Go to bed with no supper. I am staying with Mack. We’re having spaghetti. He like my spaghetti.”
“I can drive you home later,” Stefano offered, trying to make peace. “It will be too late for Mack to drive at night.”
“No, I stay over like usual.”
“Like usual?” he asked, his voice once again choked.
“Your mother stays in Brett’s old room. We have breakfast, and I drive her back in around lunch, or sometimes she stays for the day and helps me in the store. It’s nice to have her around. I take her out to dinner and drop her at home.”
“Oh.”
“I think we need to go now,” I said. I wasn’t sure I could handle any more facts about Rosa and Dad’s relationship.
“Probably for the best,” Dad agreed. “We’re playing cards with Angus and Fred after dinner. We have quite the competition going.”
“We beat them tonight,” Rosa said, rubbing her hands in glee. “I bring cookies Fred likes. And wine. Distracts him—he no count his cards right.”
We walked downstairs and out to the truck. Inside, we were silent for a minute.
“Your dad kisses my mom.”
“Your mom stays over, and they play cards.”
“My mom snookers their opponents with wine and cookies so they can win.” He rested his head in his hands. “I don’t wanna know how they celebrate her victory.”
I had to laugh.
“Friends with benefits,” Stefano scoffed. “I can’t believe my mama said that.”
“Yeah, ziti benefits,” I replied. “The look on your face, though…” I trailed off, chuckling. “Priceless.”
We looked at each other, smirking. “We’re idiots.”
I backed up the truck and headed toward the garage. Stefano stared out the window, not speaking for a moment.
“Are they playing us?”
“Yep,” I sighed.
“We’re fucking going to be stepbrothers, you know that? Those two are in deep.”
“Yep.”
“You so do not get to play the older brother card.”
“Whatever.”
Stefano slapped his knee. “I need backup.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing a number and hitting speaker. His eldest brother Vince answered the phone. “Hey.”
Stefano got right to the point. “I hope you’re sitting down. Mama is dating Mack Conner.”
“And?”
“Mack Conner,” he repeated. “Brett’s dad. He and Mama are dating.”
“Hardly a news flash, little bro.”
Stefano gaped at me then shook his head. “You knew?”
“Who the hell do you think drives her to Littleburn when she wants to see Mack?”
“And you’re okay with this? With our mother dating?”
“Jesus, you stupido. She’s happy. Leave it alone. You are such a mama’s boy.” He let off a string of curse words in Italian even I recognized. “I’m hanging up on you now. Leave it alone, you big baby.”
Stefano looked at his silent phone. “I am not a mama’s boy.”
“Um, yeah, you are, you idiot. Your brother is right.”
“Fuck,” Stefano sighed. “I didn’t expect this.”
I had to agree with him.
“What do we do?” he asked.
“What your mama said. Butt out. What Vince just told you. Leave it. They’re happy. Let’s let them be happy. What happens later, happens. Life is too fucking short.”
“Dammit, I hate when you make sense.”
“I’m channeling my inner Charly.”
“Well, tell her to shut up.”
Then we both sighed.
“He better not hurt her, capisce?”
“She better not get knocked up,” I replied, joking.
I began laughing at the horrified expression on Stefano’s face. Then he joined me.
“God help us both.”
I could only nod in agreement.
“You’re off tomorrow?” he asked, changing the subject. I knew he’d moan to Gabby, and she’d make him see sense. He listened to her.
“Yeah. Going with Kelly to some fairs to take pictures. I’m her assistant.”
“You’re spending a lot of time together. Is this going somewhere this time?”
“I don’t know. It feels different. She seeks me out at times. We spend more time together as people, not just…”
“Fucking?” Stefano asked dryly.
“Yes.” I paused, thinking. “I feel as if we’re building something.”
“Have you had that conversation?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I’m a coward,” I replied honestly. “We will. And soon. But for now, I’m letting us happen the way we’re happening.”
I pulled up in front of the garage.
Stefano patted my shoulder. “For what it’s worth, Gabby and I think you’re a great couple. You suit each other. She likes Kelly a lot, and she gets her.”
“I think we’re pretty great too.” I looked over his shoulder. “Uh-oh, here comes your little man.”
He chuckled. “He’ll be full of questions.”
I swung out of the truck. “Always is. Information and observations, too. The personal kind. Far too personal,” I drawled.
Stefano laughed.
“You got that right.”
I nudged him as we walked toward the house.
“Mama’s boy,” I snickered.
“Coward,” he hissed.
On the porch, Charly stood and faced us, her hands on her hips. “The two of you knuckleheads better not have upset Mama Rosa and Daddy Mack. You’ll answer to all of us.” She indicated Kelly and Gabby standing beside her.
“Shit,” we both muttered, our footsteps faltering. It was too late to run.