All these men were good in the kitchen.And that was great.Except when you were attempting to avoid one of them.
“The kids will be over at the guest house for a while.It'll be good for Giselle to have quiet.At least until she delivers.”
I nodded and bit my lip.“The nannies seem nice.Dani really liked one of them.”
Carlo took a platter from me and started drying it.“Yeah, she's helped us out before.”He set the platter down and leaned on both hands against the counter.“You think we're shitty parents.Don't you?”He turned his handsome face to me.
Gosh.
Carlo could pass for a broody lumberjack.
I laughed quietly.“No, I don't.That's an odd thing to ask me.”I picked up the salad tongs and dropped them in the water.
“Well, I think we're shitty parents for calling in a bunch of nannies.”
That made me laugh right the heck out loud.Now I was leaning on my arms in front of the sink, unable to catch my breath.
When I glanced over at Carlo, he was staring at me and smiling.
Gosh.
That man could smile.
Why did I feel that grin through my entire body?
“You're not a shitty dad, Carlo.You're the opposite of a shitty dad.”I pushed away from the edge of the sink and started washing the salad tongs.“Do you know what a shitty dad does?”I rinsed the tongs off and handed them to Carlo.“He allows his daughter to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.Now that—” I picked up a wine glass and carefully plunged it into the sink, “is a shitty dad.”
Carlo's head dropped forward, and he shut his eyes.“That's not shitty.That's nonexistent.”
I nodded and washed the glass.“Yeah, that pretty much explains my entire childhood.”And it did.It really, really, really did.
“I'm sorry, Francesca.I wish I could go back in time and make that better for you.I really do.”
Carlo's voice was so sincere.
And kind.
It almost made me forget the fact that he was cheating on his very pregnant wife.
I shrugged and rinsed off a large platter.“Whatever.Everyone gets what they get.And in the end,” I handed the dripping platter to Carlo, and he took it, “it doesn't really matter.You do the best with what you have and move on.”Wasn't that the truth?After my dad's latest stunt—that was it.
Like.
It.
No more.
He was out of my life.
I was done.
Done, done.
“No, Francesca.That's not how it is.Or how it fuckin' should be.Your dad's an asshole for treating you like that.And then you stuck by him—” Carlo shook his head and dried the platter.“You're a hell of a lot stronger than I am.I never would have stayed.”
I let out a loud, sharp laugh.“Not strong, Carlo.Stupid.Really, really, really stupid.”
Carlo's hand clasped around my wrist.And I swear to you—my lower belly started aching.I could feel his touch zing through me like lightning.Goosebumps formed over my skin, and I shivered.
