Page 11 of Maldives & Mistletoe

“Will do, Adriano.”

Mikey didn’t even bother to say goodbye, instead hanging up the phone without any warning. Adriano didn’t even mind. He had other things to focus on now like making sure this meeting went off without a hitch, and business was good. He glanced at his phone again, ready to make another phone call, but Alessa’s voice stopped him.

“Will you put that down?”

He glanced his wife’s way. She smoothed her palm over Lissa’s head, and tipped her head toward the empty side of the bed as if to silently ask him to come lay with her.

“I’m trying—”

“I know exactly what you are trying to do, Adriano,” Alessa said, “and I still think you can relax for five minutes, put the phone away, and forget about it for the moment.”

“Lissa—”

“It’s going to be fine, Adriano.”

She was so sure.

So calm.

Probably right, too.

Adriano chuckled. “I’m just on edge, I think.”

“I know.”

It felt like, even after all this time as a made man, he was still the youngest person who held his rank amongst many. He still had to prove himself constantly. He tried not to let it bother him, but it was almost impossible to do, too.

“Come here,” Alessa murmured.

Well, he supposed the phone calls could wait. Slipping the phone inside his pocket, he climbed onto the bed with his wife. His mind drifted back to the guns and the deal and the possible problems … and then quickly drifted back to his wife when she chattered on beside him.

That was the thing about his wife—she spoke, he listened. Things were easier that way, and simpler. They had fewer battles when he just chose to shut up and listen instead of trying to talk over her. Being married so young had probably been a mark against them in a way, although they would never willingly admit it. Things hadn’t been easy when they were technically still two selfish kids who didn’t know the first thing about enduring love or being married.

They figured it out, though.

Here they were.

Happy wife, happy life.

“Love you, Adriano,” she said.

He reached up to stroke her cheek. “Love you, Lissa.”