Page 245 of Lorenzo

Donna sits beside me in the back seat with one hand resting on Mocha’s head. He is stretched across the floor near our feet, occasionally lifting his nose whenever the vehicle slows or turns.

Another SUV follows behind us with security.

“He's going to be okay being bombarded with so much family, right?” I ask as we approach the house.

Donna scratches behind one of Mocha’s ears. “Yeah, he loves people.”

“Babies too?” I ask, remembering my conversation with Mario this morning.

I assured him everything would be fine, but I guess I was just assuming because Mocha seems so great with everyone else; now that the moment is impending, I'm having second thoughts.

Donna catches my wary expression and gives me a look.

“I told Mario he would be,” I explain.

She looks amused. “You discussed Mocha in your family meeting?”

“He came up.”

“That's adorable.”

“My brother is concerned about introducing a German shepherd to his infant son.”

“That's even more adorable. Mario Conti, afraid of dogs.”

“Mocha can be…” I eye the giant dog at our feet. “Intimidating.”

“You're both adorable.” She leans over and gives me a smacking kiss before laughing. “Mocha loves babies. He'll be perfectly fine. They'll be perfectly fine. He will not eat them, I promise.”

“I wasn't the least bit worried,” I say with dignity.

The SUV rolls to a stop near the front entrance. The vehicle behind us pulls in several yards back, and one of my people is already stepping out before Rinaldi comes around.

Mocha sits up immediately.

Donna looks down at him. “You are about to meet a lot of people, buddy.”

“He has met several of them.”

“Not all at once.”

“I suppose that is different.”

“Exactly.”

Rinaldi opens Donna’s door, and she steps out while I come around from the other side. Mocha hops out beside her, shakes himself, then looks around the house in curiosity, no doubt prepared to sniff every inch.

Donna points at him.

“Mind your manners.”

Mocha looks at her.

“I mean it.”

His tail wags.

I glance at her. “Did he just agree with you?”