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I easily fell into them. Gabriel wasn’t intimidating, at least, not to me, though I’d seen grown men get nervous when he walked into a room. He had a cocky confidence, but unlike his older brother, Gabriel could turn it on and off.
When I was in my teens and I came over for sleepovers, Gabriel was the one who pulled pranks on us like an obnoxious brother. He was Willis’ age, but he treated me like there wasn’t a decade between us. When I hugged him, I felt like I was finally home.
“I missed you, squirt,” he teased as if I was still fourteen. Gabriel had always made fun of how short I was. The Calegaris were made of lean and tall genes.
“Same,” I murmured as I released him. “And Willis is fine. He’s coming next week to help me get a few things settled. The car. Stuff like that. Hopefully, I’ll have the heater fixed by then.”
“What’s wrong with your heat?” Gabriel asked.
I shrugged, returning to my seat at the table. “I have no idea. When I got home last night, the house was like an icebox.”
Gabriel nodded. “Yeah. We’ll get that fixed. The house has been empty for years. Even when Willis comes to check on it, he doesn’t stay long. I’ll have one of my guys come over and check it out, if that’s okay with you?”
I had no idea who these guys were, but if they could fix the heater faster than a repair service could arrive, I’d gladly accept Gabriel’s offer.
“It’s probably a pilot light, ignition, or something else. If we can’t get it going, I know someone who will take care of it. It probably needs a filter anyway. I’ll have my guy come out and service it.”
Gabriel knew someone... lots of someones. But If I’d learned anything about the Calegari men over the years, it was that when they said they’d do something, it happened. My furnace was going to be as good as new.
Gabriel reached for the jacket he’d slung over one of the leather-backed bar stools at the kitchen island. “When are you going home? I’ll have Jacko go over and check it out.”
“No.”
Crisp. Flat. And not to be ignored.
Our eyes turned to find Dante in the doorway. He wore one of his trademark suits – black and white pinstripes that fit him to perfection. His dark eyes went straight to me. I quickly turned my eyes away from his piercing gaze. How did I think I was going to have a conversation with him when just his presence sent my body into a tailspin?
But Gabriel didn’t blink. He turned to his brother. “Okay. So, what’s the plan then? She can’t freeze over there.”
Dante’s look had been so intent, I felt the difference when his eyes left me and moved to his brother.
“I’ll go.”
Dante turned back to me and got my attention again. “Noemi, go home. I need to talk to Gabriel and then I’ll meet you over there.”
I blinked at his no-nonsense directness.
“Now?” I fumbled over the one word.
One corner of his mouth ticked, and he nodded. “Now.”
My brain screamed “don’t let him boss you around!”, but my body obeyed as if it didn’t have a choice. I started to gather my coat and purse, so many parts of me eager to follow Dante’s direction.
“Dinner at seven,” Lilly reminded me as she got up to hug me goodbye. Apparently, she was used to his highhandedness because she didn’t bat an eye at Dante’s directions.
“Oh, and we need to go shopping. Your clothes won’t be here for weeks but,” she cringed looking at my jeans and sweater, “we’ll figure all that out tonight. And if you need anything else, you can share my car until Willis gets yours running. If that’s okay?”
It wasn’t me she was asking. She turned to face her big brother, getting Dante’s permission. I guess it made sense since he was the one who made her car payments.
Dante just nodded and Lilly grinned. “We’ll talk about it more tonight.”
We hugged. I waved to Gabriel and made my way back to my freezing house wondering how it had become so natural that Dante ordered me around.
And that I liked it?
