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The waitress comes over and Carm orders for him and Bella. I order a scotch, then Val’s favorite drink almost slips out of my mouth. Thankfully she interrupts before anyone notices.
“I can’t believe two Mancini men are already off the market. What about you, Dom?” she asks with a smirk. “Still loving the bachelor life?”
“I work. Work is my life and my love.”
“Spoken like my ex-husband.” She raises her eyebrows.
It isn’t her first time throwing my work into my face, and the fact that she’s comparing me to her asshole ex grates on me. Her eyes hold mine for a second, testing me.
“Well, I guess when love knocks me over, work will take second place.”
Yeah, I know that was a low blow. When the smirk falls off her face as if a swift wind blew it away, regret eats at my insides like termites.
“You never know who it could be. A fling even,” Carm chimes in.
Val’s vision shifts to him. She’s wondering if he knows something, I’m sure. He does, but not enough to do damage. I’ve always kept Val’s name out of my talks with my brothers.
Bella changes the subject, talking to Val. “What did you do today?”
Thank God. I’ll have to apologize later for my comment.
“I had a spa day.”
The waitress comes over and distributes our drinks, and I take a healthy sip of mine. Tell me this dinner is going to start soon.
“Oh, that sounds so nice. My feet are killing me from wandering around and shopping all day.” She leans in and looks at Val’s feet. “I love the color of your polish. Did you get a pedicure?”
I glance at Val’s shoes, which show off her red nail polish, and another memory of massaging her feet last night accosts my brain. Is that how it all started? She was complaining about being on her feet all day.
“Carm!” Bella yells, and I look up to see her entire face is dripping wet.
Carm is staring at Val’s feet.
Fuck.
His eyes shift from Val to me and back several times.
“Carmelo!” Bella yells again. “You just spit your drink all over me!”
Carm isn’t made to keep a secret of this magnitude. I just know it’s all about to blow up.
