AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yep.”
“Contrary to popular belief, I was not put on this earth to entertain you.”
“Uh, yeah you were.”
“Call the brunette,” I said.
“I told you we’re done.”
“Then you have to wait to see me. I’ll be at the barbecue on Friday.”
“Awesome. Later.”
I hung up and shoved my phone back into my purse.
“So, I’m a client?” Duke asked.
“What was I supposed to say? That I was on a date but not drop your name? He would’ve bugged me about it. You know how he gets.”
“I know how he gets,” he said quietly.
“I’m still not convinced he’ll be okay with this. With us.”
“He loves you, and wants you to be happy. And he’s my best friend and Blue Angels brother. He’d want me to be happy too.”
“I should be the one to tell him. When it’s time to tell him.”
“You want to tell him without me there? Like hell you will. He deserves the truth from both of us.”
“When I’m ready?” I pressed.
He sighed. “When you’re ready.”
“Good. Because frankly, I’m not sure I have the bandwidth for Savage’s chaos right now.”
“I’m not sure anyone can handle his chaos,” he said with a laugh.
Savage was the quintessential Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He could flip from easy-going to insane in an instant. He wasn’t called Savage for no reason. He wasn’t unstable or unwell, just capable of extremes with the ability to back up his name.
We finished our dinner and I was pleasantly full. There was a little wine left in the bottle and I poured it into Duke’s glass.
Mama Leonardi brought us a tiramisu with two forks and then scooped up our dinner plates. “The food was delicious,” I said to her.
She smiled at me. “Grazie.”
“Can I have another tiramisu to go? For my sister?” I wasn’t sure why I added the last part, but I thought Mama Leonardi would appreciate that little tidbit.
She nodded, said something else, and headed back into the kitchen. Mama Leonardi returned in a bit with the takeout bag and set it on the table and then she set the bill in front of Duke. With a wink and a touch to his shoulder, she was gone again.
Duke quickly laid down some bills, and then rose from his seat. He took the bag and then waited for me to stand. He held out his hand to me and I grasped it. He tugged me toward him and we headed out of the restaurant.
“I’ve got something for you,” he said as he led me toward his motorcycle.
“A night ride on the back of your bike?” I asked.
“Next Wednesday,” he said with a smile. “When your sister isn’t at home waiting for her tiramisu.”
He riffled through his saddle bag and pulled out a plastic bag with a pink ribbon tied at the neck.
