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“I’ve known you forever, and I still can’t get used to this.”
I squinted into the sunlight, shading my face with my hand. Christopher stood over me, an amused look on his face.
“What are you talking about? You’ve seen me in shorts hundreds of times,” I said, reaching my hand out to him so he could pull me up.
“Hey, as refreshing as it is to see you out of a suit, I’m talking about them.” He waved in the direction of my bodyguards.
I had them stationed all around the clearing where Vinnie and I were playing. It might have been overkill, but I didn’t trust anyone when it came to the safety of my eight-year-old son. There was a long list of people who wouldn’t think twice to use him as a way of getting money out of me. And it was a list that got longer every day.
“Is it my guards, Christopher, or is it what I pay to have them?” I asked with a smirk. “Because you know, I remember that you could’ve been here too. In this same place as me.”
He gave a dismissive wave. “You know me… I never quite got the hang of billions of dollars.”
“Uncle Chris!” Leo jumped onto Christopher and clung to him with arms around his waist.
The two bottles of water he’d gone to fetch rolled forgotten onto the grass. The playful jabs Christopher and I were swapping made way for the rough and tumble they always got into when they saw each other. I looked on, feeling that familiar warmth in my chest whenever I got to see my son’s love for his godfather.
“Oh, no! Help! Luca, he’s got me!” Christopher writhed on the grass, pretending to lose the battle against Leo.
The kid was on top of him, twisting Christopher’s arm in a submission hold they’d been working on for weeks.
“Calm down, brother. The more you fight, the worse it gets,” I said, laughing.
“Champion fighter! Take that.” Leo nudged Chrisopher’s ribs with a well-placed knee.
My friend spluttered through a laughing cough. “Ow, okay, okay. You win. You’re the champion.”
Leo nudged him again. “For life.”
“For life.” Christopher tapped out, nodding profusely.
He was breathless when Leo finally gave up and grabbed the bottles of water. He tossed one at Christopher, and it landed smack dab in the middle of his chest.
He groaned painfully. “This kid is evil incarnate.”
“You’re not thirsty?” I asked, giving Leo a high five.
Christopher pushed up onto his elbow and snapped the cap, taking a few big gulps of water. Leo and I shared the other bottle and secretive glances celebrating his victory. It was moments exactly like that one that I’d come to cherish with my son. Especially since we didn’t have many of them because of my work.
And with my mind back at work, Scarlett immediately reappeared.
The small of her back beneath my cupped hand… Her tongue in my mouth…
“Hey, Leo, why don’t you give Manilo some shot training?” I tossed him the ball, and he caught it easily.
“Manilo doesn’t know how to play soccer,” he whined. “I want to play with you and Uncle Chris.”
Picking up that I wanted to talk in private, Christopher came to my aid. “What do you say, you and me against your dad and Manilo?” He waggled his eyebrows conspiratorially.
Leo’s face brightened with a sinister kind of delight. He was all about taking home the win and knew full well that with Manilo on my team, I was toast.
“Yes!” He punched the air.
Christopher laughed lightly. “Okay, but it’ll be unfair if we don’t give Manilo a chance to practice first. So do as your dad says, and we’ll meet at the posts in a bit. Deal?”
Leo nodded and sped off in the direction of Manilo, one of my guards. I didn’t look over because I knew he’d be shooting daggers my way once Leo gave him the news.
“You’re good with him,” I said to Christopher and sat down on the grass beside him.
