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“I hope you can give him the chance to prove he’s not that man anymore. He owns the shit he’s done, and he will always feel guilty about it. More than anyone can know. Even me. But there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Stuff you’ll learn now that you never would have if you were only friends with Laura. Things onlyourfamily knows.”
The way she says that word — family — makes me think she’s reminding me I’m now one of them. If it wasn’t in the context of not being a rat, it would be very inclusive. It doesn’t feel like a threat so much as a warning.
“I admit I’m biased, but between each side is the truth. I’m willing to keep an open mind to find that middle.”
“Thank you. I couldn’t stand Carmine when we were kids. I broke his nose when we were twelve because he pushed me into a wave that knocked me over, flipped me around, and caused me to skin my knees and elbows. I loathed him at eighteen because of something that happened atZiaSylvia andZioSalvatore’s wedding. I thought I would always despise him. I love him more than life now.”
She offers me another smile before stepping out of the room. I could have gone into the en suite bathroom, but she’s offering me real privacy. I pick up the jeans and top and put them aside before folding everything else. I put the extra clothes in the bag and perch on the end of the bed. What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
My phone buzzes in the clutch I put on the bed when I came in the room. I wince.
“Hey.”
“Are you at Salvatore’s yet?”
“Yeah. We got here about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Thank God.”
“What’s happening, Laura?”
“I don’t know. Maks won’t tell me anything, but he’s on the phone with the Mancinellis. He and the others are in his office. I just wanted to hear your voice for myself.”
“Are you pissed?”
“That you fell in love with Lorenzo? I’m still not thrilled, but I can hardly blame you. What do you think of the others? I’m sure they’re all there, too.”
“They are. Laura, they’re nice people. Nothing about them seems insincere. Serafina just said that if the families weren’t rivals, they’d probably be friends.”
“Some of them.”
“I met Carmine, Luca, and Gabriele. Serafina said that he’s different now than when everything happened.”
“He is, and we’ve all seen it. But it’s still all too fresh for anyone to trust that this new version is here to stay. Gabe’s just Carmine’s minion. He does whatever Carmine tells him to.”
Nothing about the man I met downstairs gives me that impression. It makes me wonder if some of Carmine’s and Gabriele’s behavior are personas like what Enzo said about Cormac and Seamus. Do Carmine and Gabriele want to be underestimated? I know Sinead’s reputation as a lawyer. Nothing makes me think she’d go for a guy who’s a pushover or someone’s bitch. But I’m not going to argue with Laura.
“Laura, what’s going to happen when shit happens between the Mancinellis and the Kutsenkos?”
“You mean what’s going to happen between us. You’re my best friend and have been since we were kids. You supported me even when you were scared for me. I can return the favor. I don’t think we’ll ever double date, but Maks won’t ask or tell me to stop being friends with you. Would Lorenzo?”
“Absolutely not. He’d probably break up with me before making me choose.”
I remember Maks saying he wouldn’t stop seeing Laura just because Lanie and I disapproved. He told us not to make her choose because it would only hurt her. It’s not that I think Lorenzo wouldn’t fight for me or for us. But I think he’s the type who would sacrifice what he wants for what he believes is best for me.
“Do you think you can separate what our husbands will do from our friendship? I think I can, and I believe you can too, Chellie Belly.”
I laugh, and it eases things.
“I believe I can too. There’s already shit you can’t tell me, and I try not to pry. You get how that goes, so I won’t have to explain. I won’t hold that against you.”
“Like Lanie did.”
I close my eyes as I ask the obvious.
“We’re going to lose her, aren’t we?”
“Yes.”
