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“Maybe it was hard for you,amore mia. Deductive reasoning always gave me the right answer.”
“I doubt that. You got through that class with your charm and looks. I bet she stared at your chest more than she did your eyes.”
“And I made sure to flex a lot.”
Gabe does that, and I have to admit, it’s impressive. The man is enormous, and he looks like he’s about to Incredible Hulk that shirt. Sinead’s standing where only Gabe and I can see her expression, and his wife certainly appreciates the show he’s putting on. I might have too before I met Enzo. But I prefer him. He’s got a swimmer’s build, which makes his suits hang on him as though he was born to wear them. Naked, he’s magnificent. Muscle upon muscle.
I’m trying not to look at Gabe because everyone can see my expression. If I don’t get my mind under control, they’re going to think I’m thinking the same thing about Gabe as Sinead is. I lean between them.
“I recant. I agree with Sinead now that I’ve heard her explanation.”
Gabe shakes his head as I speak. He grins as he leans forward to be eye to eye with his wife.
“Too late. The verdict is in. The jury can’t change their mind.”
“Then I motion for a mistrial. The juror decided without the full scope of the evidence.”
“Sorry, counselor. You should have started with your best piece instead of saving it for last.”
Gabe finishes the argument by lifting Sinead off her feet and kissing her. With his back to everyone else but me, it’s definitely not a kiss anyone else should see. He whispers something in her ear, and I could swear he calls herpiccolina. I look up at Enzo, who must have heard him too. The look he shoots me tells me not to ask right now. I won’t, but it hurts. I thought that was a name just for me. Is it a common term of affection?
He draws me away as the couple continues to whisper to each other. We walk over to where Domenico, Massimo, and Paola are standing together. Massimo offers me a fatherly smile, and my heart slows. I didn’t realize it started racing as we approached.
“You aren’t wrong. We are insufferable. They drill it into us. But my brother was that way before he got to law school. We didn’t take it personally.”
Domenico elbows Massimo before he takes a dig at his best friend.
“You didn’t need to have it drilled into you. You led by example.”
“How would you know? You only went to Princeton for a graduate degree in — dare I say it? — Mathematics.”
“But you could only manage two little degrees. I got a second masters in engineering from MIT.”
All I know about Domenico is that he used to be acapo. I never thought to ask what he did when he wasn’tcapoing.
“You’re just bitter that your son followed me to Harvard, Dom.”
“Bah. I got my sonandyour nephew to follow me. One’s an architect, and the other is structural engineer. Matteo may have an MBA from Harvard, but he’s still an architect with a mind for business. Carmine still makes sure everything we build stays standing. So it’s engineering for the win, my sourpuss old friend.”
“Ignore them.”
Paola interjects and rolls her eyes.
“Neither of them could find their ass with a map. The only thing that ever proved either of them was intelligent was that they married women far smarter and wiser than them.”
Domenico and Massimo stop their playful bickering to look at Paola. Massimo tugs Paola’s hair playfully.
“With tact like that, I don’t know how you’ve lasted in politics.”
“I only tell clients what they want to hear. You two — well, honesty is the best policy.”
Flummoxed. That’s the word for how I feel. Flummoxed.
None of the bickering or rivalry has any kind of edge to it. It’s a loving family joking with one another. It’s not like the movies. They aren’t sitting around tables with their Stogies, counting their money or planning their next hit. They’re fucking normal. I need this after finding out that someone wants to target me.
As my gaze sweeps the room, I see how everyone else is with each other. None of this is staged. It’s all heartfelt. But I have to wonder if it’s happening at this particular time to take people’s minds off the fact I’ve brought a threat to their doorstep.
“Michelle, maybe you would like something to eat. Why don’t I show you what we have in the kitchen?”
