AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You can always barge in here, Tilly,” T assures her.
“On the plus side, now you’re single and we’re going to Italy. Do you know how many gorgeous Italian men you’ll meet there?” I tell my granddaughter with a grin.
“None, that’s how many,” T grinds out.
“Heaps,” I correct him.
“Thanks, Nonna. You’re the best,” Tilly says, biting on her nails. “I gotta apologize to Dad. I might have cursed him out a bit too harshly.”
ChapterEight
“Bambolina, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be this upset.” I pull my wife against my chest, my arms circling around her back, holding her tight. Afraid if I don’t, this is going to be the thing that finally has her walking away from me.
I feel like I’ve been waiting the last twenty-odd years for the moment she finally realizes I’m not good enough for her. Not that I’d ever let her go, but she could try, and that’d fucking break me.
“I’m not upset, Theo,” she says.
“You’re crying, bambolina. You know how much I fucking hate to see you cry,” I tell her.
Tears from my wife or daughter, or any of my sisters or nieces… they’re my one weakness. I can’t stand seeing them. I want to dry their faces and slaughter whatever or whoever put those tears there in the first place. In this instance, it’s me and I don’t know how to feel about that.
I just told Maddie about my father’s decision to retire, and the fact that I’m going to be instated as boss in his stead. I wasn’t sure how she’d take it. I mean, we both knew this day would come eventually, but my pops is still young, more fit than most made men. He could lead this family for another twenty years if he wanted to.
“I’m just happy for you, Theo. You’ve worked your ass off your whole life for this moment. This is what you’ve been striving towards, and now you’re getting it. I’m proud of you,” Maddie says.
“Thank you, but I can only do this if you’re one hundred percent on board, bambolina. I don’t want you to resent me for it later,” I tell her.
I don’t know how I’d tell my old man I can’t take the position I’ve been training for my whole life if my wife really doesn’t want me to do it. But I’d find a way, and he’d have to understand. I’m sure he would have done the same thing for my mother. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.
“I want this for you. I know how much you want it too, Theo,” Maddie says. “And there is nothing that could make me resent you. I love you.”
“Thank you.” I lean down and capture her lips with mine.
“Get a room,” Liliana and Alessandro both pretend to gag as they walk into the room.
“Good idea. Bambolina, let’s go. We happen to have a room in this house,” I tell her.
“Wait… Why are you both here?” Maddie asks our two offspring.
“We live here,” Alessandro says in that smart-ass tone of his, and I have the sudden urge to slap the kid upside the head.
“Yes, but it’s Friday night and you’re both here instead of out. Why? What’s going on?”
“I need to pack for Italy,” Alessandro replies, trying to appear nonchalant. It’s not working.
“Travis has a game tonight. I was gonna go but decided to leave him hanging.” Liliana shrugs.
Travis, Liliana’s current boyfriend, is an NHL player. Probably why I haven’t been able to scare him off yet, not that I’ve given it my all. Fucking athletes are cocky little shits, and I have to tread carefully to avoid pissing off my wife.
“Can I have your ticket? I’ll go to the game,” Alessandro asks his sister.
“No.”
“What’s the point of having your sister date a hockey player if I can’t even get the good seats?” he grumbles.
“We have our own fucking box. You don’t need your sister to date the players,” I remind him.
“Yeah, but I’d rather be down near the action, front row.” My son crosses his arms over his chest in a pout reminiscent of his toddler years.
