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Tony considered him. “No one said love was easy. When your aunt had cancer, it was a difficult time for this family, but loving her during that time was never hard. The hard part is the times she will not rest when I ask her to or she refuses to add the extra spoonful of Marsala to thezabaglioneor acknowledge that I am right when it is clear as day.”
Lili laughed. “So she’s hard to love when she won’t cooperate with you.”
“No, I am the one who’s hard to love. The DeLuca men never know what is best for them but we must learn from our women.”
“Amen,” Lili said.
Tad thought back to Jules’s determined words as she told him she was the best thing to happen to him. Undoubtedly, she would move on and get over him but as every single one of his female relatives was fond of telling him, men were the weaker sex.
Tad didn’t have that kind of strength. He would never get over her.
He sure as hell didn’t want to and he sure as hell didn’t plan to. Jules was the kind of woman you worshipped on your knees, you walked over burning coals to get to, you went to hell and back for. He had been there and he didn’t like the décor. Clawing back his life needed a goal. Not the bar, not cooking, not even that jungle in his backyard.
Just Jules.
If he had her and Evan, then he just might make it.
Thirty-Nine
Jules’s heart thudded wildly as she knocked on the front door of DeLuca’s Ristorante. It was usually closed on Monday, but today was the very special occasion of Tony and Frankie’s anniversary dinner party, and she was going to help with the decorations. And try not to collapse in a heap around Tad.
The door crept open to reveal Lili, who dragged her inside with shifty looks left and right.
“Can’t be too careful.”
“Frankie knows already. You can’t keep anything from her.”
Lili smiled, and Jules’s heart gave a solid kick to her ribs at how that smile reminded her of Tad.
“So true. She always knew when I’d been sneaking out as a young ’un. Never missed a trick. But I’m pretty sure Dad’s still in the dark.”
Jules took another couple of steps inside and was immediately transported. DeLuca’s was a wonderfully appointed restaurant with a long cherrywood bar and a frescoed ceiling, but today it was like something out of an old world fairytale. Cara had spun her magic with indoor landscaping, working to bring a vineyard vibe indoors, and transformed it into a re-creation of the spot where Tony and Francesca had said their original vows in a joint union with Tad’s parents. Empty wine casks, similar to the ones at Vivi’s, framed the space while twinkling fairy lights sparkled overhead, shining off the sky-cloud ceiling. A couple of working casks had been set up at one end of the bar, with spigots at the ready to satisfy the influx of DeLuca relatives now waiting at their hotels for the signal to swarm.
It took a moment to realize that Lili was speaking. “So, are you okay? I know it’s been a rough few days. Sometimes I just want to shake that cousin of mine.”
“The queue forms right here.” Jules pinned on a smile, aiming to put her sister-in-law at ease. This was exactly what she had wanted to avoid, the domino effect that failing with Tad would have on the rest of the family. “I knew the risks going in and while it sucks to be me this minute, it won’t always.”
Her heart felt like a piece of pulverized meat, but eventually she would heal. If she had learned anything over the last two years, it was that resilience suited her.
Cara came bustling out and Jules took a moment’s satisfaction in the fact that she waddled.About time.Two days ago she was terrifying the bejesus out of her family with her hospital visit. Now she glared at one of her staff who was hanging a banner and generally making a hash of it. Just as she parted her lips to unleash, Shane emerged from the kitchen, pushing a humungous cake on a rolling cart.
“LT, shut that gorgeous mouth down now,” he said before Cara could get a word out. “You heard what the doctor said about blood pressure.”
Cara growled and rolled her eyes at Jules. “The only risk to my blood pressure is your fussing, Shane Doyle.”
Shane stroked her cheek. “Just indulge me. Give our kids a chance to grow some hair on their heads before we meet them.”
Cara visibly relaxed under his touch. Satisfied his words had made an impact, Shane turned to Jules.
“Hey, sis, Jack’s looking for you. He’s in the kitchen.”
As much fun as Jules had had running the show at Vivi’s during Derry’s medical emergency, she knew she didn’t want to work in a busy restaurant kitchen. As for what she wanted to do…well, things were a little topsy-turvy right now and she needed to refocus on her little boy. The last few weeks had been confusing for him and she hadn’t been shepherding him through the changes very well. One day, she would get back to that goal of carving out her place but for now Evan was her heart—that was all she needed.
Good on ya,the girls whispered in her ear. They had been gentle with her lately.
Of course, they knew what was coming. Tonight, she had to sit at a table with the man she loved and pretend everything was hunky dory.
Could they go back to what they’d had? Probably not.
