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She heard the warning in that one word. Shadow Man was what they called him on the streets. Fuckers couldn’t even give him an original nickname. They stole mine. Figures. They steal everything else, why not a name?
She nodded and tapped Mooch’s head. “Relax. I didn’t come here to fight.”
My eyes narrowed and not against the glare. “You’re in trouble.”
She tilted her head. “Kinda sorta. Remember!” She tried to take a step back but Mooch wouldn’t move. “You’ll have to answer to Michele if you hit me with what he considers holy bread!”
I pointed a loaf at her. “Spill it!”
“Right here on the street?”
“Lucila!”
I turned around at the shout of my name.
“What?” I snapped not meaning to.
“Mrs. Camerota wants to know if you have her bread!”
“Coming!” I turned back to Ava. “Stay here.”
“Where do you think I’m going to go with a massive two-hundred-pound dog attached to my wrist?”
“There’s no telling,” I muttered to myself as I rushed to bring the bread inside. I hurriedly packed it in the sleeve, apologized for the wait, and gave her something extra to take home. Then I told Sebastiano that I was going on a break. He usually stayed close to the ovens with Michele, but lately Michele had him baking cookies and things like that.
I could tell he didn’t like it. Secretly, I did.
“Where are you going?”
Sebastiano was around the same height as Michele but built more like a bull. And the only reason I didn’t tell him none of your fucking business was because the place was packed with business.
He noticed the look on my face. “I’m hungry,” he said, covering. “Thought maybe you could bring me something back.”
“Order it,” I said. “Or ask Norah.”
In general, everyone loved Norah. She was sweet. And between us, we helped Michele with the accounting part of the business. Carine demanded that in her absence, I be put in charge. Together, Michele and I mostly did it. But business had started to boom suddenly. Life-long customers and new transplants were all wanting a piece of Valentino’s. We needed an extra person to help. A life-long customer suggested Norah since she came from a long line of certified public accountants. Including her. That was how she and Sebastiano had met.
Norah was sweet to everyone but me. She was polite but tight. I blamed her husband for it. And she should have, too.
After leaving my apron on the peg, I hustled out the door and back into the sunshine.
LUCILA
PRESENT DAY
Ava stood where she had been. Mooch had gone from sitting to a down position. He watched as people walked around him, no one wanting to get too close. They had no clue that the most dangerous thing about him was his nose.
“Want to take a walk?” she asked.
“Sure.” I nodded.
“I could use something to eat.”
“Mamma’s?”
“Yeah. That works.”
Mamma’s was a pizza place that had outside seating. It was limited, though, because it was off a busy street. Hopefully we could grab a table.
