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I dismiss her concern with a wave of the wrist. I am kind of pissed with my husband, but that’s between me and him. The awkward silence that descends is, thankfully, broken less than a minute later when the door opens, and Jimmy comes in with a brown bag in hand.
“Got you some fries and a couple of donuts, too.”
Olivia’s face lights up. He clearly knows her well.
“Thanks, Jimmy.”
“Yes, thank you,” I echo as he hands the bag to Olivia. On closer inspection I can see he’s still a handsome man despite his scars. “I can’t wait to try this.”
“No problem, Mrs. Volante. Enjoy.”
As Jimmy leaves us alone, Olivia reaches into the bag. She pulls out a couple of hotdogs wrapped in paper napkins and a carton that contains the fries, setting them down on the coffee table. I grab my hotdog and take a large bite. The mustard is the first thing I taste. It’s milder than I’m used to. The sausage itself is good but what I really enjoy is the bun. There’s a little sweetness to it.
“You like it?” Olivia asks.
“Yes, it’s just like I imagined.” I take a fry when she offers them to me. It’s crisp and salty. “Oh, these are delicious.”
“Your English is amazing,” Olivia says. “I noticed it before. You barely have an accent.”
I shrug. “My grandfather made me learn from an early age. He wanted me to be fluent. I guess it’s because he planned to marry me off to an American.”
“Do you wish he hadn’t?”
That’s a difficult question to answer. Do I wish I’d had a say in who my husband would be? Of course. Would I prefer to still be at home in San Vicente? Yes and no. I love the little town where I was born and raised, but knowing what I do now about my grandfather and his business dealings, I don’t know how I feel about it. I suspect, however, that what Olivia really wants to hear is whether I’m happy with her brother.
“I wish he’d given me the freedom to make my own choices in life, but being with Alessandro is okay.”
“My brothers can be assholes,” Olivia says. “They don’t have the best track record with relationships.”
Her comment gives me an opening to broach a subject I’ve wanted to raise since dinner the other night. “You mean Antonio’s wife?”
Olivia nods. “Among others. What do you know about Isabella?”
“That she betrayed her husband and was sent away. Alessandro didn’t tell me much.”
“I’m surprised he said anything at all.”
“I asked why nobody else was married. He used her story as a warning.”
“Then heed it,” Olivia advises. “My brother will protect you with his last breath because you’re his, but if you betray him, you’ll receive no mercy, even if you deserve it.”
That last remark piques my interest. “What do you mean?”
My sister-in-law’s eyes dart off to the side as if she’s trying to evade the question.
“Olivia?”
“Isabella’s a good person. My brothers were too quick to condemn her.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.” Olivia looks away again. When she turns back to me, there’s a forced smile on her face. “So, you’ve had your first hotdog. What other New York delicacies do you want to try?”
The message is clear. The subject of Isabella Volante is closed. I guess I’ll just have to accept I’m not going to find out any more about her. All I can do is bury my curiosity and do everything in my power not to end up with the same fate as her.
CHAPTER 16
Alessandro
