AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What time should I arrive for dinner next week?” he questions.
“Seven. And wear a tie. It’ll make you look responsible.”
“I always look responsible,” he argues.
“No, you always look like a sulky mafia boss. Which you are.”
“Christian’s the don,” he reminds me.
“Yeah, but it’s clear that you’re the real boss.”
Besides, we’re trying to win points with my dad. Wear a tie.”
He sighs like it’s the worst suggestion in the world. “Fine.”
“See. Life would be so much easier if you were more amenable to my suggestions.”
“Don’t hold your breath, Astoria.”
I smile. I like the sound of my name on his lips.
Before he drives away, my eyes meet his brown ones. “I’m sorry I left my phone behind. I should have known you’d be calling but I lost track of time. I’ll try to be much more efficient when it comes to communication from now on as long as it does not interfere with my job. If anything, I’ll send a quick text next time.”
Carlo’s eyes brighten in surprise. He starts the car, but not before tossing one last look at me.
“Life would be so much easier if you were always this agreeable and apologetic.”
“Don’t hold your breath, Carlo.”
He gives me a short nod before driving away. I watch his car exit the estate before heading inside the house. Thankfully, my parents are still awake when I walk in. They’re in the living room, watching a show. I get to brag that my very amazing boyfriend picked me up from work and dropped me off. My mother beams, but my dad casts me a very suspicious look.
I’m hoping that once they get to meet him officially, his doubts will be quieted and we’ll be able to finally convince him that this is real.
* * *
I wasn’t kiddingwhen I told Carlo I’d try to communicate well. The few days we don’t see each other are spent texting back and forth. At first, I was just trying to find out random information about him—his birthday, or things that could come up about his family. Then we started talking about common areas of interest. He likes to play pool. He gambles on occasion, which wasn’t surprising. He’s actually not that bad once you get to know him. He’s funny in a droll sort of way, and intelligent, and… I force myself to stop thinking about Carlo and instead try to look forward to tonight.
He’ll be here in a few minutes.
A family dinner like this happens once every two weeks. We never really have much time to hang out. My dad’s busy managing a his companies, my mother’s busy working as a vice-president at Union Bank, and I’m busy at the hospital. But we’ve made it a rule to sit for dinner at least twice a month and have a conversation as a family. Usually, I love our family dinners.
However, I have a feeling today’s dinner isn’t going to go as smoothly as they usually do.
As always, Carlo’s annoyingly punctual. By 7 p.m., he’s driving onto the grounds, so I step outside to meet him. There’s an unwanted feeling in my gut as I take him in. He’s in a navy-blue suit that’s perfectly tailored with crisp lines, although I feel a little disappointment when I notice he’s not wearing a tie.
“Hey,” I say, walking up to him.
He offers me a small smile before holding out a finger. He quickly pokes his head into the car to grab something, and when he retreats, he’s holding a tie in his hands. Just like that, my mood brightens.
“I wasn’t sure how to knot it. I could have learned but I figured since you’re the architect of this situation, you might as well take care of it.”
“I can’t believe you’re admitting you can’t do something.”
“I never said I couldn’t. I just don’t want to.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I fail to hide my smile as I grab the tie from his hand, stepping closer until I’m standing in front of him. We’ve never been this close before. My heart skips a beat as I take in his face. There’s a small scar on his jaw that I hadn’t noticed. And his nose is a little crooked, like it’s been broken before. Those small imperfections only serve to make him more appealing, though.
