“He’s been a huge help, Pop.” Thomas gave me a brief nod. “We really needed him. Hell, we still could use a few guys to help pick up the slack.”
“It’s always good to be in demand, son.”
I should’ve felt guilty about Friday night, but I didn’t. I didn’t regret a moment I’d spent with Race.
“Yeah. James and I are throwing around a couple names of people we could recruit to join us,” Thomas said as he put his feet up on the coffee table.
“Anyone I know?” Uncle Sal asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You do, but I don’t want to talk about work today. I’m still trying to convince James that he’s the right man for the job.”
“Oh. Sam?” he asked.
James mashed his hands together and gritted his teeth. “You know I hate him.”
Thomas looked over at James and grinned. “We’ve already been over this.”
“Have you talked to your mom today, Morgan?” Auntie Mar asked as she walked into the living room.
“Not today. Something happen?” I asked as my heart began to beat erratically.
“She said she’d be here by next weekend.” She smiled as she sat on the arm of the couch.
“Great,” I said in a quiet voice through closed teeth.
“You’re a horrible liar.” Auntie Mar hit me with the kitchen towel.
I sighed. “I love her, but the woman is so overbearing sometimes.”
“We’re mothers. We’re supposed to be.”
That was always the excuse my mother gave me. It was their job to be annoying and nosy as hell.
“But it would be nice if she could let go just a little.”
Aunt Mar laughed. “Never going to happen,” she said before she stood and headed back to the kitchen.
Joe nudged me with his elbow. “You just have to learn how to handle them.”
“Yep,” Mike agreed from the chair in the corner, nodding slowly.
“Pretend like you’re listening and learn to ignore her. That’s what I do with Ma.” Anthony pulled his wife, Max, into his lap.
“I can hear you!” Auntie Mar yelled from the kitchen.
“Ma isn’t that bad,” Thomas added.
All eyes turned to him.
“That’s because you were gone so long. If it weren’t for that, you’d get the same bullshit we all do,” Joe said quietly as his eyes darted toward the kitchen.
“Oh, please. She just loves us.” Thomas puffed his chest out.
“Lies. All lies,” Izzy said as she slid between James’s legs on the floor.
I felt envious of the Gallos.
They had each other.
