Vinnie turns beet red, but he stays still and lets her embarrass him. “I’ve missed you, Ma.”
“Let me look at you,” she tells him and backs up a bit, leaving her hands cupping his cheeks. “You’re looking good, kid.”
“I’ve been working out.” And right on cue, he flexes like the meathead he always has been and probably always will be.
She tries to wrap her hands around his biceps for a second, sticking her tongue out like she’s doing something impossible. “I can tell. I can’t even touch my fingertips around these guns.”
“Ma, you haven’t been able to do that since I was twelve.”
“Finally. Ready to work?” I ask him, saving him before she does something else to embarrass him.
He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “If I must,” he says, always being whiny when it comes to anything that resembles manual labor.
“The last time I checked, you are still part owner of this place too.”
“I’m the hook,” he says with his chin raised and filled with cockiness. “The rest of you are the hustle.”
“Whatever.” I grab a towel off the counter before tossing it at him.
It smacks him in the side of the face. “Thanks,” he mumbles behind the rag before peeling it away. “I’m more of a bartender, though.”
“Wash the tables,” I tell him and motion around the bar. “There’s a lot of dirt to clean up around here.”
He walks up to me and drops his voice, “Where are all the hot women?”
“Slumming it elsewhere.”
“Fuck,” he hisses. “I was hoping to have a little fun this weekend.”
“Oh, I’m sure some trashy bimbo will walk in here at some point. Word’s already spreading that you’re here.”
He pulls his phone from his pocket and makes flirty faces into the screen, practicing. “Maybe this will bring the girls to the yard.”
My brother’s ego has grown almost as big as his large Gallo head. “Don’t worry, pretty boy. You look perfect. Not even a hair out of place.”
He ignores me and talks into the camera. “Hey, ladies. I’m back in town and down at my bar, Hook & Hustle. Come on over and see me tonight. If you’re lucky, I may even do some push-ups.” He winks before pressing a few buttons.
“You’re unbelievable,” I mutter.
“That’s what she said.” He laughs.
I just shake my head and walk away.
12
Daphne
I’m barely awake,and it’s already noon. I haven’t even had an entire cup of coffee when Vinnie strolls through the front door with the biggest smile on his face. He strides into the kitchen, wearing the same clothes he had on last night, only with a few more wrinkles. He slides onto the stool across the counter from me and taps his hands against the granite. “How’s your morning going?”
“I haven’t decided yet. It’s too early to think,” I grumble into my coffee mug.
I’ve never been much of a morning person, and that’s probably why working at the bar suits me so well. I can sleep in whenever I want and never have to worry about setting an alarm. My brother is obviously a morning person, or he wouldn’t be so damn chipper at this hour.
He stares down at his reflection in the polished black granite. “Mine’s going amazing.” He peeks up at me for a few seconds before going back to admiring himself. “Thanks for asking.”
“Fucker,” I whisper.
“What?”
