Daphne pushes her plate forward and gives herself a little room. “Well…” She waves her hand. “You like your ladies more on the adorable, innocent-looking side than the sex-kitten type.”
“Sweet Jesus,” Ma mumbles.
“You want the type that looks like they can teach Sunday school.”
“You’re insane.”
“No. No.” Daphne shakes her head. “It’s your thing.”
“I think it’s a lot of guys’ thing.” Leo earns himself a slap to the chest with that statement.
“Shut it,” she tells him, giving him the side-eye. “You married me.”
“I didn’t say it was my type, bella.” He grabs her hand and lifts it to his mouth, turning on the Casanova charm that won her over in the first place.
“Even though you like the pure-as-the-driven-snow look, you also like a woman with a dirty mouth.”
“It’s hot.” Lucio nods his head slowly and wraps one arm around Delilah. “This one can swear like a sailor.”
Delilah blushes and rests her head on his shoulder. They’re so stinking cute, they make me a little sick with all their adorableness.
“Anyway,” Daphne continues, ignoring Lucio and Delilah as they fawn over each other. “You also go for the chicks who are a little broken.”
“Seriously, Dee, you’re describing every man on the planet here.” I wave off her insanity.
“I’m not.” She looks at Leo. “He doesn’t want innocent, and I was never broken or in need of help.”
“If I remember correctly, you were about to face-plant in front of three hundred wedding guests when I saved you.” The look Leo gets from my sister is one I can only describe as lethal.
“And you want the woman to be just as sweet on the inside as she looks on the out. If we weren’t brother and sister, we’d never work. I’m too bitchy and bossy for you.”
“Your lips to God’s ears,” Leo whispers and glances up at the ceiling.
“Every man wants a good woman at their side.” Pop places his hand over my mother’s. “Without her, we’d be lost.”
And that’s exactly where I am.
Lost.
Without Marissa, I feel like I’m just wandering through life. Even when Michelle and I would hang out, the sadness wouldn’t leave my soul. She didn’t fill up my heart the way a woman should, or at least, the way Marissa did. I’m not sure there’s anyone in the world who could fill the void her death has left.
“Hello. You’re forgetting about Roger,” I remind my sister and the entire family.
“She’s not in love with him.” She shakes her head because, clearly, she knows way more than I do about a total stranger.
“You don’t know that.”
“If I’m in love with the man I’m having a drink with, I most certainly do not ask for another man.”
“Maybe she just wanted to say thank you,” I tell her.
“Nope. She had herself all dolled up. She was there with a purpose.”
“Daphne, I love you, but you’re off your rocker.”
“Daddy,” Tate says from the archway to the kitchen. “Can you help me?”
“I’m coming, baby.” I push back from the table, thankful Tate’s saving me. “This conversation’s over.”
