“Not much to tell. I’m a mechanic, divorced, and have two daughters I take care of on my own because my ex-wife moved across the country with her new, rich husband.”
“You sound bitter,” Gigi states, which isn’t too far off the truth.
“I’m bitter for my girls. They didn’t deserve what she did to them,” I explain truthfully. “I wasn’t surprised when Katie didn’t want to stay married to me anymore, but how she did it…sucked.”
Gigi nods like she understands, but I don’t think anyone could unless they’ve been in my shoes or my girls’. “How’s raising two girls on your own?”
“It’s something,” I mumble as I lift my beer to my lips.
Tate laughs. “They try his patience a lot. You know how we girls do,” she tells Gigi. “But they’re good kids.”
“I love that, and I love him for you,” she says, raising her eyebrows as she lifts her chin in my direction. “You weren’t lying about him either.”
“You talkin’ about me, princess?” I ask Tate.
“I didn’t have a choice since you left a mark on me.” She stares up at me as she points to the spot on her neck that I had forgotten about.
“That was a mistake.”
“Was it?” She raises an eyebrow.
“I got carried away.”
“Ah,” Gigi sighs, “New love. It’s the best. So much passion. I remember when this guy,” she says as she nuzzles her head against Pike’s neck, “and I met. It was hot and heavy.”
“It was a fling, darlin’. Spring break madness before you left me without your number. Poof. Gone. Vanished without a trace.”
“But you found me. You can’t stop destiny, baby,” she says to him.
He grunts. “I got lucky.”
“In more ways than one.” She winks at him with a playful smile.
“Look at this. Nothing makes my heart happier,” Mrs. Gallo says from behind me, nearly scaring the ever-loving shit out of me.
“Hey, Auntie Betty,” Gigi says, pushing back her seat and standing to round the table. “Looking as good as ever.”
Betty places her hand on my shoulder to steady herself. “You’re a good liar, kid, but not a great one. I’m looking like a worn piece of leather and feel like I’ve been left out in the sun for years to wither away to nothingness.”
Gigi walks over to my side to hug Betty. “You’re always so dramatic and descriptive.”
“It’s the Gallo way, baby,” Betty says as she moves her hand away from me to wrap an arm around Gigi. “I’m sure your grandpa has taught you all well.”
“Of course. Of course,” Gigi says as she stares down at the old woman who still sports a thick head of red hair. “Sit with us. Have a drink.”
“You kids look like you’re having too much fun and don’t need an old woman intruding.”
“Gram, come on. One drink,” Tate begs.
“Would you boys mind?” she asks, looking between Pike and me.
“Never,” I say, peering up at her from my seat.
“We’d be honored, auntie. Sit. Sit,” Pike tells her, motioning toward the chair next to him.
She lifts her hand, waving a few fingers. “Just one beer,” she says as she drops into the empty seat. “I need to get to bed. Morning comes too early at my age.”
“What’s new?” Gigi asks Betty as she sits back down next to Pike.
