“Elio won’t be long,” she says. “I’m glad I’ve got you all to myself for a minute. How’s it going with Sara?”
“Good.”
I’m in work mode. I’m not here to talk about Sara, especially when I know that she will be in my bed waiting for me to get home. I force myself not to think about how different this evening would have been had I not received a call from Elio.
“Good?” Her eyebrows almost vanish beneath her bangs. “Is that the best you can come up with?”
I smile, relenting a little. If it wasn’t for Gia, I might never have asked Sara out in the first place. “I got atattoo.”
Gia’s eyes widen. “Dare I ask where it is?”
“Right here.” I pat my chest where my heart is. “Sara got one too.”
“Wow, fuck, Romeo, you sly fox. Please don’t tell me that they’re matching tattoos though.”
“No. Would that be a bad thing?”
“A bit tacky.” Gia tilts her head to one side, watching me closely. “You got it bad, huh?”
I nod. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.” I don’t even know where this came from, but I do know with all my heart that it’s what I want.
“Whoa.” She sets her cup down on the counter and raises both hands, palms facing outward. “Let’s back up to the part where you just said you’re going to ask Sara Mancini to marry you.”
“I don’t want to wait.” I don’t add that in this line of work, you have to make each day count. Gia Rossi is an intelligent woman; she can figure it out for herself.
“Okay.” She massages her left temple as if the thought process is hard to follow. “But at least be sure that she’ll say yes before you buy a ring and pop the question.”
“She will.”
“You’re sure about that?” Gia’s gaze is intense, but I can’t look away.
I’m more certain than I’ve ever been about anything. “Yes.”
“Sure about what?” Elio enters the kitchen.
He’s wearing his signature black suit with a gray marl sweater underneath, shoes so shiny, I could seemy reflection in them if I got close enough. He’s armed. Ready to head out to whatever job he needs me to carry out with him.
“Romeo is going to propose to Sara Mancini,” Gia updates her brother before I can speak. I can’t tell if she’s amused by the whole thing or happy for me.
Elio’s gaze hops between me and his sister, but I can tell by his vacant expression that he has no idea who Sara is. Maybe that’s a good thing. Elio has the kind of looks that would turn heads in a blacked-out bunker.
“Nail technician,” Gia fills in the blanks. “We went to the same high school.”
But Elio is staring at my right hand. Or rather he is staring at the pink polish on my fingernails, and his eyes are like bullets. “What the actual fuck, Romeo? Is this some kind of sick joke?”
“What are you talking about, Elio?” Gia says. “I think it’s sweet. You make a cute couple, Romeo. I’m rooting for you all the way.”
“Not that.” Elio strides across the kitchen and raises my hand for his sister to see. “This.”
Frown lines crease Gia’s forehead momentarily, and then she smiles to reveal perfect white teeth. “You let her paint your nails?”
I’ve got it wrong again. Elio is angry with me, and Gia thinks I’m a fucking idiot. All I wanted to do was make Sara feel good about herself and understand why her clients come back to her to get their nails done. Is that such a terrible thing to do for the woman you love?
My fists clench. Not to hide my painted nails, but because I don’t want to do something that I’ll regret. I need this job. It pays well, and I need it to give Sara the life she deserves.
“Romeo, that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Gia’s voice slices through my spiraling thoughts and catches me before I reach the point of no return.
“It isn’t cute.” Elio shakes his head. “He’s a hitman for fuck’s sake.”
