Alfie walks up to me, “Luca just ripped me a new one, having Molly here, especially for tonight. Just watch her for a bit, please?”
“What do I get out of it?” I question. “And it better be fucking good.”
Leaning in, almost whispering, “I’ll let you know what happens at the meeting.”
“What makes you think I’d care about that?” I bluffed.
“Inside information isn’t always a bad thing.”
“Isn’t that against what you’re supposed to do? Luca would be disappointed.”
“As long as he doesn’t know. Plus, it’s for you. You’re family.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. But I want all the details.”
Alfie winked at me. “Thanks, B!”
As I turned to face Molly on the sofa, she sat there happy. She’s drunk. Great.
“Hey,” I say as I sit beside her. “Having fun tonight?”
“This place is nothing like the clubs in California,” she hiccupped.
“Is that a good or bad thing?”
“Good, I guess. Chicago in general—it’s different. You’re the office manager, right?”
“I am,” I reply, sounding as if I was so proud of it. Being nice to these California people is already annoying me.
“You’re like, really pretty.”
I smile, “Thank you.”
For however long, Molly and I sat chatting. Thankfully, she was drunk and didn’t notice my asking about Aria. I learned a few things, and I was impressed. Molly didn’t know all the details, but piecing what she did say, the rumors were true. She broke away from her family. She chose to walk away and only reunited years later when her father passed. Part of me didn’t know how to feel about that. How can someone walk away from family? Even when there were those times I despised being a DeCarlo, never did it cross my mind to leave.
Would I ever muster the strength to walk away?
After an hour, Alfie walks back in, but alone. I stood up to meet him so that Molly wouldn’t hear anything Alfie had to tell me.
“Good news or bad news first?”
“I don’t like the fact there is bad news,” I replied.
“Well, there is. So, which one first?”
I huff, “Make me smile, then break my heart.”
“You’ll get to live in California like you always wanted.
“What?” I spat out in surprise. California was made for me. It broke my hear when I had to leave after college.
“Don’t get too hyped; that’s only happening because Luca offered your hand in marriage to Gabe Appollo.”
“What?” I spat out again in surprise.
Chapter 10
“What?” I spat out again in surprise.
