Connor looked a lot different than he had yesterday, but still just as handsome. He wore a black beanie covering his long hair, dark jeans, a black hoodie, and a pair of tennis shoes that seemed uncomfortable to him somehow.
“Let’s go,Gio,” he said. “Sorry he bothered you, sweetheart. We’ll keep a tighter rein on him.”
“Fuck. Brian,” Gio hissed.
“Who’s Brian?” Waverly asked.
“No one,” Gio said. “I forgot I had another appointment.”
“Let’s go, bud,” Connor said.
“Be right there,” Gio said. “Just give me a few minutes.”
Connor gave him a look much like a dad admonishinga kid and I bit my lip, not exactly sure what to do, but in the end, he let out a quiet growl and closed the door.
“Is Connor your dad?” I asked.
“Not by blood,” Gio said. “My dad was killed when I was a kid, and he kind of stepped in as a father-figure. It’s a long story.”
“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry.”
“Long time ago, Fizzy.”
“Still, some wounds don’t really heal completely.”
He met my eyes. “No, they don’t.”
“I’m not talking about me.”
“Well, I am.”
“I’m fine.”
“Good to know. I want to take you out.”
“Oh yeah?” I challenged. “You gonna pick me up and open my door, and do all the things?”
“Fuck.”
“Hm-mm, how about we go back to keeping things profess—”
“Goddammit, Waverly, this is bullshit.”
“Does anybody ever tell you no?” I wondered out loud.
“I’ve got four older sisters, so it happens all the time.”
“Do you listen?”
“Not typically, no.”
I chuckled as I stood. “Ah, therein lies the problem, huh? Wait, four older sisters?”
“Yep. It’s like I have five Italian mothers.”
“Wow.”
“Wow, indeed,” he agreed. “Sit down, Fizzy.”
