Arthur handed the invitation to him. “I need you to give this to Jesse. And I need you to make sure that he reads it.”
Giuseppe turned the folded paper over in his hands. “What is it?”
“It’s an invitation to a party. I’d like for Jesse to come. Assuming that I can still afford to host it once you’ve named your price for handing the paper to him, that is.”
Giuseppe let out a fast breath, close to a scoff. “Mr. Hughes, it’s been weeks since you and Jesse parted ways. Hell, even before you snubbed him, the two of you only knew each other for about as long. Does he really mean that much—”
“Yes,” Arthur said without even the slightest bit of hesitation. “Look, I know I hurt him. I know I insulted him. And I know I have no right to expect—or even hope for—his forgiveness. But I miss him. I miss him so much that I have no choicebutto hope.”
Giuseppe hit the envelope against one of his palms several times, seemingly thinking over what Arthur had said. Seconds passed. One more worker came in. He and Giuseppe exchanged pleasantries while Arthur stood by, hands hooked behind his back, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he repeated the same prayer over and over in his head.
Please, God, let this work.
After the other man left, Giuseppe looked Arthur square in the eyes and said, “Do you love him?”
“Yes,” Arthur immediately replied, his stomach swooping as he responded. “I haven’t...toldhim that, exactly, but yes, I do.”
Giuseppe heaved a sigh and let out an irritated grunt with it. “Fine. I’ll help you.”
Every ounce of tension that Arthur had been holding left his body at once.
“Thank you, Mr. Caputo.” He pressed his hands together in front of his chest in prayer. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Giuseppe rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome.”
“What would you like in return? Name your price. I’ll pay it, whatever it is.”
“Nothing,” Giuseppe said with a shrug. “Iearnmy money, Mr. Hughes.”
Arthur had to hold back a laugh. He probably ought to have seen that coming.
Giuseppe shoved the invitation into his back pocket and turned to leave before immediately whirling back around. “Actually, there is one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Treat Jesse with the respect he deserves.”
Arthur nodded. “I will. I promise.”
Giuseppe nodded back curtly and walked away.
Chapter Sixteen
Jesse
Jesse was about to finish cleaning up in the kitchen, purposefully leaving behind a single bowl of bean stew for Giuseppe to eat once he came home, when he heard footsteps on the stairs. His heart stuttered as he turned toward the sound. Every night for the last week, Jesse had been leaving the ground-level door to his home unlocked while he cooked with the hope that Arthur might come by to try to talk to him. Even though he still had no clue if he could ever manage to move past his lingering resentment and shame enough to evenhave a civil conversation with the man, he still found himself hoping that Arthur might try, regardless.
How nonsensical it was.
Letting out a breath, Jesse rotated his shoulders a few times to try to relax away the sudden tension that had settled there while also trying to ignore the creaks on the staircase. It was probably only Giuseppe coming back from the mill. Forty minutes or so earlier than he had been for the last week, but Jesse’s roommate’s schedule could be fairly erratic, so there was no real reason for him to think that it was Arthur.
Please let it be Arthur.
Giuseppe burst into their living space with a grin.
“Do I smell stew?” he asked, taking off his coat.
Jesse forced a half-hearted smile in return. “Bean and carrot,” he confirmed.
