We park the car, and I hesitate, tempted to turn around.“What time does the party start?”I ask.
Ashton shrugs and climbs out of the vehicle, not the least bit bothered by our early arrival.He grabs his backpack from the backseat along with an overnight bag.
I grab my duffel from the backseat and lug it over my shoulder.While I don’t want to stay over, I also know if Harper is intending on spending the night, I have to be here and make sure she’s safe.
Tonight will be chilly, which gives me an idea and also a reason to keep her out of the house as much as I can.
I stalk around back.Ashton hurries after me, bags in hand, as if I’m walking to a back entrance to enter the house.He’s going to be in for a treat, because the least amount of time I can spend around my father is my plan.
If I’m lucky, he’s out on business this afternoon and tonight as well.
Don’t imagine I’ll actually get lucky.
I toss my duffel onto the back porch.I’ll deal with it later, when I’m forced to go inside the house.
There are a few stray branches, broken and lying on the ground.I gather them and keep looking for more.
“Put your bags by the door and help me,” I say, heading for the tree line and the forest that wraps around the property.There’s fencing that keeps the lot secure, but the forest expands far and wide.
“Help you?”Ashton mutters under his breath.“What are you doing?”
“We’re going to build a bonfire,” I say, carrying a decent stack of branches and tossing it into the stone fire pit in the backyard.I head for the forest, grabbing any wood that’s broken and dried to keep the fire roaring.I’m going to need a lot to keep the girls outside, especially since it’s going to be chilly.
Ashton picks up a stick and points it at me.“You know how to build a fire?”
“Mom had me join the Boy Scouts when I was a kid.She thought it would help me if I ever got lost in the woods.”
Ashton grabs another branch from the ground.“And your father?”
I inhale sharply, not wanting to think abouthim.“He?—”
“You’re home,” Dante says, stepping out onto the back porch, squinting from the sunlight as he stares at me.“And you’ve brought company.”
It’s about as warm a welcome as I’d expect from him.He’s never been overly affectionate as far as I remember.Hard to be when you’re in charge of ordering men to kill for you.
“Hi, Mr.Ricci.I hope it’s okay that I came by unannounced,” Ashton says rather quickly, the words almost slur together, and I swear I can hear his heart race from across the lawn.
I suppose he knows a bit about having a don as a father, since Aurelio runs the Chicago mafia.Although Ashton and his father get along, they at least talk to each other on the phone once a month.
My father never calls me.
But if he did, I also wouldn’t answer it.
“You’re home!”My mother’s voice carries across the grounds, her excitement bubbling over as she hurries outside barefoot to greet me.“You didn’t tell me you were coming, but it is Nova’s birthday,” she says more to herself than to me.
She embraces me in a hug, and for a second, I wonder if she’ll ever let go.“It’s good to see you and Ashton,” she says, glancing at my friend.
Mom met Ashton again when we were moving into the apartments on campus.She offered to come help us move out of the dorms, and while I didn’t take her up on the offer, she still showed up to help.Which meant her mostly shuffling a couple of boxes between places for us.
“Thanks, I was just setting up a bonfire for tonight,” I say, gesturing to the pile of sticks and branches haphazardly thrown into the fire pit.
“Perfect night for a bonfire,” she says.“I’ll have the guys bring out enough chairs and make sure there’s ingredients for s'mores.”
Ashton’s eyes light up.“Gosh, I haven’t had those since I was a kid.”
Mom smiles and glances at me.“Should I have them pick up anything else at the store?”
“You’d have to ask Nova,” I say.“It’s her party.”
