“Dante wasn’t pleased,” Moreno says, his face grim.“But Luca begged to play as his Christmas present and, well, he’d give the boy anything.”
I wonder if the same Dante is still inside that cold, calculated monster.Was he mafia back then, or did he join when Luca was a child?
That’s not a question I ask Moreno or Nikki.
“Dante still isn’t thrilled with Luca playing hockey.He just worries that his son is going to get hurt,” Nikki says.
Moreno glares at her.I get the feeling there’s more to it than mere concern for his overall health, but I don’t push the issue.I know better when Moreno is involved.He isn’t about to help me.
“Enough about Luca.I would have thought he’d have told you that,” she says and sizes me up.“So, you don’t care much for sports.Did you ever play any sports as a kid?”
“Does bowling count?”
That gets a slight chuckle from both Moreno and Nikki.
I never thought I’d see Moreno lighten up, but I suppose even bad guys can laugh once in their life.
The waitress comes over and we order lunch.I’m relieved for the break in questions.It feels like a very mild interrogation.Which isn’t a surprise, since I was invited to join Nikki alone for lunch.
But we’re not very alone, considering Moreno has joined us.Why couldn’t we have let Luca come too?It would at least make the experience a little more enjoyable.
I keep thinking about that boy in the basement.Nikki seems nice enough, but I’m not sure if I can trust her.
I excuse myself to the bathroom, taking my purse with me.It’s only a few feet from our table, and I relish the fact that it’s a single-occupancy restroom and I can shut and lock the door.
I don’t actually have to go.I just need a break from all the questions.I reach into my purse, digging around for my phone.
It’s not in there.
Did Luca grab my phone to put Dante’s number in it and forget to give it back to me?
Crap.I don’t think I grabbed it from upstairs before leaving.Well, there goes any chance of trying to get help for the boy.
Grumbling, I can’t even try to search for information on the missing child.I glance around the bathroom.There’s a paper towel that I could use to write on, perhaps leave a note for someone to help, but I search and there’s no pen in my purse, either.
I usually carry a pen with me.
Weird.
Did someone go through my belongings before I left the house?I feel weirdly suspicious, but it could just be a coincidence.Maybe I used the pen and I forgot to put it back with my things.
I finish in the bathroom and step out, coming back to the table.Nikki and Moreno are having a friendly chat about me, it seems.
“I was just telling Moreno how nice it is to meet a girlfriend of Luca’s.He’s never brought any girls home before.We should invite your parents to join us for dinner next weekend.”
“Next weekend?”My voice catches in my throat.
I’m not ready to tell my parents about Luca or the engagement.And doing it all within the next several days is dizzying.I reach for my water glass, needing another sip.
“Yes, unless they have plans already.Then we can try for the following weekend,” Nikki insists.“I’m sure they have some time free.I would imagine they’d like to get to know the family their daughter is marrying into.”Nikki says those words with a warm smile, but I can’t help but wonder how much she knows.
Moreno stares right through me.“She’s right; it would be nice for our families to meet, to get to know one another.”
I don’t know why, but I feel as though that’s a threat, him wanting to meet my family.He’s already made it clear that if I don’t wed Luca, I’m dead.
The last thing I want is to put my family in harm’s way.They’ve done nothing wrong.“I’m not sure they’ll be pleased with our engagement,” I admit.
“Something we both agree on,” Nikki says, staring at me.“But I do like you, Harper.You seem like a good person.I just wish you and my son would wait a little while longer before jumping into marriage.”
