“You should stay home with me. I don’t have school, and there’s no big meetings today, right?” she asks once we’re sated and panting. "You could work in your office for a bit if you really need to. If your headache will let you.”
“I… How did you know I have a headache?” It’s not bad. It didn’t keep me from doing exactly what I wanted to do with my wife, but it’s definitely there.
She flushes the prettiest shade of pink. “Carlo, I have a confession to make. You may be very angry with me once I make it.”
I interlock our fingers, studying the rings on her left hand. Smiling to myself, I doubt there’s anything she could ever do that would make me all that angry with her. “What do you have to confess, Red?”
“You looked utterly exhausted when you got home last night. I knew you had some phone call planned early today, but you haven’t been reasonable about giving yourself time to heal so… I slipped that sedative into your drink at bedtime.”
“You drugged me?!”
She gives me a sheepish nod, and I can’t help chuckling. “I asked Luca if he could handle business today after you fell asleep and then I hid your phone. Are you angry?”
I shake my head. “Considering the deal we once made and how I tricked you, I suppose I can’t really be angry.” She gives me a hesitant grin. “But I may have to punish you for it…”
Her eyes flash with renewed lust as she squirms on top of me. She knows that any punishment I dole out when it comes to her will be something she’ll thoroughly enjoy. As will I.
***
“Don Vicini, you honor us with your patronage,” the restaurant owner cries with delight as I step inside for dinner that evening. Her eyes narrow when they land on Francesca by my side. She quickly covers it, but that simply won’t do.
“Good evening, Signora Camilleri. Have you met my lovely wife yet?”
“I believe she dined here a couple of months ago, but I did not have the honor of being introduced to this beautiful lady then. You know how testy Faro can be.”
“Hmm,” I reply with a cold smile until the woman showers my wife with enough praise to suit me. She’s suffered greatly with her husband dead and her son in prison, but I won’t permit anyone to hold my wife accountable for her father’s sins.
For her part, Francesca is the picture of graciousness until the woman finally leaves us be. “That wasn’t necessary. You’re not going to make them all like me, and you don’t have to. I won’t feel ashamed over what Da did anymore, but that doesn’t mean I expect them to forget it either.”
I take her hand in mine, drawing it up to my lips for a soft kiss as the antipasti is brought out. “Perhaps not but I will try every day to make my city fall in love with you as I have. Even before you take Broadway by storm.”
She grins. “They won’t love me as much as you do.”
“I didn’t say that. No one will love you as fiercely as I do,mia moglie,but they may try.”
After we order our meal, I can tell there’s something else on her mind. Once the soup is set before us, she’s ready to talk. “Regarding Broadway… I’ve spent a lot of time chatting with my professors this past week, particularly the ones who have worked full-time in that setting.”
I nod, mentally preparing myself for whatever she’s about to ask for. I must keep her safe, but I don’t want to deny her anything.
“I don't want to take Broadway by storm. It doesn’t feel as important to me anymore.”
“That wasn’t what I expected you to say. You said you wanted to be a singer.”
“I can sing anywhere. I don’t need to do it on a stage.”
“You’re still very young, Francesca. You don’t have to audition for any big roles until you’re ready. You may change your mind.”
She shrugs. “I appreciate you saying that, but I’ve been thinking about something I might enjoy more. I enjoy writing music, and I love teaching Giulia to play the piano in her own way. Bianca’s asked me for vocal lessons, too.” Warmth floods my chest every time I think of that day when all three girls were gathered around my wife’s piano with her. I love seeing her with them, especially Giulia.
“Do you believe helping them would interfere with your plans?”
“Well, no, but I thought, what if I could teach others in the Trio to sing and play the piano? We're not all marathon shoppers and professional gossips. I could offer music lessons to anyone who wanted to learn. It would give me a purpose in our community, make me feel a part of things while still getting to enjoy the thing I love.”
“Music lessons for the daughters and wives of my men… I like the idea very much.”
“Well, it wouldn’t just have to be the girls and wives. Boys and men can enjoy music, too… unless you’re going to be stubborn about that.”
“I’m going to be stubborn about that. I can’t permit you to be alone with men I don’t trust implicitly.”
