“Yes, you are,” I grind out. “That’s another nonnegotiable.”
“My brand is Liana DiMaggio. Condition number two is that you won’t mess with my business. My last nameismy business.”
“Your last name will be changing, Liana. I’m not compromising when it comes to that.”
“You’re infuriating!” she exclaims.
“That makes two of us. Your last name will change to Bonetti. End of discussion.”
“We’ll see about that,” she mumbles so low I don’t think she expected me to hear it, so I don’t make another comment about it. I’m tired of arguing with her. She’ll be taking my last name whether she likes it or not.
“Look, I really don’t have time to plan a wedding in two weeks. Let’s just do this thing at the courthouse,” she says.
“No. Just get me your guest list, and I’ll handle the rest.”
“You’regoing to handle the rest?”
“Unless you’ve changed your mind and would like to.”
“No. I couldn’t care less.” She’s quiet for a moment then says, “I’ll get you the list by the end of the day. It won’t be long. I don’t need many people at this sham of a wedding.”
“Whatever you want,mia moglie.”
Liana chokes, coughing a few times. “Don’t call me your wife. It’s weird.”
“You’ll get used to it. I’ll text you my email to send your guest list to. Talk to you later…mia moglie.”
I end the call with Liana before she can say anything.
Stuffing the contract back in the envelope, I put it in the top drawer of my desk. I’m about to gather my shit so I can meet my brothers at the warehouse, but another knock sounds on my door.
“Yeah?” I call out.
My eyes widen when my dad walks in.
“Massimo,” he says with a large smile as he walks over.
Standing from my desk, I greet him. “Dad, what’re you doing here?”
“We have some business to discuss.” He gestures to the chair next to him. “Mind if I take a seat, son?”
“Yes, please,” I say, sitting back down in my chair.
“It’s the end of the month, which means we have a marriage to discuss. Your mother and I are planning on going to Italy in a few weeks, and I think it’d be best if you came with us. There’s an annual masquerade party the Faracis put on that all the families attend. I can introduce you to some important contacts at the event, and there are some families that would be good to partner ourselves with through a marriage. You can have your pick.”
“Actually, about that… The wedding date has been set. Two weeks from now.”
My dad’s brows rise to his hairline. “You finally got this mystery girl to say yes?”
I nod.
“Are you finally going to fill me in on who it is now that you got her to commit?”
“Liana DiMaggio,” I say with a proud smile on my face.
My dad sits back in his chair and crosses one leg over the other. “Liana DiMaggio,” he says slowly, as if he’s testing her name on his lips. “So that’s why you asked about her name not being on the list… And you got this on paper?”
“I did. Signed by both of us.”
