“Oh no, no Mrs, or Miss, please call me Milena my darling girl.” She says as she puts her hand to her heart and smiles at me.
“Thank you Milena, I can see where Dragna gets his soft side from.” I say in a lighthearted way looking towards him. A second later waiters pile into the dining room carrying plates upon plates of food and drinks, setting everything down on the table. There is so much food there has to be at least eight coursesand even though I didn’t eat today to ensure I had room for dinner, there’s absolutely no way I’m going to be able to eat this much. From salads, breads, chicken, steak, fish, there’s literally everything I could possibly want to choose from.
I look up at Dragna in amazement and he clears his throat, looking almost bashful.
“I asked Alina what your favourite foods were, I hope it is all up to your standard of the diners and takeaways you two like to visit so often.” He says with a hint of teasing while his mother hides a smile behind her freshly poured glass of wine as she takes a sip.
“Hey, our regular food places are to die for! Don’t diss them.” I tease back just as a waiter comes to my side and asks me which wine I would prefer.
After my glass is poured and I take a sip, more servers come out to begin plating our food from the glorious selection laid out in front of us.
“This is incredible, thank you so much.” I tell Dragna as I continue to look around me in amazement.
I’m not used to this kind of service but obviously Dragna and his mother are and yet, despite that, their manners towards the waiters and servers have my heart swelling even more.
Nothing says douchebag like when people treat wait staff as if they are literal servants. To know that this is Dragna’s lifestyle and he is still so kind and courteous towards staff, it shows me what kind of person he really is, that behind his outer shell of roughness, he has a heart and it seems like a big one.
“Willow, I have to ask and I hope you don’t think it is rude of me, but I know you just turned twenty two and my boy is what some would consider far, far older than you are… what do your parents think?”
Milena’s question catches me off guard and I swallow another sip of my wine, the gulp audible like I’ve just been caught doing something I shouldn’t be.
Suddenly I feel nervous to tell Dragna that my parents don’t know about him yet, and especially in front of his mother.
“Well, I haven’t actually told them yet. Not because I don’t think this will go anywhere or anything, I just haven’t had a chance to speak to them properly over the phone to update them with my life the past few weeks.” I smile nervously.
“But I couldn’t see them having an issue with the age gap. All they have ever wanted for me was to be safe, treated kindly and to be happy. If that’s with Dragna, then I’m sure they would be accepting. It’s also only been a few weeks since we have met and technically this is only our second date, even if somehow it feels like I’ve always known him.” I smile up at Dragna and he smiles back at me while taking my hand in his on top of the table.
“I’ll probably tell them this week if I can get my mother on the phone since they don’t live in New York.”
“When it is meant to be, you just know my girl. It will feel like they have always been part of your life, fitting in so easily you think you might be going insane for how quickly you feel things for them, but that’s love.” Milena speaks as if she’s longing for someone who made her feel like that and I can’t help but want to know more.
“Speaking from experience? What was Dragna’s father like?” I smile big at her waiting to hear their love story, only her own smile fades and Dragna’s hold on my hand squeezes tighter. Milena clears her throat and puts a soft smile on her face again.
“Experience yes, with Dragna’s father, no. But that’s another story for another day.” She lifts her napkin from the table and folds it on her lap seemingly lost in thought and now I feel terrible for bringing something up that’s possibly made her feel uncomfortable but Dragna never told me about what his dadwas like and I didn’t want to press on the situation knowing he had passed away.
“I’m sorry, that was rude of me to ask.”
“Nonsense! Now, tell me more about your life because all Dragna has talked about is how lovely and beautiful you are.” She smirks at him and I feel a blush rising up my neck to my cheeks.
I tell her about my childhood and where I grew up, my parents and my friends all while we eat the most amazing dinner I’ve ever had. She shares stories of Dragna and Lev growing up like brothers and torturing her father who they all lived with.
The night goes on sharing laughter, conversation and great food and not once did I feel looked down upon for not being in the same tax bracket they come from.
A very clear difference from how I was treated by Fred’s family our entire relationship and after tonight’s dinner, I feel a sense of happiness in my heart that I didn’t think was possible.
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“Willow has work tomorrow mama, so I need to get her home.” Dragna tells his mother as we all walk towards the foyer after dinner.
“Of course darling, but first, Willow please take my number. I would love for us to have lunch sometime, just us girls.” She winks at me and I crush my lips together while looking down to hide the embarrassingly huge smile that wants to break out on my face. I look back up to Milena and take my phone out of my bag, handing it to her to put her number in.
“I would love that! I’ll text you the address of the bookstore too, I work four days a week, all different days so I’ll let you know when I’m there and you can pop in anytime!”
“Perfect, I’ll see you soon.”
She pulls me in for a tight hug, resting one hand on the back of my head and fully embracing me the way a mother would her own child. She lets me go and hands me my phone back just as barking sounds from down the hall and the clattering of paws hit off the hardwood floors. A second later three huge dogs come bolting towards us and I know I probably look like an idiot with the smile I have on my face at seeing them, but I can’t help it. I crouch down and put my hand out to call the dogs to me.
“No Willow, they are guard dogs, I need to introduce you first so they know you’re good.” Dragna says quickly as he tries to pull me up before they get to us.
