“Antonella,” my dad said. “You’ve absolutely outdone yourself with today’s meal.” He poured her a glass of wine. “We’re very grateful you stayed on with us all these years.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She added more pasta to my dad’s plate. “I’ve missed having my guys all at the same dinner table.”
“It’s good to be back.” Chello finished his salad. “I’ve missed your cooking.”
“Antonella keeps all of Julia’s recipes alive.” My dad twirled the fresh-made pasta around his fork. “Spaghetti and clams was one of her favorite things to make.”
“I hated the clams when I was a kid.” I sprinkled some parmesan cheese over my plate, grateful that my palate had adapted and now cherished these recipes. “One time, I hid them in my pocket and threw them away in the bathroom trashcan.”
“Yuck!” Lissia crinkled her nose. “You must have smelled horrible.”
“The bathroom stunk for days.” Chello shook his head. “No one could figure out what it was.”
“When it started to seep into the hallway, I panicked.” I sipped my wine, remembering how rancid that awful scent was. “So I dumped the trash into the toilet and flushed it.”
“Oh no!” Sable laughed. “Why didn’t you just take the trash out?”
“I was eight.” I shrugged, but as an adult that option made so much sense. “I didn’t want to get in trouble for not eating the clams. I thought I could dispose of the evidence.”
“I did have them imported from New England,” my dad said. “They were exceptional. Thank goodness you’ve gotten better at hiding the evidence.”
“He learned from the best.” Lissia sipped her water.
“How did you find out that the clams ended up in the toilet?” Sable asked. “I mean, if Milo is telling the story, you must know what he did.”
“It was hard to miss.” My dad smiled at Antonella. “Do you remember?”
“Like it was yesterday.” She shook her head. “These boys kept us on our toes.”
“They still do,” he said.
“The genius threw everything that was in the can into the toilet and clogged it. He flooded the bathroom.” Chello pushedhis empty plate out of the way. “The dead clams floated around as if they were in the ocean. It was a mess.”
“You tried to help me clean it up.” Chello always came to my rescue. If I needed it done, he did it. “We weren’t that successful.”
“I’m still cleaning up your fucking messes.” He smirked. “But now you clean up mine too.”
“And mine.” Lissia rested her head on Chello’s shoulder.
She referred to the night I scrubbed the murder scene at the villa in Miami. I never wanted to see Lissia that lost ever again. I would do anything for her.
“I’m surprised either of you want to eat clams after all of that.” Lissia placed her hand over her mouth. “I’m ready to vomit just thinking about it.” She smiled at Antonella. “No offense, dinner was delicious.”
“None taken.” Antonella got up from the table. “Let me clear the dishes, and then we can have dessert.”
“I’ll help.” Sable pushed out her chair. “Everything was fantastic.”
“No.” My father held up his hand. “You sit. Marchello and Milo can do it.”
“You heard him.” I got up from the table and then kissed the top of Sable’s head. “Marchello and I will have this done in no time.”
As my father and Antonella entertained Sable and Lissia with more mishaps from our childhood, Marchello and I cleared the table. The ease in Sable’s demeanor was a pleasure to see. Now that her brother was getting his shit together, she could focus on her own life. Becoming part of my family was her main priority.
I needed her as much as she needed me. We were a perfect fit. Now if we could rid ourselves of the current turmoil in my business, we could move forward. I had plans for us, and I couldn’t wait to share them with her.
“Sable seems to be settling in.” Marchello began rinsing the dishes. “She seems a little more relaxed than when Lissia and I came to the dealership the other day.”
“She wasn’t feeling herself.”Until I fucked her against the wall.“I’m trying to keep her mind off Medina. The less I talk shop, the more comfortable she is.”
