“I started with a spanking—” I coughed, “and ended up pouring my heart out to her.”
Carlo laughed under his breath.“Well, we both knew that needed to happen.Sooner rather than later.But what did she think about your—room?”Yeah.He was a snoopy asshole.I couldn't blame him, though.Carlo had never been into that side of life.Not like me.
But we'd shared enough women over the years that he was well aware of my—proclivities.
“Curious.Definitely curious.”
I could hear the smile in his voice.“Good.Sounds like she's definitely the perfect fit for you, then.”Something muffled Carlo's voice while he spoke to someone else.When he came back to me, he said, “I've got a very pregnant woman in front of me requesting a foot rub.”I could hear Giselle saying something in the background but couldn't quite make it out.
“You better go tend to her.We'll talk business later.”
We said our goodbyes, and then I opened my laptop.I had plenty of work to keep me busy while Francesca and my mother bonded in the kitchen.
Carlo was right.
I was one lucky asshole.
7
Francesca
“Eccelente!”Anna exclaimed as she took the first bite.“Francesca, you're a natural.”
Just then, Stefan walked into the kitchen and spotted us.“Smells delicious in here.Is it ready?”he asked, his eyes taking in everything around us.I did my best to clean as we cooked.But the bigger items stacked up.I could do those dishes later, though.
“Soon, soon,” Anna told him as she stabbed another gnocchi.Then she spoke to me.“Next time, we’ll make my sauce with this.”She chewed and then took another piece or two.
“Oh, I'd love that,” I told her.I could only imagine how great her sauce was.
“It takes all day.The sauce needs to simmer for hours.Otherwise,” she shook her head, “it's no good.”
Stefan bent over and picked up the gift bag I'd dropped earlier.I'd been so overcome with emotion that I'd forgotten about it.“She tells the truth.It does take all day.”He grabbed one of the pieces of tissue paper and crumpled it in his big hand.
“Stop!”I jumped out of my chair and ran over to him before he could do any more damage.“Don't do that,” I said, practically panting.I pulled the bag out of his hand.“What are you doing?”I asked, shaking my head.
He looked at me.Perplexed.“Throwing out the garbage.”
My jaw dropped to the ground.“This isn't garbage!”I squeaked.“Look how pretty it is.”
I held out a smooth, shiny piece of white tissue paper.“You don't throw something like this out.”
He looked at me like he was a little unsure of what I might do next.“And what are you going to do with a bag and some paper?”
My arms dropped to my sides.“What am I going to do with the most beautiful gift bag I've ever been given?”
“Okay.Fair enough.”He held out his hands and stepped back.“You keep whatever you need to keep.”
I rolled my eyes and carefully placed the tissue paper back into the bag.Then I put it on the far counter so nothing would happen to it.
When I turned around, Stefan was outside on the patio, opening a bottle of wine, and Anna was plating the gnocchi.
“Grab the garlic bread from the oven, Francesca.Please?Take these bowls, too.I'll bring the salad.”
I did what she asked and walked to the oven.I quickly shoved my hands inside a pair of brightly colored oven mitts.The heat from the oven escaped as I opened it to get the garlic bread.Anna already had a basket with a large cotton napkin liner ready for it.
After I carefully transferred the bread and covered it, I walked outside to the table.
Stefan greeted me with a glass of wine.“Here.”He exchanged the glass for the basket of bread.
