When she turns to leave, I say, “Emily?”
She pauses.
“Do you have news from Leander?”
The stiffening of her spine is minute, but not so much that it escapes my attention.
“No.” Her face hardens. “Believe me, it’s better that way.”
“What exactly happened between him and Dante?”
“You did.”
Her reply takes me aback. “What do you mean?”
“Your brother wanted to honor the contract with Mr. Stein.” She raises her eyes toward the sky. “May that old coot never find peace. You can say Mr. Morici fought for you, and he won. Your brother didn’t take the loss kindly.”
“Joni died?”
“Heart attack.”
Instead of compassion, all I feel is relief. That man has always creeped me out. “What about my father’s company?”
“Your brother squandered it all. Dante saved it.”
“You did it again. You called him Dante.”
She looks away. “He treats me well. He’s like a son to me.”
“Then why do you call him Mr. Morici in front of me?”
She irons down her apron. “Habit, I suppose.”
We fall silent again.
I bite my lip, my thoughts returning to my brother. “Do you have Leander’s number?”
She gives a start. “You shouldn’t call him. Mr. Morici—Dante—strictly forbids it. Leander chose his side, and it wasn’t yours.”
“I just?—”
“You don’t want to go there.” Her tone is almost angry. “You should leave the past alone. If you’re worried about him, trust me when I tell you he doesn’t deserve your concern.” She takes my hands in hers, squeezing them as she pins me with a worried expression. “Promise me you’ll stay away from Leander. Don’t betray Dante like that. If you do, it will disappoint him terribly.”
I frown. “I’ll never betray my husband.”
She gives my hands another squeeze before letting them go. “I hope you mean that.”
“Of course I do.”
Her smile is wistful. “No matter what?”
“I said my vows when we got married. I’m not going to break them.”
“One day, you may want to, but when that day comes, remember what you told me today. Remember that Dante has always done everything he did for you.”
The insecurity I tried to bury rears its head again. “Did Dante do something I should know about?”
She pats my cheek. “All I’m saying is that marriages go through ups and downs. You’re still on honeymoon. I don’t want you to give up when times get tough. Dante is a good husband and father.”
