Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“God, let’s not even joke about that.”
“Con.”
I looked into the dining room and saw none other than Rocco entering the restaurant, a tall behemoth in the little place, his eyes lit up in joyous affection at the sight of me. “You didn’t tell me you were coming into town.”
He came to me with arms wide, and we embraced outside the kitchen. We exchanged hugs and pats on the back before we broke apart. “Rome’s been quiet, so I thought I’d take a little holiday.”
“And you had to pick Taormina, of all places?” I teased.
He shrugged. “Just looking for a free meal, I guess.”
I chuckled. “I’ve got you covered, brother.”
Julia came over after she delivered the bread. “Uncle Rocco!”
“There’s my little princess.” He scooped her up with a single arm, then hoisted her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
She laughed as she was held upside down, kicking her legs toward the ceiling.
“Wow, you’ve gotten heavy.” Rocco returned her to the floor. “I can barely lift you anymore.”
“Well, I’m five now,” she said with a bit of sass. “And you didn’t get me a present.”
“Julia,” I said with a tone, telling her she was being rude without actually saying it.
“Actually . . .” Rocco pulled a small box from his pocket and popped it open for her. Inside was a little golden bracelet with a maroon pendant.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of it. “Whoa.”
“Only for a princess.” He smiled before he got it out and clasped it around her wrist.
“Wow, Daddy, look!” She showed it to me and then her mother.
“Beautiful,” I said before I gave Rocco a pat on the shoulder, appreciating how good he was to my little girl.
“Why don’t you two have lunch, and Julia and I will handle the kitchen,” Aurelia said.
“Works for me,” I said. “I’m starving.”
“The only reason I’m here is to eat, so sounds good,” Rocco said with a smile.
We headed outside to one of the quiet tables under the awning, and my little girl immediately brought us a basket of fresh bread like the good little waitress she was. I gave her a gentle tickle, and she giggled before she headed back inside.
“Jesus Christ,” Rocco said. “She’s so damn cute.”
“I know . . . it kills me.”
“Why?”
“Because it won’t always be this way,” I said sadly. “I hate being this happy sometimes.”
He watched me for a while before he crossed his arms over his chest. “You could have another one.”
I shook my head. “I really love it being the three of us. Well, four, if I’m including Medusa.”
“And you better include her. Otherwise, she’ll rip out your throat.”
I chuckled. “Yeah.” She was starting to slow down because she was ten now, but still as feisty as ever. “I love Julia so damn much, I just can’t picture loving another kid. I like that she’s my one and only. I’m sure a parent loves their kids all the same, but you only have so much time in life, and I don’t want to share that time with anyone else but her.”
“I think if it actually happened, it would be okay, Constantine.”
“Maybe,” I said with a shrug. “But I wanted a girl so bad, and I got her. So . . . I don’t need anything else.” Most people wanted boys and were disappointed when a girl came along, but I couldn’t have felt more differently about that. “I always wanted to be a girl dad. And I live in a house with three of them.”
“Sounds rough, honestly.”
“Nah, I fucking love it.” Julia came out again with a bottle of red wine and set it on the table. But it was still sealed, and there was no corkscrew, so we couldn’t even drink it. Then she brought two glasses and left.
Thankfully, Aurelia came out and opened it for us. “You know what you guys want?”
“Whatever Con is having,” Rocco said.
“We’ll share the rolled swordfish,” I said. “And then the seafood pasta.”
“Are we on a date?” Rocco teased.
Aurelia walked off.
“Does that pasta come with octopus?”
“No. We don’t have it on our menu.”
He nodded. “That’s right. You don’t eat that.”
I never asked Aurelia to change her diet to accommodate me, but I’d noticed ever since I’d told her I respected the octopus, she didn’t eat it either. And when we designed our menu together, we had a silent agreement not to feature the item, even though it was a popular dish in Taormina, a village that was proud of its seafood. “So, how’s Rome?”
“No complaints. Been pretty quiet.”
“Rome is never quiet.”
“It is under my watch,” he said with a smirk. “Guess I’m better at the job than you ever were.”
“I won’t argue against that,” I conceded with a shrug.
“Come on, you know I’m just being a dick.”
“Doesn’t mean you’re wrong.” I opened the bottle and filled our glasses. “And I don’t mean that disparagingly. Seeing anyone?”