His boys walked over—Vince meeting her eyes warily, Nico looking curious, and Angel already smiling. Vince was the spitting image of his dad, already big at twelve. His face looked like it was stamped with his dad’s exact features—dark eyes with thick lashes, high cheekbones, strong nose and jaw, full lips. Nico was also striking, his features quite refined, a softer version of his dad’s, his manner reserved. Angel was simply adorable with rumpled dark hair and a dimpled smile.
Vinny introduced them, tapping them on the head as he did. “Vince, Nico, Angel, this is Ms. Reynolds.”
“Nice to meet you,” Vince and Nico mumbled in unison. Their dad had probably coached them.
“Hi!” Angel said. “Can Jared and I go back to my house? He wants to see my skateboard.”
“No,” Vinny said. “It’s family time.”
“But we’ll be back before dinner,” Angel said. “I know the way and I’ll check the clock.”
“Go show Jared the model train set in the basement,” Vinny said.
“Okay,” Angel said, as easygoing as Jared. “Come on, Jared.”
They left.
The older boys eyed each other. Vinny herded them to the living room, where Gabe and Vince sat at opposite ends of the sofa. Nico and Luke sat on the floor, and Vinny took the recliner. She could sit on the floor or between Vince and Gabe. She took the middle seat on the sofa.
Vinny leaned forward, elbows on his knees, asking her boys how old they were, probably so his boys would know. He already knew a lot about them from her; they spoke of their kids often. Luke and Nico were the same age; Gabe was nearly two years older than Vince. Vinny moved onto sports talk, and Allie watched her boys carefully to see how they were taking things. Gabe was a little on edge but trying at least. Luke was giving one-word answers. Vince and Nico spoke easily and enthusiastically about their favorite teams. They were probably sweethearts just like their dad. It seemed like hours passed with Allie on the edge of her seat, not sure if she should intervene and tell Gabe to relax and Luke to stop with the monosyllables, when Loretta finally put an end to the awkwardness.
“Dinner!” Loretta caroled.
Vinny went to the basement door and called Jared and Angel to dinner. The rest of them gathered in a dining room set with nice china and cloth napkins. She wasn’t sure if this was a typical Sunday dinner or if Loretta had tried to make it a special occasion. Two trays of manicotti took center stage, along with a big bowl of salad.
Loretta sat at the head of the table with Vinny taking a seat at the other end. Allie sat next to Vinny, and the kids filled in.
“Everything looks so nice, Loretta,” Allie said.
“Thank you,” Loretta said. “Would you like some wine?”
“No, thanks. I’m driving.”
“Just a little, then,” Loretta said, indicating the bottle of wine set on the nearby buffet.
“I’m good, but thanks.”
Loretta sent Vinny a look down the table that Allie couldn’t interpret.
“Where’s the bread?” Vince asked. He was a growing boy—already big—and Allie figured he probably ate a lot.
“Oh, shoot,” Loretta said. “I forgot it.” She went to get up, but Vince stopped her.
“I’ll get it, Nonna, since I’m the oldest.” He stood.
“Actually, I’m the oldest,” Gabe said. “I could get it.”
“You don’t even know where stuff is,” Vince boomed.
Allie tensed. “Just let Vince get it, Gabe.”
Gabe stood anyway. “It’s bread. I think I can find it.” He was never one to back down from an argument. Maybe he’d be a lawyer like his dad.
“I’m the oldest Marino,” Vince snapped. “And a lot bigger than you.”
Gabe’s chest puffed out. “I’ll be fourteen in three weeks, almost two years older.”
They had a staredown, standing across the table from each other. She turned to Vinny, who lifted his hand like wait and see. All of the boys watched with interest.
Vince jerked his chin. “When’s your birthday?”
“January thirtieth,” Gabe returned.
“Ha! Mine’s August thirteenth. More like a year and a half apart.”
Gabe scowled. “You can’t do math. It’s six and a half months plus a year.”
“Ooh, a big old half. Two weeks make you feel like a big man? Because you’ve got at least a foot to catch up to me.”
“Do not!” Gabe barked.
“Come on,” Vince challenged. “Back to back.” He turned sideways.
All the boys looked over at Gabe to see if he’d take the height challenge.
“Both of you sit down,” Vinny ordered. “I’ll get the bread.”
The boys sat. Vinny went to the kitchen.
“I’ll get the punch,” Vince said, standing again and glowering down at Gabe. “Dad bought it special for tonight.”
“You just want to serve yourself first,” Nico said.
“Shut it, Nico,” Vince said, shoving the side of Nico’s head. “I’ll give it out fairly, split six ways.” He stopped and turned to his grandmother. “Would you like some?”
Loretta waved the offer away and Vince turned to Allie. “Ms. Reynolds?”
“No, thank you,” Allie said.
Vince took only his glass and left.
She turned to Gabe and told him to simmer down. “He started it,” Gabe mumbled.
Vince returned with his glass filled and set it down.
“Bring the punch in here to pour,” Loretta said.
Vince nodded once and left. Nico glanced over his shoulder, where Vince had just been, and then grinned before taking a gulp of punch from Vince’s glass. He set it back and made a shushing noise at the boys.
By the time Vince got back, all the boys were snickering.
“What?” Vince barked.
Angel tattled. “Nico drank some of your punch.”
Vince glared at Nico, who quickly denied it. The boys were all laughing now and not quietly.
Vince glared at all of them. “No respect.”
Allie bit back a smile. That Vince was a firecracker. She really liked him.
~ ~ ~
After Vinny walked Allie and her kids back to their car, thanking them all for coming, he went back to Loretta’s kitchen for the verdict. She was washing dishes.
“I’ll get that, Loretta,” he said. “You just take it easy. You made dinner.”
She picked up her glass of red wine from the counter and surprised him by actually taking a seat at the square kitchen table. Normally she’d insist on doing the work or at least helping.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Come, take a seat.”
This was the moment he’d been waiting for. Did she approve of Allie? And why did it matter so much to him? He supposed it was his way of hoping his moving forward was okay with Maria. He pulled out a seat. “I thought that went okay.”
She took a sip of wine, saying nothing.
He waited her out, tense as all hell.
Finally she set her glass down. “Vinny, you keep up Sunday family dinner, even when the boys are full grown with families of their own. It’ll keep them close, give them the continuity they need.”
He smiled, shaking his head. That was so far away. They were kids!
She became stern, glaring at him. “Promise me, or I will haunt you beyond the grave.”
Alarmed, he leaned close. “Come on, now, don’t talk like that. You feeling okay?”
“Maria would’ve done the same,” she said in a choked voice. “She knew the importance of Sunday family dinner.”
“Okay, I promise. I’ll keep up the tradition.”
“I’m moving to Maryland.”
It felt like she’d sucker punched him. He couldn’t breathe for a moment. Loretta had been a rock for him and the kids through everything. It must be because of Allie. Loretta didn’t want him moving on. What was he supposed to do, choose between his kids’ grandmother and the woman
he loved?
“Loretta, we still want you to be part of things.”
“You don’t need me.”
“The kids do.”
She shook her head. “Not like they used to.”
He couldn’t make this choice between two people who were so important to him. It wasn’t fair.
He clenched his jaw. “Is this because of Allie?”
She patted his cheek. “You’re a good man. And now that I’ve met Allie, I’m satisfied. I give you my blessing.”
His jaw dropped.
She laughed. “Why so shocked?”
“Because you’re leaving.”
“It’s for Rob. He had his first baby. A little girl.” That was Maria’s younger brother.
“Little Robbie?”
“Not so little anymore. He’s been married five years now. He and his wife both work full time and asked me to move in with them. I’ll still visit you, but I see now that you’re in good hands with Allie.”
“Loretta, I don’t know what to say. This is all so sudden. Are you sure?”
She sighed. “I’m ready for a fresh start. This old house has so many memories, ghosts of a life that has long passed.”
He could see that. This was the house Maria had been raised in. “I understand.” He instantly felt lighter. “Your blessing means a lot to me, Loretta.”
“She’s a good woman. Did you see how she refused wine out of responsibility for her children?”
“You pushed her on that, testing her.”
“Maybe. I can tell she’s a good mom, a good woman.” She gave him a watery smile. “Perhaps my grandchildren might have a mom to look after them.”
His blood thrummed through his veins, all of his nerve endings electric and alive just at the thought of having Allie join his family. “She’s a great woman.”
“I see a long and happy future for you and Allie.”
Joy rushed through him, everything in him ready for Allie, ready to love her, to bring her in close and keep her there. “Thank you, Loretta, for everything you’ve done for me and the boys. I couldn’t have—”
“It’s family,” she said with a note of finality. “No thanks necessary.”
“Thank you all the same. Anything you need anytime, you just call…” He got choked up.
She took his hand, kissed it and held it to her soft cheek. He bowed his head, closing his stinging eyes.
Vince’s voice startled him. “Yo, Dad, can we stay a while longer? Angel and Jared screwed up the train set layout, and me and Nico wanna fix it.”
“You boys stay as long as you like,” Loretta said.
“Sure,” Vinny told him. Their days at their Nonna’s house were numbered.
“Thanks, Nonna! Thanks, Dad!” Vince turned, hollering, “Nico, Dad said okay! Angel, you watch and don’t touch nothing.”
When it was just the two of them again, Vinny asked, “When do you move?”
“In two weeks. I’ll tell the boys when they’re done with the train. I’ll come back with Rob to get the house on the market in the spring. And, of course, I expect you to bring the boys to visit. It’s not that far a drive.”
“We will. Absolutely.” He paused, thinking of the huge change for the boys. “They’ll be upset.”
“Maybe, for a short time, but I’ll call. And you’ll keep up Sunday family dinner. Maybe you’ll soon add Allie’s family to the tradition.”
“I love her,” he said.
“I know you do.”
His throat was so tight with emotion he couldn’t speak. Instead he stood, leaning down and kissing her cheek in gratitude. She smiled.
“I need to go see Allie,” he said. “I hope to be back with good news.”
Loretta tapped the kitchen table. “I’ll be right here waiting to hear it.”
Vinny dashed out the door, his kids occupied in the basement, and got into his car. He backed out of the driveway and forced himself to go the speed limit despite the urgent need he felt to get to Allie, to tell her everything right away. This was it. He knew it was right between them, and now that their kids got along as good as boys ever did at first meeting, he was sure it would be smooth sailing from here on out.
He made it to her place, pulled into the driveway, and strode up the front walk, nerves jangling. He went up the front porch, blew out a breath, and rang the bell.
She answered a moment later, looking impossibly beautiful, her blue eyes wide, her cheeks flushed. “Vinny! What’re you doing here? Is everything okay?”
“Everything is great. Tonight told me everything I need to know. Allie, I love you. I never thought I’d love again, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found you.”
She gave him a soft smile, her gaze tender. “I love you too.”
“I don’t have a ring yet, but I’ll get one.” He went down on one knee. Her jaw dropped. “Allie, will you marry me?”
She stared at him.
“Allie?”
“Vinny, get up, please.”
Shit. He rose to his feet. “You turning me down?”
She stared at the ground. “I need to think about it.” She lifted her head, her eyes pained. “I only divorced four months ago.”
“So that’s a no.”
“I’m just…this is so unexpected. I need to think about it, okay?”
His gut clenched. “I’ll go.”
She reached out and grabbed his arm. “Thank you for understanding.”
He grunted, beyond nice words. “Night, Allie.”
He turned and left, his limbs heavy. He’d gone for the touchdown pass and overthrew it by a mile.
Chapter Ten
Allie spent the whole week in a torturous tangle of emotions, alternately berating herself for turning down the love of her life and then knowing waiting was the right thing, feeling protective of her kids. After all, her boys had just met Vinny and then what? She was suddenly going to spring it on them that they were getting married?
And then she started thinking of what it would mean for her personally. Living with Vinny could be wonderful, but did they have what it took for the long haul? She didn’t know. They’d only dated four months. And was she ready to be a mom to six boys? Holy hell! The chaos, the noise, the dirt, the looming teen years. She shuddered at the thought.
Friday morning she still didn’t have any solid answers and felt incredibly guilty leaving Vinny hanging. She should just tell him definitively yes or no. No man wanted to wait around for an answer. She climbed the steps to her art studio, opened the door, and stopped short. An envelope addressed to her in Vinny’s big confident scrawl lay at her feet. She grabbed it, heart racing, half afraid it was a breakup letter. She ripped it open and pulled out the folded note with shaking hands.
Allie,
This art studio reminds me of the beginning when we were just friends, and look at how far we’ve come since then. Not just us as a couple, on our own too. You a successful artist and me finally confident as a single dad, something I never thought I’d be. Maybe that’ll change tomorrow. Ha! But right now we’re both in a good place, and I’d like to be in that good place together. It’s been three years. The kids can handle it.
I know we’re meant to be together. I promise I will wait as long as it takes for that to happen.
Love,
Vinny
Tears stung her eyes. Here she was torturing herself over making a decision and he’d made it easy with a promise to wait for her. He was an honorable man, and she knew she could count on him to keep that promise. He wouldn’t bail in light of her indecision. She took a deep breath for what felt like the first time in a week, all of the tension draining from her. The pressure was off. Maybe now they could go back to dating like before, slowly including the kids in more things. She hadn’t spoken to Vinny all week, not knowing her answer. And he’d given her some space to think.
Had it really been three years they’d known each other? She thought back, it was close. Nearly three years since the day they�
��d met under very different circumstances. Three years of friendship, never knowing if they would ever have the right time to be together. They’d kept the connection, needing what each other offered—a light in the darkness.
~ ~ ~
Just as she’d hoped, things went back to normal with Vinny. They didn’t speak of the proposal; he didn’t press and she didn’t bring it up. They dated. At her request, they had their usual Saturday night date and did something with all of the kids together on Sunday during the weekends she had them. Allie watched her boys carefully for signs of unhappiness, acting out, but they seemed to accept that some weekends they saw their dad and some weekends they hung out with Vinny and his kids. She hadn’t heard any harrowing reports of them running wild in the city with their dad. Maybe things were settling down, or maybe winter in New York City was just too damn cold for them to want to escape their dad’s apartment and run around. Her ex, surprisingly, was thrilled she had a serious boyfriend. Apparently, there was a clause in their divorce agreement that said if she remarried, he could stop paying alimony. He was all for her marrying Vinny, the sooner, the better because then he’d just have to pay child support. Gee, thanks for your well wishes, William!
As far as the six boys getting along, it helped immensely that Angel and Jared were both the youngest and most easygoing. The older boys focused on them whenever things became awkward, not knowing what to do with each other. All of the older boys were well used to looking out for their younger brothers. The boys got along more or less, as long as Vince didn’t get his back up about Gabe being the oldest. Vinny’s boys had really grown on her. She’d seen the sweetness in the older two, Vince and Nico, just below the surface, and Angel’s sweetness was apparent in every beaming smile he gave her.
It was Sunday and everyone was at her house, the boys gathered in the living room playing video games. It was noisy, but happy noise. She and Vinny were in the kitchen, where he was preparing lasagna and she was enjoying watching him cook.
He put two trays of lasagna in the oven, set the timer, and turned to her. “I was waiting to get you alone.”
“You were, huh? We’ll have to be quick.”
He chuckled and went to where he’d left his jacket on a hook by the back door, returning to her with an envelope. “Happy Valentine’s Day, love.”
A Valentine's Day Gift (Clover Park, Book 11) Page 9