“Have you had a lot of girlfriends?” Zoe asked, interrupting his rambling thoughts.
He had a feeling this was an important question to answer right. “Are you asking if I’ve slept around?”
“No?”
She was asking exactly that. He was beginning to learn her conversational ways.
“No, I haven’t slept around. Yes, I’ve had girlfriends, but I’m a serial monogamist for sure. What about you?”
“I’ve been in love three times and none of them worked out. Obviously.”
“Three times, huh? That’s lucky. I’ve only been in love once, but it turned out I chose wrong.”
“You wouldn’t have chosen wrong if she was really the one for you.”
It wasn’t that easy. He’d fallen in love with no real thought beyond how beautiful, how charming Alyssa was. What a great couple they made, moving in the same social circles of the elite. Their relationship had been shallow. She hadn’t even told him something so important as that brain tumor. But it wasn’t just her, his whole life had been shallow back then, gunning for partner. He wanted to be more than that now, which was why he spent his days in a type of community service, solving people’s problems in cases that were more often than not out of the jurisdiction of the law. His take-home salary nowadays was mostly in hugs and grateful thank yous. He didn’t need the money anyway. He had his own socked away as well as everything his dad had left him. Inheriting all of his father’s assets was the only sign he’d ever had that he meant anything at all to him.
Gabe had given his two biological brothers, Luke and Jared, a share of their father’s money, what they rightfully should’ve inherited, but he lived frugally in a house that was paid off and was doing just fine.
He turned to Zoe. “So your three guys weren’t the one for you?”
“Guess not.”
“How do you know if they’re the one?”
She sighed. “I used to have a three-point system.”
He bit back a laugh. “Really?”
“Don’t laugh, it worked.”
“What are the three points?”
“If their kisses made you swoon, if you always looked forward to seeing them, and if they were all you could think about, but I’ve had to rethink the whole thing because that’s not how it worked out for my sister and her husband, and they’re much more in love than I ever was.”
A beat passed. “Do my kisses make you swoon?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He grinned. “Good.”
“But that might’ve been the vodka.”
“The vodka, huh? What about when I kissed you before we left? Any swooning involved then?”
“Hmm…I can’t remember.”
He found himself smiling again. “I guess you need reminding.”
“Guess so.”
He pulled up to the restaurant and parked. “I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as much as I do when I’m with you.”
She beamed. “You’re so sweet, Gabe.”
“You keep saying that, but I’m really not.” He felt it only fair to be honest. He had a not-so-sweet past. Being aggressive and calculating had worked well for him for years in both his professional and personal life. Not to mention the way death clung to him. Nothing sweet about that. More like cursed.
“You are,” she insisted. He looked at her so sweet, so sincere, and worked really hard to push the fear away. Nothing would happen to her.
He broke out in a sweat, and his heart started pounding. He took a steadying breath. “I’ll try, Zoe.” He kissed her quickly and pulled away. “For you, I’ll really try.”
Chapter Nine
Zoe headed up the front walk of Gabe’s parents’ house, a ranch home in nearby Eastman, well used to Gabe’s hand on the small of her back. It was a gentlemanly way to walk, she supposed, even if it did make her feel like he was inches away from feeling up her ass. But that was her own dirty mind and nothing he did. He’d surprised her after their dinner date on Friday night when he walked her to her door, invited her to his family’s Sunday dinner, gave her a quick kiss goodnight, and left. She’d already told him she had a gig on Saturday. She’d thought he’d make a move or ask to come in or something. So-oo-oo disappointing.
But damn if it didn’t make her feel desperate to have him instead of feeling like she was being hunted by a shark. What a smart lawyerly thing to do, turning that whole dynamic around.
He knocked on the front door of his parents’ house, smiled tightly at her, and turned as the door swung open.
“Gabe, I’m so glad you made it,” his mother said.
Gabe leaned down to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Of course. Mom, this is Zoe.”
“Please call me Allie,” the petite woman said, shaking her hand warmly. “I’m just going to borrow Gabe for a moment.”
She pulled Gabe to the kitchen with her. Zoe took a seat in the formal living room to her right.
An older Italian man with some white in his dark sideburns stopped in the doorway. “I thought I heard the door. And which one of my sons brought your loveliness to our home?” The man looked a lot like Vince, the male model she’d met at Gabe’s place.
“I’m here with Gabe,” she said. “I’m Zoe.”
He stopped in front of her and shook her hand. “I’m Gabe’s stepdad, Vinny Marino. I’m glad you’re here. It’ll keep things light.” He winked. “Allie wanted to make tonight like some kind of serious family meeting, but I said leave the kids be, let them just enjoy their food.”
“Oh. Is there something wrong?”
“Nah,” Mr. Marino said. “Nothing to get worked up over. Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure.”
“Right this way.”
She followed him to a cozy kitchen, where Gabe was speaking quietly with his mother. Gabe took one look at his stepdad and jumped up. “Dad, what’s this I hear about tests?”
“I told your mother not to bring it up.” Mr. Marino opened the refrigerator door. “What can I get you, Zoe? Lemonade? Soda? Wine?”
“I’ll just take some water,” she said.
“Is it serious?” Gabe asked.
Mr. Marino let out a long breath. “I’m fine, Gabe.”
“Is what serious?” a deep masculine voice asked.
Zoe turned to see another tall, dark, sexy Italian model walk in. Omigod, it was Nico, all grown up. The boy the entire school had crushed on. She hadn’t seen him in years. She felt herself flush. She’d written Mrs. Zoe Marino more times than she’d like to admit in her diary back then. Everyone had.
“Nothing,” Mr. Marino said.
“Hey, Gabe,” Nico said, clapping his brother on the back. He turned to her and smiled his perfect shiny white-toothed smile. “Hello, bella.”
She smiled back. “Zoe Davis. I remember you from school. You were a grade ahead.”
He cocked his head. “Yeah? Well, nice to see you again, Zoe.” Clearly, he didn’t remember her, but clearly she didn’t care because she was hot from head to toe from coming face-to-face with her schoolgirl crush. Gabe’s hand was on the small of her back again. She hadn’t noticed him move.
“Back off, Nico,” Gabe growled.
“Thanks for letting us borrow your Porsche,” Zoe said, elbowing Gabe. “It’s a beautiful car.”
Nico smiled. “Yeah, it is. You’re welcome. But, ah, no more borrowing my cars until you can drive a stick.”
“You could tell?” Zoe asked.
“Gabe told me. You didn’t mess it up that bad. Hey, I could teach you anytime. I own my own shop, Exotic and Classic Restorations.” He pulled a card from his wallet. Gabe sliced his hand in a quick motion that had Nico winking at her and tucking the card away. He turned to Mr. Marino. “You better not be hiding shit from us, Dad.”
“Language,” Mrs. Marino said. “We’ll discuss this at dinner when everyone gets here.”
“There’s nothing to discuss, love,” Mr. Marino said.
Mrs. Marino blinked rapidly
and rushed from the room. Mr. Marino muttered something under his breath and followed her out.
“What the hell was that?” Nico asked.
“Something’s wrong with Dad,” Gabe said with a quick glance at Zoe. She’d clearly come to dinner on the wrong Sunday.
Nico left, heading toward where his parents went.
“Do you think it’s serious?” Zoe asked. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here. It sounds more like a family thing.”
“It’s fine,” Gabe said. “Don’t worry about it.”
She rubbed his back to comfort him, at a loss as to what to say.
“He’s been more like a dad to me than my own father,” he muttered, staring at the ground. “Anything that’s good about me as a man comes from his example.”
Her throat felt tight. “That’s so sweet.”
Gabe shrugged. “It’s true.” He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. “I apologize in advance for any drama. I warned you this family can get loud.” He rested his chin briefly on the top of her head, and then he pulled back. “I think I picked the wrong Sunday to invite you over.”
“I was thinking that too.” She grimaced. “Should I go?”
“No. I want you here.”
“Sure?”
He gazed down at her and stroked her cheek. “Yes. And my dad would throw a fit if you left.”
“Okay.”
A short while later, nearly the entire family sat around the dinner table with glasses of red wine, waiting for the last son, Jared, to arrive. To her right was Gabe. To her left, the male model with chiseled cheekbones, full lips, and deep brown eyes you could drown in—Vince. She was not at all surprised to learn he was still single. She was sure he had women throwing themselves at his feet.
Across from her was Angel, who really did have an angelic demeanor and dimpled smile to go along with it, and Luke, who she’d remembered as a clean-cut cutie and now looked like the slick Wall Street stockbroker he was, right down to his expensive haircut. He’d remembered her from school and greeted her warmly earlier. Nico was next to Luke. Mr. and Mrs. Marino were at the head and foot of the table.
“Can we eat?” Vince asked.
“Jared will be here,” Mr. Marino said. “We wait.”
“Who knows how long that will take,” Vince complained. “He could have someone open on the table.”
“Or in the break room,” Nico said.
“There is a lady at the table,” Mrs. Marino bit out. “Sorry, Zoe. I raised them better.” She gave Nico and Vince a look. The two men fought back grins.
“It’s okay,” Zoe said. “I’m used to it. I’ve got three guys in my band.”
Luke left the room, cell phone up to his ear.
Gabe whispered an explanation in Zoe’s ear. “Jared’s an orthopedic surgeon.”
A short while later, Jared strode in, his hair wet, fresh from a shower. “Emergency hand job.”
The brothers chuckled.
“Manners!” Mrs. Marino said.
Jared shot his brothers a dark look. “Grow up. It was a crushed bone that needed to be set before permanent nerve damage was done.” He kissed Mrs. Marino on the cheek before taking his seat next to Vince. He leaned down the table and peered at Zoe. “You look familiar.”
Zoe smiled. “I was a grade ahead of you in Clover Park. Zoe Davis.”
He smiled and laugh lines formed around his eyes. “Didn’t you used to have”—he gestured around his head—“big, curly hair?”
She laughed. “Yes. I straightened it. Didn’t you used to be covered in dirt?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I did love playing in the dirt. Now I’m up to my elbows in blood and innards. Surgeon.”
“Jared, I’m begging you, not at the table,” Angel said, looking green.
Jared put a cloth napkin in his lap. “I forgot we’re eating with Mr. Sensitive.” Then in a lower voice, he said, “Innards!” His tongue hanging out to razz him.
Angel looked to the ceiling.
Mrs. Marino called to the other room. “Luke, get off that phone and help me bring dinner to the table!”
Everyone passed around two trays of lasagna. Mrs. Marino ordered her sons to take a portion of salad from a giant bowl. Zoe helped pass one of several baskets of warm garlic bread.
After everyone had their food and began to eat, Mrs. Marino announced, “I’ve asked you all here because Dad has something to tell you.”
“Aww, Allie, let them eat,” Mr. Marino said.
“Is something wrong?” Angel asked.
Mr. Marino held up a hand. “It can wait.”
“Not too long,” Mrs. Marino said.
“After dessert,” Mr. Marino said. “At least we can give them that.”
“Who cares about the damn dessert!” Vince exclaimed. “Tell us what the hell’s going on!”
“Apologize to your mother,” Mr. Marino said sternly.
Vince immediately looked contrite. “Sorry for the language, Ma. I just need to know what’s going on.”
Several of the brothers chimed in their agreement. Zoe held Gabe’s hand under the table. He squeezed it back.
“The doc ran some tests after my colonoscopy,” Mr. Marino said with a frown.
“And?” Angel prompted.
Mr. Marino’s lips formed a flat line. “And now they want to run more tests. See what stage I’m at.”
“What stage?” Gabe asked. “You mean…cancer?”
“Something like that,” Mr. Marino said. “Too soon to know what’s going on. Now you all know as much as I do.” He gestured to the food. “I’m sure you’ll all love to eat after hearing about my colon.”
“It’s important,” Mrs. Marino said.
“The tests will be fine,” Vince said. “You’re young. They test everything nowadays. Right, Jared?”
“Chances are good they caught it early,” Jared said, his expression solemn.
“See?” Vince said, gesturing to Jared. “The doc says nothing to worry about.”
Except the conversation stopped, and only Mr. Marino returned to eating. After a few moments of silence, he looked up. “Eat!”
Everyone resumed eating in awkward silence. Vince shot Nico a look. Angel stared at his plate. Gabe looked to her; he was pale and sweat had broken out on his forehead. She gave him a small smile, trying to reassure him. Finally, the brothers cleared the dishes while Mr. and Mrs. Marino took a walk after dinner. No one mentioned who should do what, so Zoe figured they always did things that way.
She brought in an empty lasagna pan and found Gabe by the sink, head down, Angel’s hand on his shoulder. She stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, not wanting to interrupt their private conversation.
“What’re we going to do if something happens to Dad?” Gabe asked.
“We’ll pray,” Angel said. “That’s all we can do. And be there for him.”
“He’s not your dad,” Vince said to Gabe. She hadn’t realized he was leaning against the refrigerator until he moved. Nico and Luke stood closer to her, but Nico was busy watching his brothers and Luke was staring at his cell so they didn’t notice her.
Vince got in Gabe’s face. “What’re you so worked up about?”
“He’s as much my father as yours,” Gabe snapped.
“You always did act like that,” Vince boomed, “but that don’t make it so. You’re a Reynolds through and through.”
“You’re such an ass, Vince.” This from Luke, who didn’t bother to look up from his cell.
Vince turned, pointing a finger at Luke. “Fuck you. Fuck all of you.” His arm swept the room. “You all act like something’s happening to your dad. It didn’t. He’s mine, Nico’s, and Angel’s. The rest of you all are interlopers.”
“Not this shit again,” Gabe said. “Get over it. We’ve been family for twenty years now. No one’s taking your daddy away from you.”
“Love doesn’t divide,” Angel put in. Jared slipped into the room behind her and joined Gabe, Nico, Luke, and A
ngel in the next part. “It multiplies,” they said in unison. They grinned at each other.
“You’re all idiots,” Vince said and stormed out the back door.
Gabe gestured for Zoe to join them, and she wondered how long he knew she was standing there. “Mom always said that to us so we’d stop fighting over who had the real mom and the real dad and which one of us they loved more.”
“You always shared your mom,” Angel said to Gabe. He turned to Zoe. “Our mom died when I was five. Cancer.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Zoe said.
“Cancer gets them all,” Jared said darkly.
“Ah, fuck,” Nico said, his expression stormy. He rushed out the back door.
Gabe took the tray from her hands and set it in the sink. He pressed his fingers against his temples and took a deep breath. “Sorry I brought you to the worst family dinner in history.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Zoe said. “How can I help?”
“You want to dry while I wash?” Gabe asked. He seemed tense, but maybe just doing mundane chores would help him keep his mind off things. There wasn’t anything he could do for his stepfather right now. At least he wasn’t pale anymore. For a minute at the table, she thought he was going to pass out or something.
Jared, Luke, and Angel looked to her, waiting for her response.
“Sure,” Zoe said.
“We have a winner!” Jared said, raising her arm in the air. He kissed her cheek. “Thank you.” He left.
Luke did the same. “Bless you.”
Angel stopped in front of her. “Are you sure you don’t want my help?”
“Go,” she said with a laugh, pointing to her cheek.
Angel kissed her cheek. “Thank you.” He left too.
She looked to Gabe. “I think I’ve been suckered into kitchen duty.”
He pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. She melted against him, her body remembering exactly what his kisses could do. He ran his hands up and down her sides. “I just wanted you to myself.”
“What about all these dishes?”
“Watch.” He loaded them all quickly into the dishwasher. “Done.”
“What about the pots and pans?” she asked.
“They need to soak. Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her out the back door, snagging a large flannel shirt on his way out.
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