Evolving Urges (Gasoline Book 2)

by Bella Jeanisse

  “We can.” He took a deep breath then closed the distance between them and put out a hand. “Truce, for tonight.”

  Dominic was shocked but clasped his brother’s hand. “OK. Truce.” He let go then said, “This is my girlfriend, Noelle.”

  “Wow, a young one.” Anthony bit back a cradle-robbing comment and smiled. “Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand, then his mouth dropped. “Wait. Aren’t you Noelle Young?”

  “Oh, shit!” Tony exclaimed from across the room. “I thought I knew you from somewhere.”

  She blushed slightly. “Dominic is much more famous than me.”

  “Yeah, my brother, the fucking rock star,” Anthony muttered to himself. He hated when anyone realized that they were related. “You’re an amazing singer.” That was better than an insult. “Glad you had time to stop by.”

  Noelle looked around. The room had filled with people. “I’m moving in with Dominic soon.”

  “Wow.” Tony hefted Hunter into his arms and walked their way. “We’re moving back here, too.”

  Anthony glared at his son. “They don’t need to know our business.”

  “Why not?” Tony was tired of the bullshit. “Mom left. Why lie about it? She was a bitch, anyway.”

  “Don’t talk about your mother like that.” Anthony agreed but didn’t want his son to feel that way. “She’s just going through a mid-life crisis.”

  Tony rolled his eyes. “Yeah, with all our money. She fucking left us, Dad. I’m not gonna pretend anymore. I hope she’s happy without us, because she acted like we were holding her back.”

  Dominic felt bad. He knew why she felt that way. After he and Claire got together, Anthony hooked up with Tara, Dominic’s previous girlfriend. Tara got pregnant. Anthony married her to please her parents. They had Tony. Then a year later, Theresa was born. She always acted as if her life ended as soon as Tony was conceived.

  “I can help,” Dominic said quietly. “Let me help you.”

  Anthony seethed. “I don’t need your fucking money! We’re fine, and I don’t know why you even showed up.”

  Josephine, their mother, walked into the room and shook her finger at them. “No more! You boys get along for one night.”

  “Listen to your mother,” Carlo said as he slowly walked down the stairs. A 13-year-old boy held his arm. “Frankie, I’m fine. I can walk.”

  Frankie rolled his eyes. “Dad said to make sure you’re OK. I’m not getting yelled at.”

  Once at the foot of the stairs, Carlo looked from one of his sons to the other. “We are going to have a happy dinner. No more fighting. Anthony, be nice.” He sounded more rational than ever. “Dominic, we let you grieve your way. This is his.”

  “Sorry, Dad.” Dominic looked down. He had been a wreck for a long time after he lost his family. “Tell him to let me help.”

  Carlo shook his head. “Later.”

  Noelle watched the brothers look away from each other. Dominic had already moved further into the house, but she had stayed in the small foyer. The tension was thicker than she imagined possible. They both looked hurt and frustrated.

  She smiled at Faith, who peeked into the room and asked, “Do you need help in the kitchen?”

  “Always.” Faith waved a hand and urged Noelle toward her. “Never fed this many before.”

  Noelle went to Dominic and lay a hand on his back. “I’m going to the kitchen. Yell if you need me.” She hoped she wouldn’t feel as awkward in the kitchen.

  Once in the kitchen, she wasn’t sure what to do. Faith and Josephine worked together smoothly. She watched for a while, to see if there was anything obvious that she could do. From the smells, they had made pasta. Dominic raved about his mother’s tomato sauce.

  Theresa walked in and stood next to Noelle. “Sorry about my dad. He’s a bit high-strung lately. He’s too proud to let Uncle Dom help, but truthfully, we need him. Mom took all the money. And we lost our house. It’s been a stressful year.”

  “Sounds like it was.” Noelle wanted to be supportive. “Dominic will do anything to help your family. I’ll talk to your dad and see if he’ll listen to reason.”

  After she shrugged, Theresa moved forward. “I hope so. There’s nowhere for all of us to sleep here.” She stopped at the sink. “Nonna, what can I help with?”

  “Stir.” She pointed at the large saucepot.

  Hesitantly, Noelle moved toward the trio. “Uh, what can I do?”

  Josephine turned. “Claire… Oh, so sorry. Noelle. Come.” She waited for the young woman to be close. Her hand clasped Noelle’s. “You make my son so happy.”

  “I try.” Noelle smiled. “I want to help, though.”

  Dominic’s mother nodded. “Sure. Come. Cut these.” She waved at the counter where salad ingredients were set out. “Big salad. Lotsa people.”

  By the time dinner was on the large dining room table, the tension had eased. Dominic was relieved that Anthony kept his word. He looked around at his family. They had never sat together like that before. Years ago, there were family dinners, but that was before the kids were born. It was nice to have so much life around them.

  Tony helped his son get food on a fork. He was a good father. They had talked while dinner was prepared. He was a single father. That was a shock. Then Tony explained why. Hunter’s mother was a junkie, and they fought for custody. He brought proof she used while with Hunter to court and was granted full custody. She signed her rights away in the end, not able to stay clean. It was sad he would never know his mother.

  Dominic glanced at Theresa. She was beautiful. A few years older than Annabeth would have been. He wondered if they would have been friends, had she lived. The thought made his eyes misty. He hoped he and Noelle wouldn’t have trouble trying for a child.

  “I’m here,” Noelle whispered. She took his hand in hers. “She’s a sweet girl.”

  He nodded. “Yeah.”

  “You OK, Uncle Dom?” Theresa saw the sad look on his face.

  Dominic forced a smile. “Fine.” His voice cracked.

  “What’s wrong?” Theresa became concerned.

  Tony put a hand on her arm. “Don’t ask. Let him be.” He knew about Claire and Annabeth and was sure his uncle missed them.

  “You look upset.” Theresa couldn’t drop it. “Did something happen?”

  Josephine waved a hand. “Let him grieve.”

  “Grieve who?” Theresa stood. “Who died?”

  Dominic pursed his lips and hurried out of the room. He paced the kitchen, unwilling to let his emotions spill over. Since Theresa was only three when he lost his family, she most likely didn’t remember them.

  Concerned, Noelle stood. “How could you ask? He’ll always miss his daughter.” She huffed and started for the kitchen.

  “What daughter?” Theresa was confused. “Uncle Dom has kids? How come I didn’t know?”

  Tony sighed. “Aunt Claire and Annabeth died in an accident when we were little. We didn’t tell you because we didn’t plan to come back here.” He didn’t agree with his parents, but he didn’t defy them. “It’s kinda why him and Dad don’t talk.”

  “Drop it,” Anthony demanded.

  Anthony didn’t want to think about it either. Memories came anyway. He and Claire had also met at college. They went on a few dates. She was two years younger, a year older than Dominic. Anthony started to fall for her, just before she pulled away. She had not felt the same connection.

  When she began to date Dominic, he was furious. Even though he knew Dominic had no knowledge that they dated, he accused him of stealing her from him. Dominic didn’t let it faze him. It was obvious Claire was crazy about him, and he fell for her as well. He regretted blaming Dominic for her death, but he was envious that Dominic had been happy, while he was miserable. His marriage was a sham, but he was in too deep to leave at that point. Tara had the last word in the end, though.

  Noelle walked up behind Dominic and put her arms around him as he leaned on the sink. “It’s OK to
cry if you need to.”

  “Not here,” he muttered, his eyes closed. “I thought they knew. He didn’t tell them.”

  She sighed and laid her head on his back. “Maybe he didn’t want to explain death to them. That’s not an easy thing to do with a child.”

  “Yeah.” He hadn’t thought of that.

  “Uncle Dom?” The small voice made him turn. Angela stood inches from them. “I’m sorry about your family.” She stepped closer and hugged him. “We’re your family, too.”

  Tears rolled down Dominic’s cheeks as he hugged her back. “Thank you.” He gazed down at her, amazed. Maybe this’ll fix things.

  “Everything OK?” Tony appeared in the doorway. “Need anything, Uncle Dom?”

  Dominic looked up. “I’m OK. Thanks. We’ll be done soon.”

  “Better?” Angela asked as she peered up at her uncle.

  With a nod, Dominic smiled. “Yeah. Thanks.”

  When they separated, Noelle took his hand in hers. “I think tonight is going to be a great night in the end.”

  “I hope so.” He tugged her closer and put an arm around her shoulders. They all walked back to the dining room. When multiple people stood, he put up a hand. “I’m fine.”

  Chapter 13

  The rest of the meal was quiet and civil. Cleanup was done quickly, then the younger children watched a movie in the living room with their grandparents and Faith. Noelle urged everyone else to the rear porch to relax and talk.

  “I don’t mean to butt in.” Noelle hoped the brothers didn’t protest before she was done. “Can you let us help? For the kids? This is too much for one parent to handle.”

  Anthony shook his head. “I don’t need his help.”

  “Yes, we do,” Tony insisted and rolled his eyes. “Do you have an extra bedroom, Uncle Dom?” he asked. “There’s not much room here.”

  “I still live in the same apartment.” Dominic had no idea where they would sleep.

  Anthony figured guilt was why he had stayed. They were both quite stubborn. “He doesn’t need kids all over.” He regretted the words when he saw Dominic’s expression. “I didn’t mean—”

  Dominic put a hand up and gritted his teeth.

  “Dom.” Anthony leaned forward in his chair. “Please…” He felt guilty his family brought Dominic pain. If he had lost Tony or any of the kids, he would have been devastated.

  With a shake his head, Dominic tried to let the visions of Annabeth go.

  Anthony decided it was best to change the subject. “I didn't know about the nurse. Are Mom and Dad ill or something?”

  “Not exactly.” Dominic took a deep breath. “Dementia and possible Alzheimer’s. I thought a full-time nurse was best.”

  Anthony cursed his ignorance. “Thanks for taking care of them. I’ll help out from now on.”

  “It’s fine.” Dominic tipped his chin at his brother. “They think Faith is Claire’s niece. She lives here.” Then he gasped. “Oh, wow. I forgot. That means there’s not even an extra bedroom. I’ll rent you hotel rooms for the week.”

  A scowl on his face, Anthony shook his head. “I don’t need your money.”

  “Will you give that shit up already?” Dominic was tired of Anthony’s pride. “It’s my fucking money, and I wanna spend it on you. It’s not fair to the kids that you all stay here, cramped like sardines. A hotel could be fun. I’ll find one that has large suites so it can sorta be like home. Staying here’ll be too stressful.”

  Theresa put a hand on her father’s arm. “Dad, come on. Let it go.” She wasn’t sure why they didn’t get along, but didn’t think anything was worth it. “Can’t we be a family again?”

  Anthony wanted that also, although he continued to fight it. Guilt and envy still prevailed, but his brother was right. The kids didn’t deserve to be squished into the living room. Their parents would most likely also be confused. If they had mental issues, they might not be able to handle the noise young children made.

  In a soft voice, Anthony said, “After how I treated you, I can’t believe you wanna help me.”

  “That’s what family’s for.” Dominic gave him a half-smile. The wall started to crumble.

  After a long exhale, Anthony said, “I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault Claire died. I was just jealous and unhappy.” He felt better after he said it. The time had come to let it go.

  Dominic stared at him. The words slowly sank in. “You mean that?”

  “Yeah.” Anthony hung his head and took a few breaths. He wanted to ask his children to leave the room. Then again, he showed them the right thing to do. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  Eyes closed, Dominic couldn’t believe his ears. His hand was squeezed which reminded him to breathe, but he couldn’t talk. His throat was clogged with emotion. When he agreed to dinner that night, he never expected to get what he had wanted for 18 years. A few minutes passed as he reined in his feelings.

  “Yes,” Dominic whispered. He cleared his throat and sucked a breath in through his teeth. “Yes. I forgive you.”

  Involuntarily, Anthony got up and crossed the room. When he realized he stood in front of his younger brother, he didn’t know what to do next. He didn’t move until Dominic got to his feet. The embrace was awkward at first for both of them. Then he relaxed, and so did Dominic.

  Lighter and grateful, Dominic hugged his brother tighter. He was sure Noelle smiled. If not for her, he wouldn’t be there. He hoped it meant that one day they would be close like they had been before Claire.

  “Thank you.” Anthony couldn’t hold back the tears. He was not as tall as Dominic, his face in Dominic’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” The pain and stress of the last few months rushed out. “So sorry.”

  Dominic sighed and held his brother while he cried. “It’s OK. I’m here, and I always will be.” He was glad he was in a position to help. “Whatever you guys need.”

  Tears streamed down Noelle’s cheeks. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The two men held onto each other as they let out years of pent-up anger, resentment and pain. She could feel Dominic’s stress level go down. He told her some of the things his brother had said to him after Claire died. They were cruel and uncalled for, but Dominic had a forgiving soul.

  “I love you,” Dominic softy said as he and his brother stepped back from each other.

  Anthony wiped his eyes and stared at his brother. “I love you, too. Never gonna let this happen again.” He turned to Theresa, who was close by. She grabbed him and held him tightly. “I’m sorry I took this out on you guys.” He knew he wasn’t easy to live with in recent months.

  Tony was glad it was finally over. Since he had a child of his own, he could imagine the pain his uncle had been in when he lost everything. He knew from bits of conversation how much his father blamed his uncle for everything. In his mind, nothing was worth the loss of family. He had tried for years to get his father to forgive his uncle. That day had finally come. He stood and walked over to his father and sister.

  “Good job, Dad.” Tony patted his father’s back.

  Noelle was also up, her arms around Dominic’s middle. Her head on his chest, she let her tears run freely. “I’m so proud of you.” She sniffled, unable to say more.

  When everyone had recovered and sat back down, Dominic looked at his hands. “I’m buying a house close to here. I haven’t looked at what’s available yet, but I have an idea.” He put a hand up when Anthony started to speak. “Wait. Let me finish.” He took Noelle’s offered hand. “I can do one of two things. Buy a house big enough for all of us. Or just buy two.”

  “I can’t afford a house.” Anthony was broke, and his credit was a wreck. “Thanks, but—”

  Dominic huffed, “How about this? I buy the house. You pay me rent when you’re settled and have some savings. I won’t take a penny until you have a few weeks pay saved up, just in case.”

  Anthony didn’t understand why Dominic would help although he was such a dick for years. He understood w
hy Claire fell for Dominic and not him. Dominic had the bigger heart. He finally relented. “OK. But I will pay you back.”

  “I’ll leave you my Jeep.” Dominic sat back, relaxed again. “You need something to get around in. I have another car.” Their parents no longer had a car. “Tomorrow, we’ll get you and Tony a car.”

  Theresa pouted. “Why does he get his own?”

  Dominic laughed. “OK, you and Tony, then.”

  “No.” Anthony shook his head. “They don’t need their own cars.”

  His voice even, Dominic replied, “This is not New York City. They’ll need a car to get to work.”

  Anthony kept silent. He didn’t want to ruin the progress they made. He did agree it would be difficult to get around without more than one vehicle. He and Tony had sold their cars to pay for the trip east. At the time, he didn’t realize their parents no longer had a car. He planned to borrow that until he worked for a while. If he had paid attention, he would have known…

  It didn’t matter anymore. They would need to stick together to get through it. Unlike what he did to Dominic when he needed him most, Dominic was at his side with forgiveness. He couldn’t turn that down. It was all water under the bridge, and they had to start over again.

  They sat and talked for a while to catch up. Dominic was sad to hear that Theresa had given up college when her mother left. She stayed home to take care of her brother, sister and nephew. He decided to set up an account to pay for her education, so she could sign up in January.

  Tony had worked with his father in Texas at a music store he owned and lost. Tara had destroyed that as well. It was apparent that she had planned her getaway well in advance. What she had done was quite out of character. It was as if she snapped and wanted them all to pay. They had no idea where she went. With the amount of cash she had taken, she could hide out for years. Dominic felt awful that everything his brother worked for was gone within a year. He would do everything in his power to get them on their feet again.

  “I’m not sure what kind of work I can get out here,” Tony said as he tapped his chin. “I did some construction when we remodeled the store, but I don’t even have a GED yet.” He had quit school when Hunter was born to work full-time.