Ricky choked back a laugh. He loved his mother, but there were plenty of times when they were growing up, she would ask something, then she would demand to know why they hesitated with an answer if you didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear within five seconds of the question.
“Okay, so let me set the scene for you. We were supposed to go out on our first date that afternoon and see the fireworks that evening. We were going to do a picnic in the park, and then walk over to see the display. I’d never looked forward to anything more in my life.”
And Ricky knew that to be the truth. Before Kyle Connelly died, he’d been hopelessly devoted to his wife and children. His father had become the man that Ricky measured all others against. He could easily see the attraction his mother spoke of.
“It had rained early on, and the weather had gotten cool. That morning, I woke up, pulled out my dress so I could be sure it wasn’t wrinkled, then set to making sure everything was perfect. Of course this is the point in the story where everything goes to hell.”
“What happened?” Ricky asked, now needing to hear the story.
“You know what the problem is with your generation? You have no sense of dramatic flair. Anyway, Mom got a call from Grandma Beth, saying they were taking Grandpa Hank to the hospital. She told me I’d need to stay home and watch Ellen and Maggie. I protested, for all the good it did. I’d waited weeks for this day, and now she wanted me to take care of my sisters? I complained about how unfair it all was, but in the end, I called your father and broke our date.”
Ricky slumped into his chair. Obviously the story had a happy ending, but he could feel the heartbreak in her softly spoken words.
“I was angry, because it had taken him weeks to get up the nerve to ask me. I almost went to him, because he was sweet and charming and I had found myself smitten.”
“Smitten?” Ricky teased.
“It’s a perfectly nice word,” she swore. “Anyway, about four o’clock, the doorbell rang. I opened it, and there he stood. He had on a dark blue suit with a thin red tie that had gold stripes on it, and he wore polished loafers. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
“I asked him why he had come when I’d canceled, and he said if he didn’t, he couldn’t be sure he’d have the nerve to ask again. He brought a picnic lunch. When I reminded him I had to watch your aunts, he assured me he had enough food for all of us. He invited me out to the picnic table in our backyard, where he’d already set up the food. We all took a seat. It didn’t matter to him that we were effectively babysitting because, he said, family always came first. In fact, he treated my sisters better than I had. He made sure they had enough food, that they weren’t cold, and he played games with them when they complained they were bored. I cried a little at that.
“If you asked me today, I couldn’t tell you for sure what we ate. I just know that it had been the most romantic gesture I’d ever seen.”
Ricky’s heart stuttered. His whole family missed his father. The man had always been generous with his hugs, his praise, and his time. His heart attack at forty had devastated their family, and it had taken years for them to get back to a semblance of normal.
“That’s why I ask you to see if you can picture yourself having a future with someone. That afternoon, sitting outside with your dad, my whole life laid itself out before my eyes. I knew that one day we’d be married. Six months later, he actually proposed. I said yes, of course.”
He’d never heard the story, and the sweetness of her words brought a burning to his eyes. He knew how much she loved their father. She’d never remarried, telling them that no one could ever take his place. She’d gone out on dates, but never felt that connection with anyone.
“Thank you for telling me,” he said, his voice cracking.
“Can you picture being with this man? Does he make your toes curl? Make your heart sing? If you look at him now, can you see yourself in twenty years, sitting across from him, sipping coffee? This is what love is, honey. It’s not whether you’re compatible in bed, but if you can be in life.”
Ricky didn’t even have to consider her question. It had been on his mind since their date. “Yeah, Mom. I can. I sat with him at dinner and found myself wondering what it would be like for us to be in our kitchen, making a meal for our family. Working together to create something beautiful.”
“Yes!” she said, practically shouting. “That’s how I felt with your dad. Hold on to that feeling. Remember it, because when things go wrong—and they always do—it’s that which will keep you together. Problems come and go, but if you’re together, love can always see you through the worst of times.”
When his phone beeped, Ricky pulled it away from his ear, smiling when he saw who the caller was.
“Mom? Darwin’s calling. Can I call you back?”
“Anytime. Go talk to your man.”
He connected with Darwin and had to suppress a sigh when he heard the breathy tone in Darwin’s voice.
“I was wondering…are you doing anything this weekend?”
“Probably filling out more applications. Why?”
“What would you say if I asked whether you wanted to take a ride down by the lake? See the sights. Maybe do a little exploring.”
Ricky didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes, that would be really nice.”
“I’ll call you later and we can confirm plans. Sound okay?”
“Sounds great,” Ricky replied, butterflies in his stomach multiplying at the thought of another date with Darwin. “Are you home yet?”
“Just pulling up. Thank you again for tonight. Sleep well.”
****
Darwin put his phone back into his pocket. He hadn’t even been away from Ricky for half an hour, and he already missed him. His warmth, and that kiss that sent tingles through his body. He couldn’t believe how much Ricky had come to mean to him in such a short time.
After he paid the driver, including the hundred dollars he’d offered, Darwin let himself into the house. Compared to Ricky’s building, the place seemed cold. He’d never really liked living there, even as a child. When there’d been a full staff, it was filled with people, but they never had time to do anything but work. Even his nanny had needed to fulfill other responsibilities.
It had been different when Dean moved in. The house had been filled with love and the whole dynamic of the place changed. The servants had been invited to dine with him and Dean to get to know one another, to become part of the household. Hell, they’d become his and Dean’s family. Then after Dean had died, Darwin couldn’t stand to see their home anymore. He’d thought about moving, but this had been his only tie to his parents, his brother, and the man he’d loved with his whole heart.
A light in the kitchen let him know someone, probably Henley, could be caught raiding the refrigerator. He snuck in as quiet as he could and stood there while the man loaded up a plate with cabbage rolls.
“Don’t think I don’t know you’re there, Dare. You’re not the ninja type. Want some?”
“You mean there are still leftovers? Judging from the mound on that plate, I figured you’d have eaten them all by now.”
“Funny. Ha. Yeah. She made extra, figuring you might want a snack before bed.”
“So you’re eating my snack?”
Henley closed the door and dropped his bounty on the counter. He licked his fingers. “You snooze, you lose, bud. You know how it goes.”
Darwin reached out and snatched one off the plate, grabbed his own dish from the cabinet, and cut into it. Even cold they were amazing.
“How’d it go? You’re home earlier than I figured,” Henley said, popping his plate into the microwave.
“He’s going job hunting again tomorrow. And he had to get home to feed his cat.”
“Um. You hate cats.”
Not entirely true. He’d never had pets growing up. His parents had told him he’d need to wait until he was older, because he had to learn responsibility firs
t. He didn’t find out until much later why his parents didn’t allow animals in the house.
“I don’t know cats. Except for the guard dogs that they used to have, I don’t even know dogs.”
Henley took his plate from the microwave, placed it on the table, and sliced into a cabbage roll, then glared at Darwin. “You know how much I loved living here, but honestly? Your parents were too uptight. Kids are supposed to get messy. They’re supposed to have pets to play with.”
“Yeah, well, it’s hard to have the governor in your home when you’re worried that Muffy or Tiffy will jump all over him,” Darwin replied. “They told me when I turned eighteen the real reason. Appearances and all that.”
“Not sure I could live like that,” Henley admitted.
“Well, you could have a dog now. Why don’t you?”
Henley shrugged. “I’m not home enough. If we’re not out on the road, then I’m out at the bar.”
Henley didn’t really go to the bar that often, but he liked using it as an excuse. Darwin knew his friend needed someone in his life, but he also knew it had to be a very special person to catch the attention of Henley Davidson.
“So, how was the night?”
“Honestly? It was amazing. Dinner was delicious, but the company? That made the night perfect. And when we got home, he gave me a kiss that nearly melted me.”
Henley made a pained noise. When Darwin looked up, his friend smiled. “Sorry, swallowed wrong.”
“I'm going to take him for a drive this weekend,” Darwin said. “We'll head down Lake Drive and check out some of the houses and also enjoy the view of the water.”
Henley gaped at him. “Who's driving?”
Darwin sighed. “I am.”
“That's funny,” Henley said, but he wasn't laughing. In fact, he actually looked a little angry. “I've been your driver since you were eighteen. I don't know that you've ever even been behind the wheel. If you want to go, I'll take you.”
A moment of panic gripped Darwin. “No, that's fine. I've got my license, even if I don't use it. I'm going to rent a car for the day, so there's no need.”
“You think I don't know what this is about, right?”
“What do you mean?” Darwin asked, trying not to show his discomfort.
“He doesn't know who you are, does he?”
“Sure, he does.”
“No,” Henley corrected. “He knows the man who ate in his section at a restaurant. The one who brought corn dogs in so they could have dinner. He doesn't know the man who could call his pilot and have the private jet fly them to Paris for a midnight snack, and then hop over to Australia to watch the sunrise. What's up with that?”
The concern in Henley's expression loosened some of the guilt Darwin had been carrying around. “It's not like I want to deceive him,” he said. “But I want him to like me, not who the money supposedly makes me.”
Before he’d met Dean, he’d been asked on a couple of dates. He’d turned them down, because the men had been so transparent. Darwin had seen the dollar signs in their eyes. They hadn’t wanted him, only the money and prestige that were part and parcel of being with him.
“And you don't trust him enough to do that? Has he given you any indication he would like you less?”
Darwin chose his words carefully, wanting Henley to understand his reasoning. “I bought some Macallan M when I had dinner that night. He gasped, literally, when I told him what I wanted. He tried to tell me how much it cost, and I told him I knew the price. Then apologized for my behavior, which had been atrocious. He forgave me, then teased me about my attitude. So the waters started out choppy, then calmed to the point where he teased me, made me feel…better.
“After that, it had been corn dogs and shakes, him buying me drinks at a bar and dancing the night away. Window-shopping in stores he said he'd never be able to buy from, but he liked looking at the fancy things. Money isn't him. And I don't want him to look at me differently.”
Henley put a hand on Darwin's shoulder and gave a slight squeeze. “So you'd rather lie to him. Pretend to be something you're not. I can see that being the basis of a good relationship.”
“You don't understand…” Darwin protested. He really needed Henley to see what he meant. He wasn’t sure why it was so important, but Darwin needed his friend’s blessing.
“No, I don't. And you're not explaining it very well either. You want to keep him in the dark, pretend with him. What if it turns serious? Do you really think you can keep this a secret? How long before he finds out?” Henley paused a moment, took a bite, then started again. “Seriously, Dare, it's not like your face isn't on the financial pages often enough. What's he going to think when he sees that the guy he's been going out with has more money that God?”
“I don't have that much money,” Darwin replied, hating the whine in his voice.
Henley snorted. “You were one of the richest men under thirty-five for the last four years. Pretty soon you'll be on the list for under forty. How much money do you think that takes?”
“Why are you being like this?' Darwin demanded.
Henley sighed. “Because I'm your friend, Dare. The one person who is always going to be honest with you. If you care for him, and I mean really care, you'll trust him and tell him the truth. Because if you can't, then you obviously don't have true feelings for him and are only interested in the situation.” He picked up his plate. “Let me know if you need to go anywhere. I'm going to my room to watch some television.”
Darwin stood as Henley’s footsteps echoed down the hall.
“Why does he have to be so…” Darwin sighed. “Right.”
He’d needed to hear it, he knew. The thought scared him to death, though. Darwin rarely felt comfortable with people. Only special people could slip under his defenses, and Ricky definitely qualified. But he wasn’t being fair to the man. A lie of omission still counted as a lie. He finished his cabbage roll, rinsed off the plate, and slipped it into the dishwasher. Then he sucked in a deep breath and went down the hall to Henley’s room.
His friend didn’t get angry often, but he could hold a grudge over stupid things at times. Darwin hesitated for a moment before he knocked. He breathed a sigh of relief when Henley told him to come in.
“Figured you’d be here soon,” he said, polishing off the last of his cabbage rolls. He pointed at his plate, then asked, “You didn’t bring any more, did you?”
Darwin laughed. Henley usually ate healthy meals, but when Maria made her specialty, all bets went out the window.
“No, sorry.” Darwin pointed to the chair at the desk. “Can I sit?
Henley nodded, and Darwin pulled out the chair. He glanced around his friend’s room. Auto magazines were piled in a neat stack on the desk, and his Mac had tabs open on fixing cars. He loved that the man took such great pride in his work, and that it carried over into his own passions.
“You were right,” Darwin admitted. “I’m afraid. How do you tell someone you’re rich, especially when they don’t have anything?”
“You look him in the eye, and say, ‘hey, just so you know, I’ve got money.’”
Darwin huffed and glared at his friend. “Can you be serious?”
“I am. Maybe you’ll be less blunt, but there really isn’t a way to break it gently.”
“And what do I do if he gets angry?” Darwin fisted his hair. “I’ve never had to do this before, damn it. Dean had money. He knew the kind of life we have. Ricky told me his idea of high cuisine is eating a Big Mac.”
“Okay, let me ask you something. Do you think the man is worth it?”
Darwin thought for a moment. “Is it okay if I say I really want him to be?”
Henley smiled. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”
Chapter Eight
The week crawled by for Ricky. He’d figured out the bus routes he’d need to get to Rossi’s. A sense of relief flooded him when he discovered it would only be two busses, and that the travel time wouldn’t be as long as h
e’d feared.
He applied on Tuesday afternoon and was delighted to hear back from Bertina Rossi Wednesday morning. She’d invited him in for an interview. When he sat down, she offered him a glass of water, which he declined. An older woman with the deepest laugh lines Ricky had ever seen, she had her gray hair pulled back into a bun. Ricky could tell from the gleam in her eye she definitely wasn’t matronly. In fact, he imagined she had quite a devilish streak in her.
“Why do you want to work here, Richard?” she asked, giving him a smile that soothed the butterflies. This had been the first callback he’d gotten, and things were getting a little tight. He really needed to ace this interview.
“Well, we had dinner here on Monday. I like the atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. When I looked around, I saw the customers and they seemed to really enjoy the place. I want to be a part of that. I like making people happy, and I think I could be a good fit here.”
She tapped her pen on the desk and hummed. “I’ll be honest. I love your application, but I’m a little concerned over your job at Asiago. You didn’t stay there very long. May I ask why?”
Ricky hedged. It would be bad form to talk about a former employer in an unflattering way. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m not really comfortable explaining that. If you speak to the manager at Asiago—Louisa—she said she would give me a good reference. I just feel it wouldn’t be right for me to talk about my former employers in a way that may portray them in anything less than a fair light.”
Bertina stood, and Ricky’s heart slumped. Yet another job he wouldn’t be getting. He got up and held out his hand.
“I appreciate your time.”
She took his hand in hers and held him there for a moment. “Thank you for coming. Would you be available to start training on Monday?”
At first, he thought he heard wrong. “I’m sorry, what?”
She laughed, and it reminded him of his grandmother. A deep, rich alto—the kind that read the best bedtime stories. “If you want the job, it’s yours. Can you start Monday?”
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