XOXO (The Calvettis of New York 3)

The woman in the trench coat glances at Lynn before her gaze settles on me. “It sounds like a special occasion.”

My mouth curves, feeling slightly embarrassed. “It’s just a first date.”

She studies my face. “That is special. First dates can lead to lifetimes together.”

I glance down at her left hand to the sight of a simple gold band on her wedding ring finger.

“I should go see what Lynn found for me,” I say, wishing I had more time to talk with her. “You helped me more than you know. Please enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“I will.” She looks past me to where Lynn is standing before her gaze settles back on me. “Enjoy your date tomorrow night. I hope it’s the first of many.”

I hope for that too, or at least I think I do.

Chapter 21

Dominick

“Dominick, you must have some pull to get us a table at this place last minute.”

I’m as impressed as my dinner guest that Arietta was able to secure a table at Axel Boston this late in the game. She had barely an hour to get the job done, and she, once again, surpassed every one of my expectations.

Since I’m sitting across from my cousin, I see no reason to take credit for something that was my assistant’s doing. “Arietta has the pull. She booked our table.”

Rocco Jones shoves a hand through his brown hair. “We’ll have to toast to her tonight.”

“After we toast to you.” I gesture to the silver band on his ring finger. The three black diamonds that adorn the band are unique and hard to miss. “I still can’t believe you’re married and having a baby.”

Rocco is just another person in my life taking on the role of a parent. Bella became a mom when her daughter Luisa was born. Judd’s about to have another child, and Rocco’s wife is pregnant with their son. They plan to name him Bryant.

His smile beams. “I never thought this would be my life.”

It’s good to see him like this. We’re close in age and grew up as friends. His talent playing professional poker took him in one direction. My goal of making money took me in another.

Since he’s retired from playing for cash, he’s an angel investor. It’s how he met his wife, Dexie.

When the server approaches, Rocco takes control, ordering us each a glass of his vodka. He’s a partner in Rizon Vodka. I have a lifetime supply if I want it. When I was in Sicily, Rocco sent me a crate of the stuff.

This dinner is my way of paying him back for that. We flew to Boston together from New York this morning. Rocco wanted me to tag along to check out a business opportunity that he’s considering. The fact that he values my opinion matters, so I couldn’t say no.

“Thanks again for letting us use your villa for our honeymoon,” Rocco says as the server takes his leave. “Dexie loves Italy as much as we do.”

I like it. I enjoy being there because of the escape it provided from my hectic life in Manhattan, but I don’t love it. It’s a home facing the Mediterranean Sea where the problems of the world slip away under the crushing sound of the waves hitting the beach.

I adjust my tie as I lean back in my chair.

Rocco huffs out a laugh. “Don’t you get tired of the day-to-day grind, Dominick? You look uncomfortable as hell in that suit.”

His style has never matched mine. Rocco conducts business in jeans and T-shirts most of the time. When he wants to step it up a notch, he’ll pull a sweater and a pair of black pants from the back of his closet.

“Rich people expect you to look a certain way when you’re handling their money.”

The server returns with two glasses filled with vodka and soda water. A lime wedge sits on the rim of Rocco’s glass. He knows I always pass on the citrus. That’s why he ordered mine without.

I was with Rocco the first time I got drunk. I was fifteen. He was sixteen. He snuck a bottle of his dad’s orange liqueur out of the house. We sat in a park in Queens drinking it on a Saturday night.

I couldn’t get out of bed on Sunday morning.

Rocco took the blame for it all, telling my folks he blackmailed me into drinking it by threatening to expose my crush on a girl at school. There was no girl. There was just a decent kid looking out for his cousin.

I envied Rocco at one time for being born first. He was gifted with the name of our grandfather. He’s Rocco Calvetti’s namesake, but I take pride in the fact that Marti has told me that I’m just like our grandfather. The man worked hard every day of his life. He was driven. He never gave up on anything.