Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Saverio narrows a playful gaze on her. “What are you girls hiding in the garage?”
“You’ll see,” Emma says with a bubbly laugh, clapping her hands again.
When Saverio trudges to the kitchen, everyone follows. We wait until he’s opened the adjoining door to the garage. He flicks on the light switch, and then he stills. The Corvette is polished to a shine, its bodywork like a mirror under the light. It took me a long time to find an original red one. I could’ve bought a yellow one last year. A white one came onto the market the year before that, but it’s not the same.
When I tracked down the previous owner of this one, he didn’t want to part with the car at first. It took five million to convince him. It’s a million over the market value, but it’s worth every penny. The car Saverio sold meant more to him than four fancy, collectable wheels. It was a symbol of his achievements, and on that, there’s no price.
I know all about priceless treasures. I still have the to-do list I took from Saverio’s trash can on the night of our engagement. I keep it in my box of sentimental knick-knacks that holds the girls’ first locks of hair, their first teeth, the cards they drew for my birthdays, and the bullet Nicole cut out of my arm. I read it often, not only because handwriting is so personal and I love to look at it but also because that list resembles everything my husband is—meticulous, protective, caring, and considerate.
Saverio is quiet for a long time. When he finally turns around, his face is tight with emotions.
“Anya.” He cups my hips between his large hands. The audience behind us is forgotten as he stares into my eyes. We’re isolated in the moment, lost in one another. “I don’t know what to say.”
I wrap my arms around his strong back. “Thank you?”
He leans away, only half joking as he searches my face. “Please tell me you didn’t gamble for the car.”
“Not even close.” I kiss his lips. “Bought it fair and square.”
He pins me with a piercing look. “Thank you.”
Those two little words are loaded. They say so much more than conveying his gratitude for a gift he should never have had to part with. They say everything I always wanted to hear.
He lowers his head and slants his lips over mine. Just as I’m about to give myself over to the kiss, Dante wolf-whistles, saving us from taking things further than we should in front of the kids and our friends.
Claire and Emma squeeze past the grownups to sweep Saverio up in a hug. In their fight over who gets to hug him first, I’m sandwiched between my babies and my husband.
Emma hangs on to the back of Saverio’s legs, holding him with all her might.
Claire tips back her head. “Can I drive it, Daddy?”
Saverio ruffles her hair and chuckles. “Ask me again when you’re fourteen.”
“Fourteen?” I exclaim. “Not a day before sixteen, young lady.”
Claire pouts. “That’s not fair.”
“How about you come with me later when I take her out for a spin?” Saverio says.
“Yeah.” Claire high-fives Saverio. “I’m the oldest, so I get to go first.”
Nicole clears her throat. “I hate to point this out, but the food is getting cold. And I’m starving.”
“Who wants burgers?” Saverio asks.
“Me,” Emma and Claire yell in unison.
“Let’s go pick our toppings,” Dante says, holding out both hands.
Claire takes his right hand while Emma takes his left.
“The crispy onions are mine,” Nicole says as she cuts a beeline for the back door with an evil laugh following in her wake.
Dante chases after Nicole, dragging his goddaughters with him. They run shrieking and laughing through the kitchen.
Logan follows the others with a lopsided grin. “I guess I better reheat some of that meat. Nice car, Sav. Anya, you did well.”
Livy’s phone pings with a notification in her pocket. She takes it out and checks the screen. “Oh.”
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“Thurston Rigas invited me to do a special performance with him on stage.”
“The Thurston?” I ask. “The biggest rock star in the States?”
Livy types a reply and pushes the send button. “The one and only. He asked me to be the frontline dancer at the opening concert of his world tour in June.” Continuing with pride, she says, “He’d like me to do my special repertoire.”
“How do you even know Rigas?” Saverio asks.
Livy lifts her chin. “From After Dark of course. That’s where he saw my repertoire the first time. I did a demonstration on the bar counter.”
“That’s wonderful,” I say. “You’ll be amazing.”
“Of course I will,” she says with a coquettish wink before going after the others.
“Finally,” Saverio says, tightening his hold on me.
My smile is coy. “Finally what?”
He lowers his head and whispers in a heated voice over my lips, “I’ve got you alone.”