“I better go, Bria. Joe’s coming. I’m dying to know what Gino wanted. Thanks for the chat, love you.”
“Love you back.” And on that note, we hung up.
“Hey hon, everything okay? What did Captain Chaos want?”
“Nothing that couldn’t have waited until tomorrow. I swear that guy intentionally antagonizes me. It’s his new hobby.”
“I’m sorry, my love. Anything I can do to help?”
“You could always put the wrong mushrooms in his Pasta ai Funghi—completely by accident of course.” Joe gave me a devilish smile.
“Well, I am a new bride . . . we do make mistakes.”
We laughed and chatted while we finished our wine.
“Darling, I don’t want to put any more pressure on you, but you need to put Gino in his place. He thinks that because he is a few years older than you, he can lord it over you. I see the way he speaks to you. It pisses me off.”
“I agree. But now is not the time for me to make waves. My father is trying his best to get to know his son, and I don’t want to burden him with childish rivalry. When the time is right, I’ll put Gino in his place, I promise.”
“Well, don’t wait too long or Bria and I will kick his grumpy ass to the curb.”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute, my clever girl.”
Chapter Seven
JOE
I hadn’t seen Fabio in a few weeks. I missed my wingman. Life was more complicated with Gino in the picture, and I needed a buddy to cheer me up. Ella was amazing but sometimes a man needs his best buddy, and I was ready to let my hair down. The girls were at our house doing wedding preparation things, and Fabio and I went down to our local club after a vigorous game of soccer.
“What’s on your mind, Gianni Rivera? I know something’s up when you wipe the soccer field with my ass. Come on, spill it.” Fabio took a large gulp of his Peroni as he waited for me to speak.
“Well, now that you ask, I’m up to here with Gino and his bullshit. Ever since he’s come on the scene, my family has been walking on eggshells. He’s a bully and he’s made me his target. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to knock his block off, but I don’t want to make my father’s life any more difficult than it already is.”
“Fuck, that’s heavy, bud. It’s no secret that Gino isn’t the warmest, fuzziest guy I’ve ever met, so I sympathize with you.”
“Ella is insisting that I put the asshole in his place, but I think it’s too soon for that.”
“Ella is right, Joe. If you keep tap dancing to his tune, he’s never going to respect you. Don’t think of it as adding to your father’s problems. He’d hate it if he knew how Gino treats you. You are his whole world, Joe. Do what you must. Fuck Gino; he’s an idiot.”
“Words to live by, my horny friend, words to live by. Cheers!”
ELEANORA
The living room floor was covered in bridal magazines. Bria and I had finished a bottle of wine by the time the boys got home.
“Ugh! You guys smell of sweat and cheap beer.” Bria kissed Fabio hello.
“She’s not wrong,” I said, as Joe threw his smelly soccer shirt at me.
“Yes, yes, cool your jets, ladies; we’re heading for the shower.”
“What does a guy have to do around here to get a bowl of pasta?” Fabio asked as he left the room.
“Cook it your bloody self, you lazy shit!” yelled Bria after him.
“Ah, come on, babe. Your sexy man is starving! I’ll thank you later, I promise.”
“Okay, you big baby. I’ll throw something together.” I laughed as Bria and I hit the kitchen.
“Thanks, babydoll!”
“He’d be lost without me.” Bria chuckled. “Who knows how he managed without me for so many years?”
I put a large pot of water on the stove, then rummaged around to find something to make for dinner. When in doubt, whip out the whole peeled tomatoes, I heard my mother’s voice in my head. I opened a can and added it to garlic, basil, and parsley fried in olive oil. A few pine nuts later and dinner was served. A mound of grated Parmesan and warm garlic bread finished it off perfectly. The boys were impressed.
“That’s me for the night. I’m poked. Ella, thank you for a super supper.” Fabio got up and stretched his legs.
“Poked, hey? Don’t you mean you are off to poke?” Joe grinned as Bria blushed.
“Joe!” He smirked as I chastised him.
“I think we’ll call it a night.” Bria rose, smacked Fabio’s butt, and kissed Joe and me goodnight.
“I hope I can walk tomorrow. Thanks for kicking my ass at soccer. With friends like you, who needs enemies?”
“What can I say? Ella is my muse.” Joe leaned over and kissed me.
“Ugh. Get a room, you two!” Bria put her finger down her throat in a jocular gesture.
“Okay, get out, I want to ravish my wife.”
JOE
I limped into the office the next morning. It was probably the soccer and not the vigorous sex. Married life was turning out to be a pretty good deal.
“Good morning, Joe.” My father was an early bird. He was probably halfway through his workload already.
“Buongiorno, Papa. Come stai?” I gave him a big hug.
“Sto bene grazie, my son.”
“Good. I wanted to chat with you about a few new projects I’m working on, Papa. Is now a good time?”
“Si, come to my office.”
As he opened the door to his office, Gino was sitting on the sofa. He smiled at my father and grinned sardonically at me when my father wasn’t looking.
“Ah,
