Page 34 of Wild Ace

“I don’t know about that,” I say with controlled anger. “Lindsay, I’m sorry you’ve wasted your time coming here, but we won’t need your services. We’ll be handling the interior ourselves.”

“Don’t be rude, Alexis,” nonno chastises.

“I’m not trying to be rude. I just don’t need Vinny’s help. We’ll be paying for, and deciding on things, ourselves. Feel free to tell Mr. Carfano that.”

“I will,” Lindsay says gracefully, as if she was expecting that to be my answer. She closes her binder and slips it into her leather tote bag. “Have a great rest of your day. Here’s my card in case you change your mind.”

I take her business card and thank her, knowing I won’t be changing my mind.

“Alexis, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, nonno. Vinny thinks he can win me over with his money, but it’s not going to work.”

“Of course not. You’re not the type. How about I just send him his favorite sandwich with a note saying thank you, but his assistance isn’t needed.”

“He doesn’t deserve a sandwich.”

“Why would he think buying things for my deli would win you over?”

“Because he knows how much I love you and this place, and how devastated I was to see you injured and the deli damaged.”

“Is he the one who paid for the other things?” he asks, waving his arm out towards the windows.

“Yes. Against my will.”

“Should I be insulted he thinks my business needs everything replaced?”

“No, nonno, that’s not it at all. He loves this town and likes to support local businesses and the people who’ve been here for a long time. He’s not trying to insult you. I mentioned in passing how I wanted to help update the deli for you, so now he’s using that to make himself look better to me.”

“He’s trying very hard, Alexis,” he points out, giving me a knowing look.

“I know. He won’t take no for an answer.”

“Why won’t you go out with him?”

“Because he’s a Carfano, nonno,” I say, as if that should explain everything.

“And?”

“And that means he’s the last man I should go out with.”

“Just because he’s a Carfano, doesn’t mean he isn’t worth your time. Do you think your nonna thought highly of me when she first met me? A field man working on her family’s vineyard?”

“Yes, I do.”

“She never looked down on me for being a poor laborer, but she didn’t see me for who I am until I put myself in her path. Vinny is just putting himself in your path, and maybe he’s meant to be there.”

That’s the problem.

I’ve been starting to think that despite all my efforts to avoid him and not think about him, I haven’t been able to.

But this is too much now.

He crossed the line sending that woman here. I never told him I wanted to make improvements to the deli, and him taking it upon himself to get us anything other than new doors and a security system is offensive.

I guess he’s going to get what he wanted though, because I’m pissed the fuck off. But instead of going to him like I did last Monday, I have another idea in mind.

Chapter 13

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