Page 11 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

“Oh, you are, are you?” I chuckled, untying the leash. “And where are we going to keep him?”

“Well, you keep saying our apartment is too small for a dog so… so we get him his own one,” Zack said firmly, as if he’d just come up with the most amazing solution.

“Oh, really?” I snorted.

“If only it were that easy.” Jian chuckled, ruffling the top of Zack’s head. Then those sweet brown eyes were back on me. “It was truly wonderful to meet you. Thank you.”

“For what?” I laughed nervously as heat crept up my neck.

“For the most fun I’ve ever had buying allergy medicine. I hope we run into each other again.” He waved at Zack, winked at me, then turned and strode away down the street.

“Mom?” Zack asked in a loud voice that carried down the street. “Why are you blushing?”

5

MAE

“Mom!” I called up the stairs as loudly as I dared, leaning onto the edge of the banister. “I’m going to start dinner!”

Mom’s voice carried down the stairs from somewhere deep up there, but I couldn’t hear the words. Assuming it was simply a noise of agreement, I headed back into the kitchen, where Dozer was curled up near the oven, soaking up the warmth.

Zack had been put to bed an hour ago, and after cleaning the house, I was starving. All this travel had really thrown my routine out of whack, but at least here, I had the time to cook and enjoy it. There were no alarms to wake up to in the morning and no emails from my boss. I did send a quick text to my best friend, Denise, letting her know I was still alive and this town was much the same as it had always been.

Rummaging through the cupboard, I found some spinach and ricotta tortellini and soup for Mom. I set to work boiling the water, opening the soup can, and searching for some decent bread. Mom appeared in the kitchen a few moments later, and while the air was slightly tense, I was far too tired for another argument.

“How is Zack?” I asked, sprinkling some extra seasoning into the soup.

“Fast asleep. That walk really tired him out.”

“It must be the air. We don’t get this kind of freedom in the city.” I chuckled. “He had a good time.”

Thanks to the mysterious Jian, so did I. I should have gotten his number. Was that too bold? I’m not sure. Then again, he was new in town and only here for a short while, so maybe he would have been perfect to scratch an itch I hadn’t scratched in years.

“Is everything as you remember it?” Mom took over the bread board and began slicing up the loaf.

“Mostly.” I nodded while stirring the soup. “Sad to see the shop on the corner gone, though. That new place looks like a poster for corporate hell.”

“Mmm. There were a lot of sad folks when it got bought over.”

“Oh! You never told me that the McCarth place closed down. What happened?” I split my attention between her and the food.

“Well, Mr. McCarth drank away all the profits of the farm and whatever was left, his wife took in the divorce,” Mom replied. “Place has been closed for a few years now.”

“Shame,” I murmured. “As nice as everything is, there did seem to be a sad air about the place. Makes sense, I guess, with some of the small town charm fading to drink and corporations.”

“Oh, darling, it’s not that.” Mom paused her buttering of the bread. “It’s…”

I glanced over at her, stirring the soup slowly. “It’s what?”

“I didn’t want to say anything because…”

“Because what?” I asked again, frustration rising at her inability to just tell me what she was trying to say. I tossed the tortellini into the pan and focused on that instead.

“Aldo Adami died.”

My heart stopped in my chest.

Adami. Rocco’s father?

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