Page 49 of Promised Vows

With a sigh, she replied, “Yeah. You mind if I say goodbye to Papa?”

“No, let’s find him and then we’ll leave.”

I’d give Lucas the verdict on Dwyer tomorrow, and then begin looking for a new candidate. We were entering a new era. With the Benoit thing settled and the influx of money, we would be working on expanding again. We’d need friends in city government.

As for Michael and Jason, my thoughts were muddled. Maybe I’d give my brother my feelings on Gabriele instead.

Chapter Twenty-Two

ANNA

I smiled and slid into my usual seat at the coffee shop. Papa had a coffee waiting for me, but I wouldn’t be drinking one today. My nerves couldn’t handle a jolt of caffeine.

My countdown was now at forty-eight hours. I wasn’t sure when all of this would feel real. Maybe it’d take up until the moment Ari and I were announced as husband and wife. The thought had my stomach tight with nerves.

Papa had wanted to meet again. I had things I needed to be doing, but I hoped that maybe I could, at least, convince him to attend the wedding. He could stay on one side of the church and Jason on the other.

I would need to explain why my brother was giving me away instead of my father. I’d had an overwhelming need to ask him, and I knew when he’d immediately agreed that I’d made the right call.

“It’s good to see you again so soon. Did you enjoy the event the other night?”

I had until that Gabriele guy showed up. Call it intuition or whatever, but he’d rubbed my spirit raw. I was delighted when Ari shared my opinion.

“It was okay.” I tilted my head. “I was surprised you were there. I didn’t think you’d be interested in city politics.”

“It was a chance to see old colleagues.”

“You weren’t worried about Jason?” I kept my voice neutral. Something was off about my father, and I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

Shaking his head, he straightened his spine, which gave him more height. “I knew he’d keep the peace, so I wasn’t worried about my safety.”

“What did you think of the potential mayoral candidate?” I wasn’t sure why I asked the question. Not on the surface at least.

My father crossed his arms over his chest. “I think he’d be good for the city. If Jason wanted to back him, there’s a good chance he’d work with the family.”

I didn’t like that answer, but he’d been out of Chicago for three years. Out of the family business. I was tempted to ask him about Gabriele, but he was so off on Dwyer, I didn’t see the point.

Ari didn’t like either Dwyer or Gabriele. It made my chest swell with pride. I was perturbed when he tried to compare himself to Moretti. Ari wasn’t innocent, but unlike Gabriele, evil didn’t bleed from him.

My phone chimed. Ari’s name appeared on the screen. Was I thinking about him that hard? I smiled.

Where are you?

“Who is that?” My father’s eyes locked with mine.

“My fiancé.”

“I must admit, I’m very surprised that you seem so eager to go along with this. When you were younger, an arranged marriage was detestable to you.”

I quickly responded. “I was a child then. I didn’t understand things as I do now.”

I typed out a message to Ari and sent it.

I’m running an errand. If I tell you then you’ll know what I got you as a gift.

A gift? You are the gift.

A blush scorched my cheeks. He was a dream come true, whispering sweet nothings that could turn a girl’s insides to mush. With Ari, it was different. There was a well of sincerity in his eyes that convinced me he wasn’t trying to manipulate me.

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