Page 48 of Married to the Mafia

fourteen

H – E – L – P

Monday was mostly annoying, made worse when Mikey discovered he could barely go an hour without glancing out his office window to look in Brandi’s direction. She’d been out of the office for most of the previous week, and while she had done what she could remotely, she was still playing catch-up. Something in him wanted to offer to help or assign her a helper, despite that either response was completely atypical. The fact that he even felt the urge concerned him.

Mikey had only just dragged his focus back to the task at hand—again—when his phone rang. His mother’s name on the screen had him bringing the device quickly to his ear. She was one of the few who didn’t usually call during the work day.

“I’ve got a room all ready for Brandi for tonight,” Eleonora declared. “You’re not going to drag your darling fiancée in to work in the morning before you get to the courthouse, are you?”

Mikey leaned back in his chair and swallowed his sigh. He’d forgotten already. Granted, things had gotten a little hectic after his mother’s visit. But traditional wedding or no, there was one so-called tradition his mother simply wasn’t willing to relinquish. She would not hear of the bride-to-be sleeping under the same roof as the groom the night before the wedding, so all of Mikey’s new in-laws had been essentially guilted into spending a night at their mother-in-law’s. It sounded more like a final trial to him.

“We’ll come over for dinner, then, if that works for you,” he said. “And no, I’m not expecting her to work in the morning before we sign papers. I’m not that cruel.” It was probably best left unsaid that they were both planning to return to the office for the afternoon.

Eleonora clicked her tongue at him. “I love you with all my heart, Michele, but you will not torture her with dinner with me the night before you get married. You bring her over after.”

“That seems a little—” Movement outside his office caught his attention and Mikey sat up straight as his eldest brother walked in. “Ridiculous.” They didn’t. “What did you do?”

Dante’s lips tipped up in a subtle smirk.

“Oh, good, Dante must be there now. He can tell you that part,” Eleonora said. “Remember, no later than ten. This old woman doesn’t stay up as late as she used to. Have a good day, sweetheart!” She practically hung up on herself in a rush to disconnect before he could ask more questions.

Mikey sighed and set down his phone. “What are you two scheming this time?”

“Is that any way to greet your brother?” Dante stepped up to the side of the desk and set down a suspicious slip of paper. “I can’t do nothing when my baby brother takes a wife. You should be grateful I’m holding back.”

Mikey scowled but obligingly reached for the paper. It took him all of a second to recognize Dante’s premiere restaurant’s logo emblazoned at the top. “Dinner reservations?”

“Consider this an advance on the wedding gift you’re going to let me get for you in the near future.”

Of all the things Dante could have pushed, reservations for two at a restaurant he owned really was him holding back. Mikey set the paper down. “I’m sure Brandi will appreciate this,” he said. He narrowed his eyes at Dante. “But this is plenty. Really.”

“That, little brother, is the part you get tonight.” Dante clapped him on the shoulder and turned. “Congratulations.” He paused, looking around the office as if taking it in from a new perspective. “I’m impressed you can handle working with your woman close enough to distract you and far enough to be out of reach. If it were me, I’d move her in here. There’s plenty of room.”

Mikey snorted. “Iris only owns a business because she wanted a hobby. You would have been more than happy to support her entirely.”

“Of course.” Dante met his gaze again, still smirking. “Your relationship has a different foundation than ours. You already work well together.” He started for the door. “The entire office will know she’s yours by the end of tomorrow, regardless. A statement would be a good idea.”

Mikey let the words play in his head as he watched his brother walk away. He noted Miguel slowly sitting upright and peering around the pair of monitors at his desk with blatant anxiety. Further away, he thought he saw Berto offer a wave.

Less than a minute after the elevator doors slid closed, Brandi stepped into the office. “Hey,” she said as she eased the door shut.

Mikey shifted his focus to her and felt his expression soften. “Did you need something?”

She smiled and walked closer, her fingers trailing along the edge of his desk. “I know it’s not really my business, but I wanted to check and see if everything was okay. Not everyday one of your brothers pops in.”

His lips twitched. “My family has boundary issues.” He held the paper up, logo facing her. “Looks like we’re going out to dinner tonight.”

Brandi’s eyes widened. “Holy crap. I’ve always wanted to eat at The Dragon’s Roast.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well good news, I know a guy.”

She eyed the paper for a moment longer. “So, dinner at six-thirty … I’m thinking I’ll need a little time to get ready for something that nice.”

Mikey set the paper down. “I suppose I can let you off at closing time. I’ll probably need to work a little later, though.”

“Just be sure you don’t forget about dinner. I can get myself home.” She gave his arm a squeeze and turned to let herself out.

“Brandi.” Mikey stood and walked around his desk, meeting her in the center of the room. “It’s safer if I call you a driver.”

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