He shrugged. “Don’t give a fuck what you want to call it. If I’m coming, either way, I don’t care. Don’t let dad give you shit about it either. He ain’t no saint.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He couldn't be implying dad was bisexual as well. There was just no fucking way.
“Look, forget about all that bullshit which is just meant to be a distraction.” He leaned forward with his arms on the table. “This is the real reason we’re here.”
“What? Me telling you guys I’m gay?”
“No, you goddamn moron. Your restaurant.”
I shook my head, still confused. “I don’t get it Nic.”
Again, we were interrupted before he could share more details. Ma returned to our table and snapped a finger at Nic. “Go to your father. He wants to speak to you.” Nick immediately got to his feet and strolled to the door. “You.” She pointed a finger at me. “I’d like to go back to the hotel, please.”
“Isn’t Pa taking you?”
“He has somewhere to be with your brother.”
When my brother and father were out I knew better than to ask questions. I dropped my mother at the hotel and walked her inside to her suite.
“Giovanni.” She turned to me after opening the door. “Thank you for telling me. The man who’s won your heart is a lucky man.”
I smiled at her and blinked away the tears that gathered way too quickly. “Thanks for that, Ma. I needed to hear it. Things are complicated between us at the moment. I don’t even know if it will go anywhere.”
She patted my cheeks. “One of the worst things we do as people is trying to have perfect lives and perfect relationships, but nobody is perfect, son. We do the best we can. Buona notte.”
"Good night to you too, Ma."
Her words stayed with me as I slowly drove home. I had nothing there to look forward to. My kitchen which was my sanctuary was now my torment. I couldn’t get the image out of my mind of Keith sitting there with me and telling me how much he loved my ice cream. For the first time, I had felt connected with someone, and it was stronger than the connection I had shared with Tate. It was different and beautiful, and I wanted it back.
At home, I undressed and wearing nothing but boxer shorts, I got the tub of ice cream Keith and I had started. I shared myself a bowl, planted my ass in a chair at the island and tried to come up with a way to get back into Keith’s good graces. The old part of me wanted to scheme, but that was what had us in this mess in the first place. I couldn’t regret scheming with him or I might have never known him. I didn’t plan to scheme to get him back though. I had to do everything the right way this time.
I decided to visit Tate and Bryan tomorrow. They might not let me onto the property, but I was betting on the years of friendship with Tate for him to give me another chance. Since this was where it started, this was exactly where I would end all the confusion. I didn’t love Tate, not in the way that counted. Having never been in love before until Keith I now saw how I confused the two. The possession I had felt toward Tate had nothing to do with love and everything to do with jealousy. I had been jealous his relationship with Bryan would have come between us. Maybe a part of me loved him, but it was nothing in comparison to how I felt about Keith.
Apologizing to Tate and Bryan would close that door. The only door I wanted open was the one which connected me to Keith. No distractions, no gimmicks. I wanted what we had found before Tate had come barging in. In my kitchen, we had just been Keith and Gio, two not so regular guys who had found their other half.
The doorbell rang and I frowned, half-expecting to find either my dad or brother on my porch. Given what Nic had hinted at, Pa was here to start trouble, and this time it wasn’t with anyone else. It was with me. Given my confession had changed the nature of our discourse, we would still need to meet to talk about what he wanted with the restaurant. Nic had said they were in financial difficulties. What if he wanted to sell his shares in the restaurant? I couldn’t bear to know that someone else had shares in my restaurant and could affect decision-making. I had only made my father a silent partner because I knew his heart and soul was in the casino.
Gearing up to do battle, I pulled the door open and was knocked off my feet. Arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me flush against a hard body. Warm lips drenched in whiskey settled on mine and kissed me hard. I closed my eyes tight, elation filling my heart. I didn’t need to look to see who it was. I didn’t know why he was here or why he changed his mind but Keith was here, and that was all that mattered. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. He walked me inside the house and with his foot kicked the door shut.