Page 49 of The Consequence of You
He grins, and for a few seconds, I’m reminded of the five-year-old version of him, never being able to choose which flavour of cake he wanted from the shop. It’s enough to make me relax and forget the animosity between us for a minute.
“All my lady friends.” I air quote and raise a brow. “That sounds fun?”
“There have been a few. But I’m always safe and respectful. They are clear on what I’m offering, and it works for everyone involved. No Messina bambinos running around, you don’t need to worry.”
“Er, thanks for the visual, I guess.” I smile genuinely for the first time this evening, and he grins again, like the cheeky brother I remember from my childhood. I wonder how things can feel so easy between us, when I’d been so sure he’d come back here full of resentment. “You seem happy?” I don’t dare to hope that he is, but that’s how he seems.
“I am happy. Really happy, Callie.”
Hearing him say the words so convincingly feels like a huge weight has been lifted. I can almost feel one of the cracks in my heart heal a little.
We sit comfortably in silence, the warm sun low, glowing beautiful orangey pink behind the tall trees that surround our garden. Rossi stands, telling us he’s going into the kitchen for dessert. He leaves the room, and Luca turns to me with a curious glance.
“Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Are you happy, Callie?”
His question makes me pause. I’m happy. I have no reason not to be. But for some reason the affirmation sticks in my throat. He softens his tone.
“I’ve not been the best big brother to you, Callie. But I’m here now. And if you ever want to talk to me, about anything. I’m available. You ever need me to sort out someone who hasn’t treated you right? I’m your guy.”
I smile at the thought of Luca defending my honour or putting someone right.
“Thank you, Luca. But I’m good. I’m happy.”
He smiles and nods at my words, but they feel hollow. For some reason the words taste like a lie, even though nothing I’ve said is untrue. He doesn’t look like he believes them anymore than I do, but he doesn’t push me on it, and I appreciate that.
“So, work. What’s your plan?”
“Early night tonight, and then I’ll do a quick unannounced visit to each of the restaurants this week, during the daytime, and the same with the bars in the evening. I want to get a look at them all. I’m not looking to catch anyone out, but I would like to see them from an outsider’s point of view, get an initial feel on things.” He flips through his phone. “The following week, I’ll set up some meetings to get to know all the managers properly. And then I’m meeting with the accountant to suggest a few things. I’ve already looked at the books and worked out a few little tweaks to save money et cetera. but overall, it’s all looking pretty healthy.”
I’m impressed. Luca isn’t the carefree teenager I remember from our youth. He’s serious about business, and I can tell from the way his eyes light up that he’s genuinely passionate about this. Papa must be so proud of him. A pang of sadness hits me knowing Mama isn’t here to see this. She would be unbelievably proud, too.
I dig my nails into my leg to stop my eyes welling up.I robbed them both of that.She should be here now. Sitting in her favourite room, looking out over her beautiful gardens. Filling her son’s glass with wine. Telling him how proud she is and sharing his excitement tonight. She would probably have cooked him his favourite meal or planned a family BBQ for the weekend. Instead, it’s just me and the security staff. I plaster a wide smile on my face. The least I can do is try to make up for it.
“Sounds like a really good plan. I don’t eat there very often, but I know the restaurant in the city is popular. And one of the bars in town is a favourite with students. Tuesday night’s open mic night, particularly. Maybe it’s something that could be replicated in a couple of the other bars on different nights?”
Luca looks genuinely interested in my suggestion and nods enthusiastically.
“Great idea, thanks Callie. I’ll check that out next week. Fancy keeping me company?” he asks, his head cocked. “If you’re free?”
“I’d love to.” I genuinely mean it. Tonight’s been fun.Far more than I’d expected it to be. The opportunity to spend more time with him is more appealing than I could ever have imagined. Smiling like a fool, I feel my heart slowly defrosting. I should have been better at keeping in touch. The age gap felt huge when he left, but not so much now.
He stretches his legs and stifles a yawn. It’s only a couple of hours’ time difference, but travelling has probably left him worn out.
We stand and head into the hallway.
“It’s good to have you back, fratello.”
“It’s good to be home, sorellina.”
“It could do with a little more seasoning,” I follow my mouthful of risotto with a sip of Vermentino, “but the wine is excellent.” It’s the restaurant’s house wine, as recommended by the waiter. Luca nods and makes a note in his notebook.
“Agreed. I’ll get chef Alesso to come over to do some training with the chef here. It’s not bad, it’s just not as perfect as it could be.” He sips his wine. “You’re right about this wine, too. It really is excellent. I’ll make sure they have this across all our restaurants.”
Luca scribbles down a few more notes as I look around the restaurant. It’s one of our smaller eateries, and the décor is lovely. It’s quiet for lunchtime in this busy location.
