Page 11 of Highball and Chain

A younger Marchionni with the same green eyes and dark hair as Enzo approached me. I’d met all six of the Marchionni boys when Maggie’s sister had married the eldest brother, Joe. The next time I’d seen them all in one place had been thirteen years later at Joe and Rebecca’s funeral. Joe had been the oldest, followed by Maggie’s fiancé, Gabe. Leo came next, then Enzo—aka The Ghoster. The youngest of the brood were Marco and Dante.

The resemblance between the brothers amazed me. If it weren’t for differences in age, they could have been sextuplets. This one looked to be in his mid-twenties and was built like an Olympic swimmer.

Is he Marco or Dante?

He reached for my bags. “Let me take those.”

“Thanks, I got them.”

“I can’t let you do that.” He blocked my path. “I’ll never hear the end of it if my mother sees you carrying those inside.”

Evelyn Marchionni could make an entire motorcycle club cower with one glance. “I’ve met her. You have a point.”

He extended his hand. “I’m Marco.”

“Shanna.”

“Ah, I remember now. You’re the maid of honor. Nice to see you again. I’ll take your things upstairs. Go get some food, you look hungry.”

“Thanks, I think.” I dared a glance over my shoulder at the obnoxious couple.

Enzo scowled and the woman pouted—not exactly the picture of a healthy relationship. As far as I was concerned, they deserved each other.

Inside, the house was as impressive as the exterior. The foyer opened into a large family room with two seating areas and two fireplaces. The kitchen sat on the other end of the room, separated by a wraparound bar. Beyond a wall of sliders lay a huge patio, pool, and a breathtaking view of the sea.

“Shanna,” Maggie called from the stairs. “I didn’t hear the car. How was the flight? Are you tired? Isn’t it beautiful here?”

“Long. I’m exhausted. And it’s like a postcard.” I drew her into a tight embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”

“You’ve only been gone a couple of days.” I’d never admit it, but I’d missed her, too.

“Seems like forever. Wait until you see the church. It’s the same place Evelyn and Papa Joe were married. It’s gorgeous and the locals are so nice. Gabe and I are taking the wedding party sightseeing the day after tomorrow and to the Aeolian Islands on Thursday. With the wedding on Saturday, we’re going to be busy.”

“Take a breath, Mags. You’re making me dizzy.”

“Sorry, I’m just excited and hormonal.”

“Something smells amazing in here.” Dahlia hugged Maggie. “You look beautiful. Sicily agrees with you.”

“Come, sit, eat,” Evelyn Marchionni called from the kitchen. The mother of six boys, she knew how to motivate people with the arch of her brow and the tone of her voice.

“Where are the kids?” I took a seat at a massive table.

Zach, Chloe, and Ryan were Maggie’s sister’s children, but she’d stepped up to raise them when Rebecca died. A year later, Gabe had shown up with Ella, his newborn daughter. My best friend was a better woman than me. I doubted I could handle one of my own, let alone three orphans, the product of my ex’s fling, and one on the way.

Maggie pressed her hand to her belly in the universal gesture of I’m pregnant. “Chloe, Ryan, and Ella are sleeping. Zach’s playing video games with Dante and Papa Joe.”

Dante, the youngest Marchionni brother, was still in college. I could see him playing with the kids, but I had a hard time picturing the Marchionni patriarch shooting zombies on the Xbox.

Evelyn set bowls of steaming shell fish and pasta on the table. “Video games.” She shook her head. “They should be outside in the pool or visiting with us.”

“It’s nice that they’re spending time together. With Dante away at school, Zach doesn’t get to see him very often.” Maggie filled her plate.

I followed her lead, but avoided the urchin-like critters in the mixture. The scent of garlic made my stomach growl over the chatter in the room, but I waited to eat.

Kissing his fiancé on the way, Gabe took a seat at the table. Enzo and Marco joined us, but the other woman had disappeared.

---