Page 128 of Hot Momosa

“A little of both.” I nudged his side.

The nurse wheeling Papa Joe into the room arched an eyebrow. She spoke enough English to understand the basics, but Gunnar-ese had proven too much for her. “Here is good?”

“Yes, thank you, Rosa.” He patted his lap, and Gunnar carefully climbed up like we’d taught him.

From the moment they’d met, the two had been inseparable. I’d worried the oxygen tank and wheelchair would scare him, but Gunnar had taken to the elder Marchionni right away. Likewise, Papa Joe was tickled pink to have another grandson. The man seemed determined to make up for lost time.

Enzo made his way to the couch with Shanna hovering like a worried mother hen. That he’d insisted on coming to Sicily for Christmas had surprised everyone. Although Robert had denied shooting Enzo and me, the general consensus was he’d lied. I still harbored guilt over Enzo’s injuries, but he’d assured me he’d take another bullet if it meant keeping Shanna’s bestie alive.

A blonde news anchor spoke into the camera in English with Italian subtitles. “Louisiana State Senator and Governor Calhoun’s former Campaign Manager, Harrison Meriwether, denies any involvement with his former wife’s murder—”

I hit the mute button. “This isn’t appropriate for little ears.”

Evelyn shot to her feet and took Gunnar from Papa Joe’s lap. “I saved a cannoli just for you.”

“Yay! I love nolis.” He clapped his hands, then planted a big wet kiss on her cheek.

“In Italia, we kiss two times.” She demonstrated with a loud lip smack on each side. “Three is for good luck.”

Gunnar giggled when she kissed his nose. “No-Nina. You’re silly.”

“What’d I miss?” Dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, Leo bounded into the room and plopped down on the other side of me.

“Just the intro.” I hit the mute button again.

Harrison Meriwether hardly resembled the man I knew. He’d aged ten years in the previous week. His eyes had lost their sparkle and his suit was ill-fitted and wrinkled.

“He looks rough.” Shanna leaned closer to the TV.

Marco slung his arm over the back of the couch. “You’d look rough too if the world thought you were guilty of murder and felony stalking.”

“Shh.” Leo gave him a mock glare.

Harrison looked into the camera. “I had nothing to do with Elle McGuire, my former wife’s tragic death, nor was I aware that Robert Becker was harassing Dahlia Calhoun.”

“Lies!” Shanna tossed a napkin at the television.

“Thank goodness for Dante,” I mumbled half to myself.

Leo frowned. “You mean thank goodness for Frankie Abruzzo.”

The day after Robert Becker had been arrested, Leo had received a text from his baby brother. It contained a weblink, login and password. At the time, we had no idea what it was for. When Leo entered the information, the link took us directly into Harrison’s personal email account.

Most of the correspondence between Harry and Robert had been cryptic, but not all. Some of the emails contained the same verbiage I’d received in the letters from my so-called stalker. It still creeped me out that I’d befriended someone capable of writing such awful notes.

Leo squeezed my hand. “Are you okay?”

I nodded and turned my attention back to the TV.

The station split the screen between a live version of Harry’s press conference and a photo of Gunnar.

“I deeply regret lying about the paternity of Miss Calhoun’s son.” Harrison cleared his throat and delivered the message we’d agreed on. “I was deeply angered when Miss Calhoun refused my marriage proposal. I have a long and checkered history of disrespecting women. This is a problem that I am currently seeking treatment to change.”

My face heated. “That last bit wasn’t part of the script.”

Leo nodded without taking his eyes off the screen. “He’s walking a thin line, but he won’t cross us. He has too much to lose.”

Harry cleared his throat again, and loosened his collar. “In an effort to force Miss Calhoun to marry me, I released a statement claiming her son, Gunnar, was mine. This is an impossibility because Miss Calhoun and I were never intimate.”

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