Page 133 of Gin & Trouble

Dante’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

He shook his head. “None of that matters anymore. What you need to know is, your father was right. My stubbornness caused the feud between our families.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “My dad was pretty stubborn, too. I’m sure he didn’t help the situation.”

Papa Joe chuckled. “No, I don’t suppose he did.”

Dante drew a deep breath. “Pops, Frankie and I have put the feud behind us.”

“Yes, but it has caused a lot of bloodshed. I want to be sure mine and Abruzzo’s mistakes don’t cause any more pain.”

Dante and I exchanged glances. I wasn’t sure how much Marco had told his father, but he was partially right. People had lost their lives, but I blamed Tommaso more than a feud between the older generation.

“Enzo is not my son by blood, but he is as much a Marchionni as I am…but you two already knew that.”

My chest tightened and Dante’s eyes went wide.

That’s why he blames himself for the rift between him and my dad? Was Evelyn’s affair some sort of revenge?

“We did. I had a DNA test run back in New Orleans.” That I’d managed to keep my voice smooth was a minor miracle.

“I heard.” He chuckled and turned to his son. “This girl is as smart as she is beautiful. She’s a keeper. You should marry her before I die.”

Dante ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ll see what I can do, but we’re a little young.”

“Your mother and I were younger when we married.” Papa Joe suffered another coughing fit. When he calmed, motioned to Dante. “Don’t blame your mother for what happened. I wasn’t her first choice in husbands. She was in love with Abruzzo when we married.”

Dante frowned. “Pops…”

“Let me finish…” He paused to catch his breath. “Back then, we didn’t have a say in who we married, and love didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“I understand.” Dante sighed the heavy sigh of a man with too many secrets. “And I don’t blame her.”

“Good.” He glanced between us. . “I asked you two here to give you my blessing. I have welcomed five daughters-in-law into this family, and I would be honored to welcome you.”

Dante stared slack-jawed.

I felt as if my blood had turned to helium. Like I could will myself to float away, past the exosphere and into space. “Thank you.”

Papa Joe reached into his pocket and removed a small velvet box. “This was my mother’s ring. It would mean a lot to me and Evelyn if you wore it one day.”

Dante’s eyebrows climbed into his hairline. “Pops, isn’t this my job?”

He flubbed his lips. “Why wait? I need to know the feud is over before I leave this earth.”

Smiling, I glanced between them. While I was in no hurry to rush to the altar with Dante, we’d all but promised each other we’d end up there eventually.

Papa Joe touched my cheek. “When he is old and bored of video games, my son will give this to you.”

“I would like that very much.” I didn’t dare touch the box, but I was dying to see what was inside.

“Was that a yes?” Dante’s smile made everything seem possible.

“Of course it is, but I’d like a real proposal one day…in the future…when you’re ready.”

“My work here is done.” Papa Joe tossed Dante the box. “Now one of you push me inside before Evelyn realizes I’m missing.”

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