Page 36 of Dante

“Is everyone decent?” he hollers from the hallway. “I love you kids, but if I see anyone’s butt, I’m moving across the country.”

Cambria belly laughs while I roll my eyes.

“Mr. Santarossa, did you hear the good news?” Cambria asks excitedly as she jumps up from our position on the floor.

“I did. It seems more appropriate for you to call me dad, doesn’t it? None of this Mr. Santarossa bullshit.”

My girl beams at the old man, hugging him before helping him sit at the table. I start coffee and water for tea, and Cambria joins me in the kitchen to help with breakfast.

A few minutes later, we’re sitting at the table, and I know now is as good a time as any to discuss my plans. Clearing my throat, I fold my napkin and set it down on the table, looking over at my father and Cambria.

“I was thinking,” I begin, swallowing thickly. Why is this so difficult? This is what I do. I plan things and execute them. I guess I’ve never cared about anything the way I do about this. “I could relocate both of you to New York. I’ll set you up in whatever situation is best. Cambria and I in one house and Raul in a place next door, or we can shop for a bigger place and have separate wings of the estate. Cambria, you can go back to school, find a new job, or never work again as long as you’re happy. And Dad, of course, you’ll have the best of the best for healthcare. I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you would consider the move–”

“Damn, I owe you twenty bucks,” my dad grumbles.

“What?” I ask in confusion. I look over at Cambria, who’s grinning from ear to ear. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?”

My woman stands and walks over to where I’m sitting. I push my chair out, and she plops down on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. I’ll never get tired of holding her.

“We figured you were going to offer to move us to New York with you. I said you’d buy a mansion and give Raul his own wing. He said there’s no way you’d offer to move him in with you.”

I stare at her for a few seconds, blinking as I absorb this information. “So, you… want to come with me?”

“Duh,” she responds with an eye roll.

I spank her thigh and cup the back of her neck, pulling her down for a punishing kiss. “Still so sassy,” I whisper onto her lips.

“Still so fun to sass,” she whispers back.

“Okay, okay, kiddos. Enough lovey-dovey shit. Let an old man watch his shows in peace while you go house shopping online.”

I chuckle at my father, who’s trying to be grumpy, but failing miserably. His brown eyes shine with life, and he can’t keep the grin off his face.

Cambria hops off my lap and gets Raul settled in front of the TV while I clear the dishes. When my woman comes skipping back to me, I pull her into my arms and hold her, feeling her soft, curvy body melt into me.

“Go on, lovebirds,” my father calls out, waving his hand above his head to shoo us away. “And try to find me a place with a hot tub. This dump doesn’t have one.”

I laugh while Cambria gapes at him.

“Come on, love,” I whisper into the shell of her ear as I lead her out the back door. “Let’s go plan the rest of our lives.”

EPILOGUE

CAMBRIA

“There you guys are!” Thalia shouts, her smile infectious as she skips across the backyard to greet us.

“Auntie T!” our three-year-old, Tanya, exclaims. She lifts her little hands and wiggles her fingers until Thalia scoops her up.

Dante steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling my back into his front. I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder, loving how he holds me. Whenever we’re in the same room, he gravitates toward me, needing to touch me somehow. I don’t mind. I love having his hands on me.

“Can I play, Daddy?” Ethan, our five-year-old, asks from beside Dante.

“Go find Cousin Bailey and have her show you her new playground,” he suggests, tousling Ethan’s messy brown hair.

The energetic toddler makes a revving sound like a race car, and takes off, nearly colliding into Bailey in a fit of giggles.

“Come on and grab some food,” Thalia says, carrying Tanya on her hip. “I’m going to go check on Romeo. He told me he’d be done with work by now.” She rolls her eyes, and I nod sympathetically.

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