“If you decide to go on the date, let me know,” she said. “Vivienne does magic with outfits. She picked this out for me.” She nodded to her cute blue blouse and white jeans. No flour included.

“There’s our Italian stud,” Dee said, reappearing with the bill. “Lucky you, marrying our Tessa.”

“I am lucky,” Leo said. “Hi to you, too, DeeDee.” He snagged the bill from her hand before she could give it to Tessa.

Leo’s gaze swept Tessa quickly up and down, noticing. Maybe his words were lukewarm, but the look he just gave her was scorching.

“You two are gonna make beautiful babies,” Dee said. “Don’t forget to leave me a big tip, okay, sugar?”

Leo laughed and slid some money with the bill under the hot chocolate mug. And, Tessa noted, a generous tip.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Tessa said to Leo as they got up. “You two have fun today.” She gave Gia a big hug. “This was great. We’ll do it again soon, okay?”

“Thanks, Tessa.” Gia smiled at her brother. “Thanks, Leo.”

Impeccable manners. Too obedient, not pushing any limits. With a brother and a father who were perhaps too content with her fake self-assuredness.

Tessa had been like that once, but not anymore. She was in this to achieve their goal, no matter what it took. And that meant staying as far away from Leo as she could.

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Monthly card night was going on as it always had. Except tonight, the guys met at Leo’s, and they were gathered around the little dining table eating, drinking, and hanging out.

“Hey,” Jack called to Noah from his leaned-back position at the table, “while you’re up, bring me another beer, will you?”

“I got you another beer the last time,” Noah said from the kitchen.

“Yeah, well, I brought you more chips last time,” Jack said.

“Really?” Leo interrupted. “It’s Saturday night, and we’re arguing about beer and chips?”

It was ten p.m., and he was experiencing a first. He was actually getting a little tired of his best friends’ antics, which included Noah chugging his beer and burping and Jack putting his dirty boots up on the table. Neither of which was unusual. But this time, Leo was noticing. Not that he didn’t consider his friends his brothers-from-another-mother, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was…different.

Take Noah, for example. He’d just stuffed a large amount of pizza into his mouth as he laid down his cards, and it was annoying.

“For Pete’s sake, dude, use a napkin,” Leo said.

“Oh, sorry.” Noah grabbed for one from the center of the table and swiped at his mouth.

Jack picked up a napkin from the pile and held it up. “These are cloth. With little sunshines sewn all along the bottom.”

Leo shrugged. “Tessa tries to be green.”