Suddenly, Nadia was struck with an idea. Taking one of the pizzas from Lila, she took it over to a table by the pool table that was meant to hold drinks and set it down. “Why don’t you two eat and play in here, and—”Nadia grabbed the other pizza—“we can enjoy ours on the deck? I like watching the sunset,” she added, not wanting to miss it.
Amo and Leo liked the idea and agreed happily, while Dante agreed by taking their drinks to the table for them.
Nadia was surprised when Dante pulled the chair out for her. “Thank you,” she said, taking her seat, only to be more shocked when he took the seat next to hers, since they usually sat at opposite ends, yet now he was mere inches away.
The beautiful setting sun only added to the proximity and feeling she was getting by sitting so close to the irresistible man.
Nadia should have been upset that she had been the one to say something to the chef, as Dante had sat there stumped. However, she truly believed he had been so shocked to see his dinner staring back at him that he hadn’t known how to respond. Whereas she did …
His response, or lack thereof, of the chaos she had ensued told her that Dante had agreed with her response.
At least somewhat.
Now, if he had disagreed with her request of wanting different food, she imagined they wouldn’t be sitting here, watching the sunset together.
“Well, I have to say that this is far better than what we were going to eat,” Dante said with a smile, picking up a slice of the cheap peperoni pizza.
“I think so, too.” Nadia laughed, grabbing a slice of her own. “You don’t think I was a bit overdramatic, do you?”
“Nah,” Dante said, taking a swig of the brown liquor he had switched to. “Did you see that fucking thing? That chef dressed a fried lionfish with a crown. Now that was dramatic.”
She died of laughter because it looked like the big, bad mafia boss would have nightmares over that lionfish. “Okay, ’cause I was worried you might hate me after that.”
A confused Dante swallowed the bite he had in his mouth before speaking, “Why would you think that?”
The laughter suddenly eased out of her. “I don’t know. Just thought you might’ve thought I was being rude.”
“No,” Dante said, easing her worry. “I know why you did it.”
He does?
“You do?” she asked, surprised, before taking a bite of her pizza.
“To make Leo happy,” he said simply before begrudgingly continuing, “And Amo.”
Smiling at the last part, she knew he cared for his soldier, but it obviously wasn’t the same care he had for Leo.
“I appreciate you caring for him,” Dante revealed quietly, needing to clear his throat to continue. “He’s had a tough time lately, and none of us—I…” Dante changed his words, seeming to put responsibility on himself alone. “I don’t know what to do to help him.”
Nadia swallowed, carefully thinking about her next words, as she stared into those icy depths she could now see appeared a bit helpless. When it became too much, she averted her eyes and gazed at the low sun that had turned the ocean orange. “I think you bringing him here was actually a good start.”
“You think so?”
“I do.” She could practically see the relief starting to ease in his eyes. “Sometimes, kids just need someone who’s not their parents, or even family, to talk to.”
“Is that what you did …? Talk to him?” he asked curiously, taking another sip of his drink. When Nadia’s eyes went slightly wide, he came out with it, “I could tell you must’ve talked to him by the way he was looking at you. I can’t get him to hardly look at me anymore, and you two seem to understand each other.” He phrased the words with a slight hint of jealousy, but he wanted to make it clear. “I’m not upset, though. I’m glad he had someone to talk to.”
Relief flooded her at seeing he was genuine. She had encountered how some foster parents didn’t appreciate her talking with their children.
“We did,” Nadia confirmed his suspicion, but she made it clear with her face that she wasn’t going to divulge what they had discussed. That was between her, Leo, and the ocean. “We talked about a lot of things, but he didn’t tell me how it happened …”
It was a long shot to drop the last bit in, and maybe she should only want to hear it from Leo, as it was his story to tell, but a part of her couldn’t help but want to know how it happened. Maybe if she knew, she would better understand him, if and when he came back to talk to her.
Dante sat back, the weight of the world apparent on his shoulders, while any ease that had been brought to his ice-blue gaze came flooding back.