HOLY ASCENSION CHURCH had a small lot that was already filled. Morelli parked a block and a half from the church and blew out a sigh. “I don't know why I agreed to do this. I should have pulled duty.”
“Weddings are fun.”
“Weddings suck.”
“What don't you like about weddings?”
“I have to talk to my relatives.”
“Okay, I'll concede you that one. What else?”
“I haven't been to church in a year. The Monsignor's going to assign me to Hell.”
“Maybe you'll see Fred there. I don't think he went to church, either.”
“And I have to wear a suit and tie. I feel like my uncle Manny.”
His uncle Manny was a construction expediter. Manny could expedite the completion of a building project by insuring that no unexplained fires would take place during the construction process.
“You don't look like your uncle Manny,” I said. “You look very sexy.” I felt the material in his trouser leg. “This is a beautiful suit.”
His eyes softened. “Yeah?” His voice pitched low. “Why don't we skip the wedding. We could still go to the reception.”
“The reception isn't for another hour. What would we do?”
He slid his arm along the back of my seat and twirled a curl around his finger.
r /> “No!” I said, trying to get some conviction behind it.
“We could do it in the truck. We've never done it in the truck.”
Morelli drove a four-?wheel drive Toyota pickup. It was pretty nice, but it wasn't going to replace a queen-?size bed. And besides, my hair would get mussed. Not to mention I was afraid Bunchy might be watching. “I don't think so,” I said.
He brushed his lips across my ear and told me some of the things he wanted to do to me. A rush of heat fluttered through my stomach. Maybe I should reconsider, I thought. I liked all of those things. A lot.
A mile-?long car pulled to the curb behind us.
“Damn,” Morelli said. “It's my uncle Dominic and aunt Rosa.”
“I didn't know you had an uncle Dominic.”
“He's from New York State. And he's in retail,” Morelli said, opening his door. “Don't ask him too many questions about the business.”
Aunt Rosa was out of the car and running toward us. “Joey,” she yelled. “Let me look at you. It's been so long. Look, Dominic, it's little Joey.”
Dominic ambled up and nodded at Joe. “Long time.”
Joe introduced me.
“I heard you had a girl,” Rosa said, talking to Joe, beaming at me. “It's about time you settled down. Give your mother more grandchildren.”
“One of these days,” Joe said.
“You're not getting any younger. Pretty soon it'll be too late.”
“It's never too late for a Morelli,” Joe said.
Dominic made a move like he was going to smack Joe in the head. “Wise guy,” he said. Then he smiled.