I don’t intend to answer any follow-up questions, so I bring the wine glass to my mouth and take a long sip, pointedly shifting my attention to Hayden. Finally, after an excruciating few seconds, she walks away.
“Home?”
Screw a sip. I might need another glass.
“I thought you said you weren’t going?”
The bell over the door rings, catching my attention. The old-school bell is a nice, kitschy touch—a sign that despite the red velvet cushions and chandeliers, Faustini doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Except he definitely takes his daughter seriously. Did she leave? Did I offend her with my borderline rudeness?
One of these days, I’m going to piss off Giovanna enough that she complains to her father. And I really, really don’t want that to happen.
Wednesday night at Faustini’s is the bright spot in a week filled with work and more work. According to everyone I know, I work too much. They’re not wrong, but I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon, which is the exact reason I planned to miss my brother’s opening. I really can’t afford to take time off, but the guilt train conducted by my mother and occupied by my brothers and sister, not to mention Hayden, has been gaining steam these past two weeks.
“I wasn’t. Changed my mind.”
Hayden takes a bite of mushroom risotto and groans. His overdramatic enjoyment of food hasn’t changed a bit since college, except now his performance involves slightly more refined food than the ramen noodles we lived on back then.
“Seems kind of an extreme way to avoid a date with G.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her coming from the kitchen. I’m relieved that I didn’t drive her away after all, and even more so that she doesn’t look our way.
“Maybe, maybe not.”
He cocks his head. “And maybe you should just do what every other red-blooded male in this restaurant wants to do with her.”
“Everyone except you.”
Hayden can’t agree with a mouthful of risotto in his mouth, but I know it’s true. The fact that my best friend and business partner is now a married man surprises everyone, me most of all. He’s a far cry from the sex-obsessed frat boy I befriended. Sometimes it’s still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that he’s a father. And a damn good one at that.
Hayden mumbles an affirmation and continues eating.
I lean back, sneaking another look. Why don’t I take Giovanna’s not-so-subtle invitation? I haven’t been on a date in two months, though not for a lack of prospects.
The kind of money Hayden and I have accumulated these past few years tends to attract women. Lots of them. Just not the right types.
“No, thanks.” The decision is an easy one. I enjoy her father’s cooking too much.
“Your mom will be happy you’re going home.” Finally dropping G as a topic of conversation, Hayden smiles. “Tell her I’m sorry to miss it.”
“You do know Tris is the one who’s opening the restaurant, right?” I say, seeing the subject away from my mother. Though he’s not wrong.
Mom was appalled to learn I didn’t plan on attending the opening.
To her, family is everything. Work is, at best, a very distant second, multibillion-dollar business or not. Tristano’s decision to follow in the footsteps of our father, a pizza shop owner, and open DeLuca’s II Ristorante is a big deal.
“Congratulate him for me,” Hayden says. “Don’t forget to tell everyone I would have been there if I wasn’t out of town. And be sure to mention I was the one who reminded you that work and success mean nothing without family and friends.”
I roll my eyes, deciding not to explain that he had nothing to do with my decision. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m going. But seriously, you of all people should have been on my side. With the vodka problem and all, work is crazy right now.”
“No business,” Hayden reminds me.
It’s been our one rule since we first started these weekly dinners. We talk business 24/7, but not on Wednesday nights.
I finish my wine and lift my chin to the waitress to bring another drink.
“No business,” I agree, doing my best to shove thoughts of vodka and formulas out of my mind. “I’ll tell them,” I add, looking forward to seeing my family even though I already know I’m in for a tongue-lashing for having stayed away so long. “But if I don’t come back, you know where to find me.”