Ignoring his long-overdue bitch fest, I said, “Go to the bathroom and I will find us a cab to take us to the hotel.”
“Which hotel?”
“Howard Johnson’s.”
“Oh hell no. I am not staying in some second-rate motel. I will call the Derringer and book us a suite.”
“Won’t your brother suspect that?”
“I don’t give a damn. I’ve just spent the last fourteen hours on public transportation. I kept my mouth shut and played nice. Playtime is over. I want satin sheets and a mint on my pillow. I want room service and my complementary bottle of champagne. We are staying at the Derringer. Besides, if the paparazzi find me staying at some flea-infested motel it would ruin my reputation.”
“It might actually help,” I muttered hefting my backpack over my shoulder.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. I see a cab. Let’s go.”
The ride from the Bus Depot to the Derringer took damn near an hour. Of course, when I realized that the bus depot was on the shady side of Fort Lauderdale it made sense. The grand hotel Derringer was in the heart of the city, where all the rich and famous lived. Of course, the hotel wouldn’t sully its good name by being too close to us lower-class citizens. That was bad for business.
The Marquis Suite at the Derringer Hotel was beautiful. Even I would admit that. The place was spacious and exquisitely decorated. Every amenity was accounted for, right down to the mint on the damn pillow Lorenzo needed. The only thing out of place in this over-priced monstrosity was me.
Even after spending hours with Lorenzo on the bus, I still couldn’t get a read on the man. While on the trip, the man was kind, considerate and actually a delight to be around. He listened to other passengers, engaged in conversations and actually helped a teenager by making sure he had enough money to make it home. Yet the moment his feet landed in Florida, it was like the kind man I had just spent hours with disappeared and now the condescending insufferable oaf was back in full force.
“I’m going to shower. I suggest you do the same. God only knows what filth we came in contact with on that bus. Maybe you can actually do something with that hair of yours. If you need help, I can make an appointment at the spa down in the lobby for you.”
“You know what. That’s it. I’ve had with your criticism. From the moment I met you, you have demeaned, made fun of and have been downright antagonistic regarding me. I get that you don’t want anything to do with me. Same here, buddy. Do you think this is fun for me? You bitch like a little girl and when you don’t get your way, your tantrums rival a toddler! You are a grown man. Act like it and grow a pair.”
“Excuse me?”
“You are not deaf. You heard me. Just because I wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth doesn’t give you the right to demean me. Your money means nothing. So, you have it. Good for you but that doesn’t give you the right to think you are better than me.”
“I didn’t….”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I said, holding up my hand as I walked to the adjoining room. “Let’s just do what we came here to do so we can go our separate ways.”
Eleven
Lorenzo
I stood in shock as she walked away slamming the bedroom door behind her. She was mad. Like really mad. I’d seen women mad before but this was different. Donatella was furious. About what, I didn’t understand. I heard what she said but it didn’t make sense. I wasn’t trying to be difficult. How was it my fault that I like things a certain way? I didn’t want to get sick. The world was still recovering from that flu shit and I’d been blessed to not catch it. Not that I would allow such a thing. I was always very self-conscious about being around sick and elderly people. I avoided them like the plague.
I didn’t have time for any kind of sickness. I had things to do and that was it. Besides, being concerned for my health wasn’t a bad thing. At least not in my book.
She was right on one thing though. The quicker we got the information we came for, the faster we could go our separate ways. Yet her words still bothered me. I don’t know why they did but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was mucking up everything.
I’ve never been really good a reading people and I thought I tried to curb my words. I’ve tended to be surprised like everyone else with the words that come out of my mouth.
Fuck. I was really messing this shit up.
Gio was going to have my ass.
I wasn’t living up to the Valentinetti Family way and if my mother was still alive, I know she would be raking me over the coals if anything was left of me when Giovanni got done.
Closing my bedroom door, I sat on the bed and sighed.
I saw the hurt in her eyes. The pain that I put there with my words. If Penny was here, she would have my ass for talking to her baby sister like that.
I missed my best friend.