Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Rhett
It’s been a week since our picnic and I’ve seen Emiko every day. Either she comes to the store or I drive to the school to see her. Seeing her smile makes my day better. She’s opened up to me about Seth and their love story. He sounds like the kind of guy I would’ve liked. It makes me sad for her and the twins that they lost him so soon. I told her that I’ll never take the place of Seth. But I hope that I can be her future. I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I’m just waiting for her to catch up to me.
“Why does it feel like you’re planning something and not telling me about it?” I frown at Felicity.
She blinks at me. “I’m not planning anything. I don’t know why you think I’m doing something. I mean to be honest, I’m offended.”
“Now I know you’re up to something.” I squint at her.
The look she’s giving me is the look she used to give us since we were kids. The only hard part is she’s good at keeping her secrets. It’s always driven us all crazy and still does.
“I’m up to nothing. We should get to the store, Lukas said he and Emma are finishing up a batch of popcorn. And Pax said he’s at a job till lunch.”
“Okay. Are we riding together?”
“Yes, please.” She grins at me.
My baby sister is driving me nuts. She’s smiling and she keeps looking at me as we drive to the store. I wish she was the type that couldn’t keep secrets.
* * *
“Hey, gorgeous.” I smile as I see Emiko.
I hop over the counter and pull her to me to give her a kiss.
“I didn’t know you were coming by today. I planned to come see you for lunch.”
“We only had school for half a day, so I thought I’d come and see you. I don’t have to pick the kids up for a few hours.”
“Did you want to hang out here with me?”
“Sure, you can finally show me what you do here,” she says as she hugs me.
I spend the next few hours showing her what I do all day. Which isn’t really all that exciting, but I still love it.
“I’m sorry this is kind of boring.” I chuckle.
“It’s not. I like seeing what you do when I’m at school.” She smiles.
“Excuse me. I need to get my pills!” Sabrina yells from the counter.
“Sorry, I’ll be right with you.”
I give Emiko a kiss and head over to grab the meds and help Sabrina. When I walk over to her, she’s glaring at me. Which isn’t something new, but I see her glaring between me and Emiko.
“Who’s the girl?” Sabrina frowns.
“My girlfriend, Emiko.”
“You mean the new high school teacher? Doesn’t she have kids? I heard she was married.”
“Yes, she has two kids. No. She’s not married.”
“That’s not what I heard,” she says as she walks away.
“Was that Sabrina?” Emiko asks.
“How’d you guess?” I sigh.
I wrap my arms around her and kiss her.
“She still wants you. I don’t blame her.”
“Yeah, well, I only want you,” I say, kissing her again.
“That’s good. Because I’m not giving you up without a fight.”
We hear someone clear their throat.
“You think we can get some help over here?”
I turn and start laughing.
“Sebastiano. What the fuck are you doing here?”
I jump over the counter to give him a hug, then I hug his wife, Schuyler.
“Where are the kids?” I ask.
“They’re back in Lake Renegade, my grandparents are visiting from Italy and Ireland. We were going to bring everyone. But they decided to stay back for now and said to leave the kids with them. So we could have a mini vacation,” Sebastiano explains.
“This is Emiko. Emiko, this is Sebastiano and his wife Schuyler.”
“We brought a bunch of us. Felicity sent a text saying she needed chefs and bakers. Well we only have one chef in the family. But we have a few bakers, so we brought Robin and Simone. Of course they won’t come without their men, so now you have all of us.” Sebastiano laughs.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about or why Felicity would ask. But let’s find her and figure it out.”
Sebastiano wasn’t kidding when he said he brought a bunch of them. The Mancinis and the Bastianinis are two big-ass families. Then you add in the other two families that live in Lake Renegade with them and it’s a huge party.
Earlier this year when Lukas had problems, they all came to help us. We’ve become family since then. We all take turns visiting each other. I knew Felicity was up to something. But I still don’t get why she called them.
Emiko
The guys that showed up at the store are huge. Rhett is a big guy at six foot three, but they make him look small. And I’ve heard of Sebastiano Mancini. He’s the twin brother of Domenico Mancini. Domenico is the goalie for the Chicago Redhawks. I’ve been a fan of the Redhawks my entire life.
“Dom and some of the MC brothers will be here later tonight,” Sebastiano says to Rhett. “They have two weeks off so he said he wanted to join us this time.”
Holy shit. Domenico Mancini is coming to Wintervale. And my Rhett knows him?
“I didn’t know you knew Redhawks players,” I whisper to him.
Rhett smiles. “We know all of them, but Domenico, Declan and Cillian are family. You’re a Redhawks fan?”
I nod. “You can’t live in Illinois and not be a Redhawks fan.”
“That’s true.” Schuyler laughs coming over to me and giving me a hug.
“I’ve heard about you and how you’ve made Rhett so happy. I’m really glad he has you.”
I smile at her. “I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one. I have a lot of baggage, yet he still wants to be with me.”
“I had a lot going on when I met Sebastiano, but he wanted me through all of it. Some men are worth everything.”
I nod. “I agree. I never thought I’d meet someone again. I’m not sure if you know my situation, but it’s been a difficult year.”
“I’ve heard a little, but I wanted to meet you and if you want to tell me, I’m always around to listen. I grew up with just me and my younger sister. But now, because of Sebastiano, we have a whole new family.” She smiles at me.
“My family loves Rhett and his family. I’ve been lucky that they all get along so well. And my kids, they love Rhett too.”
“How old are your babies?”
“My twins are six years old, Kaito and Miyuki. Do you have kids?”
“We do. Sansone is two and Kaia is six months. I hate leaving her but I really wanted to come and meet you. And I know she’s in good hands.”
“She’s with Sebastiano’s parents?”
“Yeah, we all live on the same property so it’s really a small community when it comes to our kids. And Sebastiano’s grandparents are here from Italy and Ireland right now. They come twice a year and stay for a few months at time.”
“I love that. I miss my parents and they’ve only been gone for a week.” I laugh.
“Is your family close to each other?”
“Yeah, I have two older brothers and we’ve always been really close. Kentaro is a doctor in Chicago and Tadashi is a detective in Hawaii.”
“Ohhh. Hawaii! I love Hawaii. I can’t wait to go back.”
“I’ve been to visit him there once. I would love to go back too.”
“Maybe we can arrange for all of us to take a trip. We’ve been trying to organize a big family vacation.”
“That would be a lot of fun.” I smile at her.
“So why are you all here?” Rhett asks.
“Don’t you want us here?” Adonis Athanasiou laughs.
“Of course.” Rhett laughs. “But Bastian said that Felicity called you? Wait. Hold on.”
“Felicity to the pharmacy. Felicity to the pharmacy please,” Rhett says on the store’s intercom.
I see Felicity running over and she screeches to a halt when she sees the guys.
“Ah shit.” Felicity laughs. “I thought you were getting in later tonight?”
“It sounded urgent, so we left after you called.” Adonis laughs.
“Well I told Sebastiano that it was a secret.” Felicity sighs.
“Oops.” Sebastiano chuckles.
“You suck.” Felicity laughs. “Where is everybody else?”
“Still driving. We flew in and rented a car. You said it was urgent. I don’t remember you saying it was a secret.” Sebastiano laughs more.
“Omg. You’re just as bad as my brothers.”
“Well, we’re your brothers too. Sooooo. Yeah. Thanks!”
Felicity walks away grumbling.
“Wait! You didn’t tell me why you had them come here!” Rhett yells at her.
“I don’t think she’s gonna tell you.” Adonis laughs.
“Baby sisters…” Rhett rolls his eyes.
I laugh as I watch all of them, they fit together like a family that’s been together forever. From what Rhett has told me, they met earlier this year. While we’re all talking, I see Sabrina watching us and it’s making me feel uneasy…