6. Goodbye Gabriel #2
“He’s got a family dinner,” Sydney said. “We decided to sit this one out.”
“We?”
“I’m marrying his brother,” Sydney explained. “He goes by Tank or Teddy.”
“What do you call him?” Halston asked.
“I call him my man,” Sydney replied. “My sexy, handsome, one-in-a-million man.”
Halston smiled. “I love that.”
The timer on Caroline’s phone binged. “Let’s eat.”
They sat at the kitchen table, chowing down on homemade lasagna, garlic bread, and a small side salad.
“Do you miss Langley?” Halston asked Caroline.
“I love what I do now. We all get along great. The work is interesting—”
“And dangerous.” Sydney waggled her eyebrows.
“And where, exactly, do you work?”
“We can’t say,” Sydney replied.
“We?” Halston shifted toward Sydney. “You work there too?”
“Yes,” Sydney replied. “I was in a clandestine group at Langley, the same one as Caroline’s fiancé, but we didn’t know each other.” Sydney ate a piece of lasagna. “Great lasagna, sis.”
“Have either of you set a date?” Halston asked as she forked the lettuce and tiny cherry tomato.
“We’re thinking May,” Caroline said. “We’re getting married at the White House.”
Halston stared at her. “For real?”
“I know, it’s crazy, but that’s the plan.”
“Because you can rent out the President’s house?”
The women laughed.
“It’s a long story, but Grey and I did some work for the President,” Caroline said.
“We’re thinking a destination wedding in Italy,” Sydney said. “The family has a villa on the Amalfi coast.”
“That sounds amazing,” Halston said. “Italy is such a beautiful country.”
“You should meet our fiancés.” Caroline grabbed her phone off the counter. “What about a dinner party—just the fam. How’s Friday?”
“I don’t even have to check,” Halston said. “I have no life… unless my boss needs me for an evening event.”
“Like what?” Sydney asked.
Halston drained her water glass. “When I was in Russia, I was Yuri Bulgrov’s assistant. He just got promoted to Russian Ambassador here. I’m still his assistant, but I’ve been tasked with head translator as well.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” Sydney said.
“We’ll find out, but for now, I’m good with it. Always looking for ways to build trust.”
“We should have the dinner at the restaurant,” Sydney said.
“But Halston will have to wear her disguise,” Caroline pushed back. “Let’s do it here or at your house.”
“My house!” Sydney exclaimed. “Our new dining room set got delivered last week and this will be the perfect way to christen it.”
“Thanks for including me,” Halston said.
“It’ll be fun,” Caroline said.
“In the past few days, I’ve had had more fun than I’ve had in months,” Halston said.
“You’re not lumping us into that, are you?” Sydney said.
“Stop!” Caroline laughed. “We’re fun.”
“Love the food, love the company more,” Halston said.
“You had razzle-dazzle fun, didn’t you?” Sydney asked.
Halston smiled.
“Yes, you did,” Sydney said. “You did the naughty-naughty.”
“I got wild with a sexy stranger,” Halston confided.
“Be careful,” Caroline warned. “I did that once and things went sideways.”
“What happened?” Halston asked.
“I hooked up with someone at cosplay club, Lost Souls, and he stalked me,” Caroline explained.
“You mean, you hooked up with him after you left the club?” Halston asked.
“It’s members-only,” Sydney explained. “Dancing on the first floor, but members can play upstairs in the suites. Doesn’t have to be sexual. People can act out scenes—”
“Get real,” Caroline said. “Even I hooked up.”
The women laughed.
“Tell us about your mystery man,” Sydney said.
“He was a little welcome-home present I gave myself,” Halston confided. “I loved unwrapping him and then wrapping myself around him.”
Caroline raised her water glass. “You go, girl!”
They toasted and laughed, but Halston couldn’t help but hope she’d run into Gabriel Santini again. Yes, he was a total player, but she wasn’t looking for romance. Just a no-strings good time.
“How can I get on that Lost Souls list?” Halston asked.
“I got you,” Sydney replied, pulling out her phone. “For when?”
“Tonight,” Halston said. “My alias is Barbianna Bogdanova.”
“Alone?” Caroline blurted.
“Yes, alone, but surrounded by young, drunk Americans.” Halston shot her a little smile.
“Done,” Sydney said. “Barbianna Bogdanova is on the list.”
“Thanks! Now, I need a costume.”
“I can help with that,” Caroline said, “but you have to be careful.”
“I spent nine months in Moscow, working for the Russian government. I was alone with no family or friends while spying on my boss. I know careful. I just want to play dress up and have a drink.”
“Text me when you get home,” Caroline said.
“Yes, Mom,” Halston teased. “I’ll stop there for one drink. One. Drink. What’s the harm in that?”
GAbrIEL
Teddy parked in the driveway of the upscale Alexandria home of their cousin Carrera Santini, his wife Slash, and their grandmother Elsa Santini.
“Thanks for the ride,” Gabriel said as they took the walkway to the front door.
“I wasn’t sure if you were up to driving.”
“I’ve been driving.” Gabriel glanced over at him. “Where’s our Sydney?”
“She couldn’t make it.”
The brothers entered the house, made their way through the two-story foyer toward the laughter and chatter coming from the kitchen.
The dinner was a Welcome Home for Luciano and Simone, and Gabriel’s Send Off.
Everyone stood clustered around the center island. Despite being angry at most of them, Gabriel smiled. How could he not? They were family. And he adored them.
Carrera, Slash, and Elsa. Luciano and Simone, and Greystone.
Out of the entire motley crew, he was the one who stirred the pot. He thrived on chaos, always had.
“Gabriel!” Elsa called out as she ambled toward him.
He dipped down, kissed each of Elsa’s soft cheeks, then pulled her in for a hug. If there was anyone who soothed his hardened heart, it was his beloved grandmother.
“Either I’m getting taller or you’re not done shrinking,” he said.
She swatted him, then grabbed his chin with her small hand and gave it a squeeze. Though slight-in-stature, she wielded a lot of power.
Their father had been too busy running the family business with his brother, and their mom was just too busy.
So, it was their grandmother who made sure they ate dinner together every night.
She dragged them to mass when they were little and “invited” them when they got bigger.
Like a true Santini, her invitations were not to be refused.
She was sweet and loving, but she was a Santini.
Elsa Santini knew tough love better than anyone.
“Sei bellissima, nonna.” You look beautiful, grandmother.
“è la calma di Gabriel prima della tempesta.” It’s the Gabriel calm before the storm.
He pointed to himself? “Me?”
“Do you know what you are, nipote? Grandson.
Standing tall, he threw back his shoulders. “The Agitator.”
She nodded. “You create mayhem… or does it follow you everywhere?”
“That’s the age-old question, isn’t it, Elsa? The chicken or the egg?”
She laughed, hugged him again. “Be a good boy tonight.”
“Tell Teddy, he listens to you,” Gabriel said.
“He doesn’t need to hear that, Gabriel. You do.”
She had a point, but he wasn’t backing down.
Luciano—the eldest, dressed to impress in a dark blue Santini suit, white shirt, no tie—squeezed Gabriel’s shoulder. “Nice and calm tonight, yes?”
They’re coming at me from all angles.
Gabriel shifted his gaze from his older brother to his grandmother. “I’m a pussycat.”
“You’re a lion,” Teddy said joining them. “An out-of-control big cat who rules the jungle with an iron fist.”
“I run Cosa Nostra,” he said. “What do you expect, fratello? When someone doesn’t do what I want, I take them down. Just like the hungry lion.”
“No fighting,” Elsa warned, shoving her long, bony finger in each of their faces.
A pregnant Simone joined them. She kissed Gabriel’s cheek, then his other. “I loved staying in your villa, the one by the sea. A perfect getaway.”
“How are you feeling?” Gabriel asked her.
“Great. Luciano hovers, but baby and I love the attention.” She caressed her baby bump. “Don’t we bambino?”
Luciano’s expression softened, love streaming from his eyes. His brother deserved this, especially after everything he’d been through. He put his arm around her, kissed her cheek.
“Sono felice per te… per tutti voi,” Gabriel said. I’m happy for you… for all of you.
Wearing a bright pink shirt and black bell-bottoms, Slash joined them, her long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. After hugging Gabriel hello, she said, “How’s my favorite troublemaker?”
He smiled. “How’s my favorite badass?”
With a wink, she said, “Keeping the fam in line.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked.
She rubbed his back, rested her head on his shoulder. “You doing okay, G?”
“Good as new.”
She broke away. “You’re a beast.” Then, she pushed onto her bare toes. “Hey fam, dinner’s ready.”
As the group made their way toward the center island, Slash pulled him aside. “I’ll catch hell for what I’m about to say.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t think you should leave,” she whispered.
“And that’s why you’re my favorite over these idiots, with the exception of Elsa.”
“Well, duh. She’s perfect.”
“Please don’t—never mind,” Slash said. “I don’t care if you bring up my opinion, but know that if you push back, you’ll create mayhem.”
“My middle name.”
As he and Slash made their way over, he asked about Caroline and Sydney.
“Girls’ night in,” Slash said. “A friend of Caroline’s—someone from Langley—is back from assignment. Honestly, I think these dinners are a lot for the newbies. We’re kinda crazy.”
“Not kinda. Full-on.”
She laughed as she handed him a dinner plate.
With full plates of baked fish and oven-roasted chicken, the family sat around the expanded kitchen table.
“Gabriel, please say grace,” Elsa said.
“Lord, please bless this food, keep us safe. We pray for Simone and her bambino. Bless her and Lulu with a healthy child. In Jesus’ name.”
And everyone said, “Amen.”