Chapter 19
Jasper
Monday morning came and we were up early, hoping to beat some of the traffic out to Orange County. Gio stared at his section of the closet, while I rifled through my side.
“What should I wear? I only have the one good suit, and that one I wore for our wedding, so it seems weird to wear it for brunch.”
Turning around I met his gaze, and cupped his face. “Wear what you want, Gio. I don’t want you to pretend to be anything other than who you are. I like who you are.”
He quirked his mouth to the side and slid a glance to the casual suit jacket my hand stopped on. “I’d say the same for you, then. Today is about your freedom, so don’t let them box you into something you’re not.”
I first began wearing retro styles to irritate them, but I was planning to go for a more formal approach today like I had the last time.
Gio was right, though. I was done trying to please them.
Giving him a peck on the cheek, I turned back to my side of the closet, and decided to wear something that was me.
Picking out my favorite pair of bell bottom jeans with patchwork flowers that climbed the side, and my favorite purple fur jacket, I smiled. They would hate it, and I didn’t care.
Gio ended up selecting a plaid button-up shirt in hues of brown and tan, and wore them with jeans, looking every bit the farmer he was. It was perfect. Almost. “Oh! I found something for you.”
Running to the bag I’d brought home from Heartcraft, I brought out a small package, and handed it to him. After selling all of my figurines at the market, I couldn’t resist using some of my new earnings on something for my husband.
Gio’s brows pinched as he took the package and opened it carefully. He let out a laugh when he saw the little crocheted bee attached to a pin. “What is this for?”
I took the pin from him and fixed it to the collar of his shirt. “I told you, you need more bees in your wardrobe.”
Gio looked in the mirror and grinned. The amigurumi bee was made by Collin from Hooked on You at Heartcraft.
He was this big, burly guy who looked like he could tear someone in half.
He was a total softie, though, having started the crochet business with his grandma.
Softie or no, I couldn’t figure out how someone so big could do such small, intricate work.
But then, I’d seen it in the glass world, too.
Sometimes, the biggest guys had the gentlest touch.
“I love it, thank you.” Gio gave it a gentle pat before raking his eyes over me. “Damn, Jasper, you are so beautiful. Never stop being you.”
“I won’t if you won’t.”
“I promise.” He bent down and gave me a gentle kiss. “Are you ready?”
I drew in a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be. Do you have all of your information?”
Gio grabbed a manila envelope off the armchair. “Right here. Marriage certificate?”
I held up the envelope. “Yup.” Handing it to Gio, he added it to his paperwork. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
The long drive was too short. For the first time, I found myself wishing for more traffic. Although, delaying the brunch wouldn’t put an end to what was coming, but would only prolong it. It was time we got this over with.
In an effort to smooth things over, I suggested we meet at the Oceanfront.
Gio and I were dressed casually, and his hand was in mine as we approached the restaurant.
When the host at the podium, wearing a black suit and tie, grimaced at our appearances, I was filled with spiteful glee.
Let them grimace, let them look down at us, I intended this to be the last time I would enter this place.
The idea of not having to come back made my heart skip in my chest.
The last time I was here, they had known to expect me, directing me immediately to my family’s booth. This time was different, he looked me over, but must not have been able to see past my thrift store clothes to recognize me. “We are reservation only. We don’t take walk-ins.”
“Yes, we’re meeting with the Maldonado party,” I replied.
It was then his gaze flicked upward to my face and eyes widened with surprise. He let out a humph of indignation, before inclining his head. “My apologies, Mr. Maldonado. Right this way.”
As we crossed the restaurant, Gio leaned down and asked quietly, “Are you okay?”
“I am.” Surprisingly, it was true. This was going to suck, but the host’s reaction strangely made me giddy. I was shedding this place. Shedding my past, and wearing the skin that was more comfortably me, no longer stuffing myself into a suit and a life I didn’t fit in.
My mother and father looked up as we approached and the shock and disappointment on their faces didn’t hit me the same way it usually did.
With my hand still grasping Gio’s, I tugged him closer.
“Mother, Father, this is Gio Russo, my husband.”My mother’s jaw fell and my father’s eyes pinched so tight, it looked like he was having an aneurism.
I told them I was bringing a guest, but that was all the information I’d given them.
Waiting for them to compose themselves, I scooted into the booth across from them and Gio took his seat beside me. My mother dabbed her lips with her napkin, trying to cover her shock. “Husband? Why, Jasper, you didn’t even tell us you were seeing someone.”
“You never asked. Perhaps if you took an interest in my life, for once, you might have known.” It wasn’t entirely fair because of the speed with which everything happened, but it wouldn’t have mattered if Gio and I had been together for a year, she probably still wouldn’t have inquired about my dating life.
As far as they were concerned, it only mattered if it affected them.
She huffed in response, and my father bit out my name in a stern tone. “Jasper.”
Gio’s hand found my thigh beneath the table, and gave me a comforting squeeze. Having him with me gave me strength. I felt bolder and less like the child trying not to upset his parents.
I met my father’s look with a pointed one of my own. We had a stare-down for a moment, a silent challenge, and when my father broke eye contact, I cheered internally at the small victory.
My mother lifted her hand to flag the waiter. When they approached, she said, “We’ll have four scallop plates.”
“No. We won’t,” Gio interjected. “That will be two scallop plates, and we’d like a minute to look at the menu, please.”
I slid a glance to him and bit my lip to keep from smiling.
My hero, saving me from sea testicles and having to pretend to eat them.
Gio picked up his menu like there wasn’t a care in the world, and I copied him.
I actually didn’t know what else they had since every single time we’d eaten here, my mother ordered the scallops for us.
My parents sat in silence as they waited for us to make a selection.
They hated waiting on people. Hated it. The longer we sat there, the more I wanted to climb in Gio’s lap and kiss the ever-loving hell out of him.
Did he even know what he’d done? By the small smirk he hid behind the menu, it was clear.
Forget kissing him. I wanted to crawl under the table and blow him, right here, ocean front view and all.
The idea had me shifting in my seat. Focus. Focus. Gio put his menu down and ordered swordfish. He turned to face me and said, “What would you like, beautiful?”
What was the most offensive item I could order? A slight grin stretched my lips when I saw the perfect item. “I’ll have the fish and chips, please.”
The look of disdain on my mother’s face was priceless. We were at a fancy restaurant and I was essentially ordering pub food. My father managed to control his reaction only slightly better than my mom.
He took a drink and concentrated on Gio. “What is it that you do… Mr. Russo?”
Of course, that was his first question. Not how we met or how he feels about me, but his job, as if that was the most important detail.
“Please call me Gio.”
My father gave a hint of a nod. “Gio.”
“I own a farm on the outskirts of Grove Hills.”
“A farm? A dairy farm? I know those are big in that area.” He was no doubt envisioning Gio knee-deep in manure.
“No, it’s mostly flower fields now, but our main crop is actually honey. McNeely Honey Farm. I’m a beekeeper, essentially.”
“A bee keeper?”
“You should see it, it’s incredible,” I jumped in, needing to balance out my father’s disgust at manual labor.
“Bees. Bees! You married a man who has bees?” My mother shook her head as if it was the worst thing a person could do. Her hand went up in the air again and I knew a bloody Mary would be appearing momentarily.
“I married a man who is kind and generous and has a beautiful soul, who happens to have bees. But I love the bees, they are a crucial part of our ecosystem, and they make a lot of by-products that can be used in many things.”
Gio gave me a quick smile and another squeeze on my leg. “I love it. They say that when you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life, and I’ve found that to be true.”
My father, who valued work above all else, but I don’t think he truly enjoyed it, scoffed at the idea.
Still, Gio continued, “It’s one of the things I admire so much about your son. His passion for his glasswork is inspirational. He’s really talented, too. I’m so proud of him.”
Unable to stop myself, I leaned across the bench seat and gave him a quick kiss. Public displays of affection were another giant no-no in their world. Unless it was men with their mistresses, then they seemed to be all hands.
I didn’t care what they thought. For the first time in my life I felt that burden fall off me. Their lives were so small. Their wealth was great, but what did it amount to? My life had only gotten bigger since meeting Gio, and now it was time for me to sever the final tie.
Settling back in my seat, closer to Gio, who draped an arm over my shoulder, I folded my hands on the table, and faced my parents. “Speaking of my glasswork…”