Chapter 19
VANNA
“ K eegan. Party of two?” The pretty blonde glances up at us from her hostess stand.
“That’s us.” I smile as Dean places his hand at the small of my back and gently guides me ahead of him.
“Right this way.” The hostess grabs two menus and leads us into the dining room.
We follow her to the table I reserved earlier in the week when Dean insisted on a low-key birthday. He’s been so stressed lately, Cherry and I agreed to grant him a pass on a party this year. It was, after all, his birthday wish .
After Dean assists me into my seat, he takes his own across from me.
“Enjoy!” The hostess hands us each a menu and walks away.
“Do you think Viking feels like Ace is… I don’t know, cramping his style ?” I ask, peeking at my husband over the menu.
Dean arches a brow. “I really don’t think Ace is a burden, Vanna. Viking and Cherry basically fought over who got to babysit him tonight.”
I gnaw at my bottom lip. “I suppose that’s true… Though they did settle on splitting the evening with him.” I can’t help but dig a little more. “Do you think Viking is having girl problems? I mean, he seems to prefer Ace’s company over everyone else’s.”
Dean clears his throat and drops his gaze to the menu. “I uh…wouldn’t know.”
I eye him suspiciously. “Is there a girl?”
“Hopefully not tonight.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I’m sure there are lots of girls, doll. We’re talking about Viking, here.”
“He’s been different, though. You’re his best friend, you haven’t noticed?”
“I’m pretty sure Ace knocked me out of that spot.” Dean chuckles. “Maybe becoming an uncle mellowed him out a little.”
“Maybe…”
“Viking’s not much of a talk about his feelings type , doll.”
“If you say so.” I’ll just ask Viking when we meet up in the gym later this week.
“But since we’re on the topic of relationships…
” I begin again, drawing a curious, yet somewhat stern expression from Dean as he glances over the top of his menu once more.
“Cherry and I have been wondering how to bring this up with you. There’s really never a good time. ”
Dean sets the menu on the cloth-covered table. “And you thought a ritzy restaurant was the best option?”
“It’s nothing bad. It’s about Daniel.”
“What about him?”
“He and Trippy are an item, but they can’t make it official because of MC rules . He needs your nod of approval in order for the Jokers to patch him in. Then Trippy can become his Old Lady.”
“Huh.” Dean picks his menu back up and flips it open, a barely-there grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.
“What’s funny?”
“His contentment hinging on my mercy.”
“ Happy birthday , I guess.” I giggle, and his smile broadens. “But really, he makes Trippy happy. Would you do it for her?”
“Trippy can do better than Daniel.”
“It might get under Lucinda’s skin, too.” I shrug. Though as much as I despise her, she’s not the reason I’m asking.
His eyes narrow curiously. “Do you want me to give Slice the go-ahead?”
“For Trippy. I like her.”
“As you wish.” Dean sighs. “I’ll give Slice a call this week.”
I smile to myself, relaxing into my seat a little more comfortably now that I’ve got one thing checked off my to-do list.
“What?” Dean asks. “You’re nibbling that lip and smirking, which tells me you’re thinking devious thoughts.”
“Maybe I’m getting better at this power of persuasion thing.”
Dean chuckles. “As I recall, you’ve always held an influence over me.”
“As a wife should,” I tease him.
“No objection here.” He winks at me with that sexy, bracketed-half-grin of his. “ Happy wife, happy life.”
After dinner and a bottle of wine, Dean escorts me to the elevator. He’s already getting handsy, and I stifle a giggle as the elevator doors chime and slide open.
It takes me a moment in my tipsy state to realize the beautiful brunette standing inside the elevator, wearing a flattering cocktail dress, is my sister.
She seems rather stunned to see me as well.
Dean is too busy whispering his dirty birthday wishes in my ear and groping my ass. He hasn’t even spared her a glance.
“ Giovanna?” Giuliana finally speaks, stepping cautiously through the doors. They shut behind her, and Dean stiffly straightens at my side. “What a surprise… I didn’t expect to see you here… God, you look stunning.” She gestures to the black dress I only wear for Dean on special occasions.
“Um…yes…we…” I stammer, still in shock as I attempt to regain my bearings.
“It’s um, Dean’s birthday… We’re here celebrating…
Dinner, you know.” My dress is flattering, though compared to the designer garment gracing my sister’s slight curves, I feel a bit upstaged.
Giuliana actually does look like a model that would be featured in Italian Vogue .
“Oh,” her nervous gaze shifts timidly to Dean. “How lovely. Happy birthday, Dean.”
He remains silent, but nods curtly when I peer up at him.
“What brings you out here of all places?” I manage to ask now that the shock of seeing her is wearing off. This hotel isn’t even in our town. Dean and I packed a duffel bag and rode Serene to the beach.
Giuliana fusses with the sapphire beaded clutch that matches her dress.
“I had a few points to use up,” she says, though I suspect it’s because it happens to be the nicest hotel within drivable distance of our home.
“And, well, a letter or a phone call didn’t seem sufficient, after everything…
You’re my sister. I miss you so much. And Dean…
I’m sorry for my behavior. I was wrong. I’d had a lot to drink that night, and…
well, there’s really no excuse… I behaved abhorrently.
I will never cross those lines with either of you ever again. ”
I glance up at him when he doesn’t respond. He isn’t even looking at her. Shifting in my heels uncomfortably, I bring my attention back to Giuliana. “So, you’re in town to see us?”
“Yes, I was going to come to the roadhouse tomorrow. I just got in last night. I wanted to see you before the holidays so I wouldn’t be crashing whatever you have planned.”
I peer up at my husband once again in an attempt to gauge his level of reception, but Dean is still a cold block of granite.
“I…I didn’t think a phone call was appropriate… I thought the right thing would be to apologize in person,” Giuliana adds.
“Are mom and dad here, too?” I ask.
“They’re still in New York, but they send their love.”
“Why didn’t any of you come to the wedding?”
She winces as she tells me, “We didn’t think you really wanted us there.”
“We sent you invitations.”
“I’m sorry.” My sister nervously glances past us, somewhere in the direction of the hotel restaurant. It seems like there’s more to this situation, but she changes the subject. “Is your son here, too?”
“No,” I say.
She seems genuinely disappointed. “I thought maybe there was a chance he was with the nanny in a room.”
Dean lets out a resentful scoff.
“No,” I quickly reply, stroking his arm as if it will stave off his darkening mood. “We don’t have a nanny. Ace is with his aunt.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you had a sister, Dean.”
“Not by blood, but that doesn’t mean much ,” Dean finally mutters.
Giuliana nearly flinches. “Well, I would really love to meet my nephew, and spend some time with you all… There’s a lot to catch up on.”
Dean clears his throat to speak, but keeps his eyes fixed on the elevator doors behind Giuliana. “I told you I’d follow your lead when it comes to your family, Vanna. Whatever you want.” His tone isn’t as agreeable as his words, however.
“Alright… We’re checking out in the morning. Why don’t you come by the house for lunch?” I suggest.
“Thank you,” she says, though she seems apprehensive. “Would you mind if I bring a guest?”
“A guest?”
“My boyfriend…We drove down together.” She glances at Dean. “If bringing him is a problem, I’ll just tell him to drop me off.”
“Sure, bring your boyfriend,” I say. There’s no reason to be rude, and how much more awkward could this all really get?
“Great… Well, I don’t want to keep you from your evening.” Giuliana takes an awkward step as if she’s going to walk past us, but then stops. “Thank you,” she seems to genuinely say. “Both of you.”
I’m not quite sure how to respond as I try not to think of the events that transpired the last night we were all in the same room together.
Dean is still silent, even after the elevator doors close behind us and he hits the button for our floor.
“Are you alright? I know that wasn’t the birthday surprise you were expecting,” I try to joke, watching his reflection in the brass paneling.
“Fuckin’ Aces, doll.”
I let out a sigh, unconvinced. A few moments later, the elevator door dings and slides open, and we step into the quiet hallway that leads to our room.
Dean taps the keycard to the scanner and opens the door, letting me in first. The door clicks shut behind us, and I drop my clutch on the foot of the bed and turn to face him. “Don’t let this ruin your birthday.”
He raises a brow but doesn’t comment.
I slide my arms around his waist and pull him closer. “We have a hotel room to ourselves with no worry of toddler interruptions ,” I smirk up at him.
He rests his hands against my hips. “They blew off our wedding. Your father didn’t walk you down the aisle…but he was happy to throw you to a fuckin’ wolf like Jack Nero. I’m the one they still consider trash. My son— their first grandchild —isn’t even worthy of their fucking presence.”
I reach up to cup his stubbled jaw. “I understand how you feel. But they do send him cards for birthdays and Christmas.”
Dean scoffs. “ Right. I forgot money is what matters.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“ They do , every chance they get to throw it in my fucking face.”
I stroke his tensing jaw. “Maybe it’s just taken them until now to get over everything? Maybe they didn’t think they were actually welcome to come?”
“Three years and they were in the wrong to begin with? Fuck that. They got the same invitation everyone else did.”