Chapter 9 A Whole Lotta Skin
A WHOLE LOTTA SKIN
DELILAH
The Gallos are nothing like my family.
Growing up, dinner was always a silent affair with only the adults allowed to speak to one another. When I finished the food on my plate, I had to remain seated, waiting for my parents to finish eating before being excused.
Lucio’s family is the exact opposite. They don’t stop talking. Not only that, more than one person talks at a time, making it almost impossible for me to follow any single conversation. I spend most of the time trying to memorize everyone’s names and details because trying to talk is useless.
I asked Lucio to tell me about his siblings before we came to his mother’s house. When they dropped everything off yesterday, I was too in shock to process anything. Plus, they came and left so quickly, I barely got to say hello.
Angelo, the oldest brother, is just as tall as Lucio, not as freakishly large, but not small by any means.
His eyes are a beautiful shade of ice blue, popping against his olive skin and dark hair.
He seems to be more serious than everyone else, but maybe because of everything he’s been through, especially losing his wife and being a single parent.
Vinnie, the youngest Gallo brother, is super cocky and probably a lady-killer.
He is the golden boy and star quarterback, winning the state championship three years in a row in high school.
Although he is a part owner of the bar, he is gone most of the year but sometimes comes home on weekends.
He’s just as handsome as his brothers, but he still has a boyish quality which makes him appear to be innocent when he is the furthest thing from it.
Daphne is two years older than Vinnie. She is pretty straightforward, speaks her mind, and doesn’t take shit from very many people. She either likes you or she doesn’t, and she makes her feelings very clear.
“What do you think, Dee?” Daphne asks, but I am so lost, I have no idea what she wants my opinion about. She’s staring at me, and I shift in my seat, feeling the weight of her gaze.
“Sure,” I say because I don’t want to seem like I’m not paying attention. Hell, I am paying as much attention as I possibly can to every conversation around the table and failing miserably.
“Yeah?” She looks shocked, and I know I’m in trouble.
When Lucio turns to me with his eyebrows almost to his hairline and asks, “You really want to do that?” I pretty much know I’m fucked.
I look at her and then back to him. “What am I missing?”
“A whole lotta skin,” Daphne replies with a wicked smile, pretending to spank the air with her palm. “And muscles for days, girl. Dat ass, though.”
“I think she has to work,” Lucio says, rescuing me even though I didn’t ask him for help from something that doesn’t sound like all that much fun.
Strippers used to be fun before I had Lulu. But now the very thought of a bunch of gyrating, naked men doesn’t seem as interesting or exciting as a nap, due to my current state of exhaustion.
“Yeah. I heard the boss is a real prick too,” I add, giving Lucio a sideways glance as I bounce Lulu on my lap and try to be funny.
I should’ve been pissed he answered on my behalf, but I’m not.
Sitting around, getting drunk, and watching half-naked men doesn’t sound like as much fun as a quiet evening at home alone with Lucio.
But I know I am being delusional. The dancers and Lucio have one thing in common…
they aren’t the type to settle down with a single mother.
“He totally is,” Daphne laughs. “But the other boss, the more beautiful one”—she points to herself—“says you can have the night off.”
Somewhere along the way, Daphne and I became total BFFs.
The woman behind the bar is nothing like the one sitting across the table from me now.
Maybe there’s a work version of her which is tough as nails and takes no bullshit.
Daphne Gallo at her mother’s dinner table is sweet as pie.
Either that, or she’s trying to get me into a world of trouble.
“She has a baby to take care of,” Lucio tells Daphne like I’m not even in the room, let alone sitting next to him.
“I’m sure Ma will watch Lulu,” Daphne shoots back before staring at her mother, waiting.
I think all hope is lost for a second, but then Betty speaks.
“Although I love Lulu already, I’m busy next Saturday.”
Everybody in the room goes silent, turning toward her with their mouths hanging open. It’s the first time since I walked through the door there’s not a single sound.
Vinnie shakes his head like he can’t believe the words that just came out of her mouth. “What the hell are you doing Saturday, Ma? You never go out on the weekend,” he asks, finally laying down his phone next to his dinner plate.
Betty stabs at the chicken on her plate, pretending she doesn’t hear the question, but she doesn’t look at anyone either.
“Ma.” Angelo taps on the table in front of her. “Where are you going on Saturday?”
“I have plans,” she says between bites.
“Plans?” Daphne cocks one perfectly plucked eyebrow and leans back in her chair, staring in her mother’s direction. “You never have plans.”
“I have a life too, honey.” The features on Betty’s face tighten suddenly. “Drop it. End of discussion. I can’t watch the baby. Delilah will just have to stay home.”
Why do I get the sneaking suspicion Betty doesn’t have a damn thing to do next weekend? I remember the words she said to Lucio. She seems to want to push us together, and so far, it’s worked.
“Fine,” Daphne sighs and tosses her napkin on her plate.
“Thanks for asking me to go. It means a lot to me.” I try not to seem overly happy I can’t go, even though I am relieved.
“You’re welcome.” Daphne smiles, sitting up a little straighter and pushing her long brown hair behind her shoulder. “We’ll do it another weekend.”
The momentary silence evaporates, and everyone starts talking again, but no one presses Betty any further.
“So, Delilah, do you have any waitressing experience?” Angelo asks from the other end of the table.
I glance down at Lulu’s smiling face and think about lying for a second, but I know he’d be able to tell as soon as I started on the job. “I don’t. Is that okay?”
“It’s fine.” He waves me off and almost cracks a smile. “I’d be more than happy to show you the ropes.”
I peer up at Lucio as he sits next to me, but he is staring at his brother, paying no attention to me at all. “I’ll be training Delilah,” Lucio states quickly.
“If you think you can handle it,” Angelo says with a small smirk and returns his brother’s stare. “I know how much you hate training new employees.”
Lucio’s eyes narrow, and he still doesn’t look at me. “We haven’t had a new employee in four years.”
“Dudes,” Vinnie interrupts and points at himself with his thumbs. “I’ll train the new chick.” He winks in my direction and is immediately smacked in the chest with the back of Angelo’s hand.
Part of me wants to laugh because Vinnie is adorable, but Jesus, the way Angelo and Lucio are glaring at each other, I am ready to duck for cover.
“I don’t want to be any trouble,” I say softly as an uneasy feeling settles deep in my stomach.
Without looking down at me, Lucio places his hand on top of mine. “It won’t be any trouble. I want to train you.”
“I’m sure you want more than that,” Vinnie whispers under his breath and is again met with the back of Angelo’s hand, but this time a little harder.
“Delilah.” Betty breaks the awkward silence and changes the subject pretty quickly. “Want to take Lulu for a walk with me?”
Just as quickly as Lucio placed his hand on top of mine, it’s gone.
“Sure,” I say and try to hide the sadness from my voice.
“The kids can clean up.” She smiles as the kids grumble. “I usually take Angelo’s kids for a walk after dinner, but they’re with their other grandparents.”
“That’s so sweet.” Neither of my parents has ever taken Lulu for a walk. My father barely held Lulu, and my mother still hasn’t bothered to see her once. “They must love that.”
I am envious of the people around this table.
I would’ve given up growing up with money if it meant I’d have half the support system they do.
All the money in the world means nothing without love.
I know that firsthand after my parents pawned me off on nannies and boarding school as I grew older.
Even when they were physically present in my life, they weren’t truly there.
“Lucio, can you get the stroller for us?” his mother asks him.
Lucio stands with me, finally making eye contact. “Want me to come?” he asks.
“No. You stay here and relax,” I tell him. He looked so hopeful before those words left my mouth, but I am being selfish. I want a little time alone with his mother, someone I would’ve loved having as my own.
“I promise to be on my best behavior,” his mother says.
Lucio doesn’t look convinced. “I think I should go too. Make sure you two are safe.” He takes a step forward, but his mother places her small hand on the middle of his giant chest and stops him.
“You’ll stay here. Give the girl a little room to breathe, son. Let your momma handle this,” she says as if I’m not even in the room, listening to the entire conversation.
It seems to be a theme in this family. I don’t know if it’s because I’m the new girl or maybe they just like bossing each other around, but it’s starting to drive me a little crazy.
“Delilah, why don’t I show you where we store it in case you want to use it again?” Lucio motions for me to follow, and I glance at his mother.
“That’s a splendid idea. I’ll just run and get my hat.” She smiles and shoos me toward the stairwell where Lucio is waiting. “Gimme that sweet girl,” she says, taking Lulu from my arms before I can take a step.
We don’t speak as I follow him through the bar, down a hallway, and to the storage closet where I think they keep the stroller.
Before I have one foot in the doorway, Lucio has his arms around me, pulling me in closer until there’s no space left between us.
“I’m sorry,” he says as he leans forward, staring into my eyes so intensely my knees start to go weak.
“For what?” I ask as he moves his mouth closer to mine. My voice is so soft I’m not sure he heard me because he doesn’t answer right away.
“For this.” He presses his soft, full lips to mine and holds me tighter, stealing my breath. He sweeps his tongue across my bottom lip, and I tip my head back, opening to him. In this moment, as our tongues tangle together, I know one thing for sure. He was right.
I am ruined.