Chapter Forty-Four
Within a few weeks, the results of Franco’s official paternity test proved beyond a doubt that he was her father. They’d both agreed on the importance of making absolutely sure before saying anything to Gina. She’d gone through enough upheaval in her life already, and they didn’t want to add to it.
They’d also decided both should be with her when she found out to show that they both loved her and would always be there for her.
“Gina, Zio Franco and I have something important we want to talk with you about.”
She immediately began jumping up and down and screamed, “Can I be the flower girl?”
Rico and Franco exchanged a surprised glance. How’d she make that enormous leap? After all, they’d just gotten over a bumpy patch where she’d seemed aware Franco might not be back.
“No, Gina, that’s not what we wanted to talk about.” A wave of worry crossed her face. “Don’t worry, Sweetie. We want to share some fantastic news. Just not that news.” He and Franco hadn’t even hinted to each other about marriage yet. If Franco asked him, Rico would be jumping up and down too. But they’d decided not to rush into anything.
“Let’s all sit on the couch,” Franco suggested. “You in the middle, Gina.” His big hand rested on her shoulder and gently guided her in the right direction. Once they were lined up on the couch, though, Rico didn’t think this was the best setup. He got up, pushed the coffee table away from them, and brought in a chair from the dining room. Being seated facing Gina and Franco, forming an intimate circle, might make this conversation easier.
The symbolism of a circle wasn’t lost on Rico.
Life. Love. Family. So many positive connections with this circle.
“You guys are freaking me out,” Gina said.
Clearly, the time had come to cut to the chase. Rico would start, and Franco would deliver the big news.
“Remember how we got your DNA tested so we could help fill out your family tree?”
She nodded, still wary.
“Well, we got a match!” Rico said, hoping his enthusiasm would spark some in Gina.
Her chin began to quiver and her eyes filled with tears, but she held her head high and tried to fight through the emotion.
Franco wrapped an arm around her back. “Don’t worry, Baby. It’s the best match we could possibly have.” Franco grinned at Rico, who rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Do I have to go live with him sometimes?” she asked.
“I hope you’ll want to,” Rico responded.
“But I want to stay with you, Zio Rico. Forever.”
“Don’t worry. That’s a given. You’re my little girl now.”
“What we’re trying to say—and not very well—is that the DNA first matched with Mama J. and—”
“Wait. I’m related to Mama J?”
“You certainly are,” Rico said.
The tears spilled from her eyes. “But how?”
“She’s your nonna,” Franco said through a gravelly voice.
He cleared his throat, but before he could say anything else, Gina let out an earsplitting scream, which unnerved them both for a moment. Rico had never seen her so ecstatic.
“Gina,” Franco continued, “the tests show that your Papa is right here in this room.”
Gina’s eyes scrunched up as she looked from one to the other, completely confused and understandably so.
“It’s me, Baby,” Franco announced.
Her eyes opened wide as saucers. “You’re my papa? For real?”
“Yes, well, I’m one of them.”
Then Gina launched herself into his arms, and they held each other a long time. Rico couldn’t help but feel that the circle had been interrupted, leaving him feeling as if he’d been forgotten. Until Gina pulled away, then reached out to take Rico’s hand with her right one and Franco’s with her left.
“Do you know what this means?”
Rico could think of any number of answers to that question, but before he could say anything, Gina answered her own question.
“I have two papas now! Just like Becky and her two moms.”
The three embraced each other and sat quietly content for a while before Gina pulled away once again. “Are you going to move here with us, Zio Fr—I mean Papa?”
Franco wore a sappy grin at hearing her call him that the first time. “How are you going to differentiate one papa from the other?”
“You can be Papa,” she answered before turning to Rico. “And you’re Papi.”
Rico’s throat closed up. What a special gift she’d given him. Even though Rico had been her appointed guardian since September, bestowing him with the equivalent of Daddy in Italian touched him to the core. Could life get any better than this?
Well, maybe if they completed an official adoption. He’d have to talk with Franco and his lawyer about how best to proceed on that front.
But first, they needed to find a new place to live. School would let out in a month, and he wanted to have her settled before she started classes in August.
As he pulled up to Rico’s apartment building a month later, Franco couldn’t believe how smoothly things had been going with Rico and Gina. Would he be jumping the gun tonight?
No.
Bottom line, Franco would do everything to guarantee Rico and Gina’s happiness. They were his family now. He wouldn’t jeopardize that.
Picking up the box of flowers and the bag from the passenger seat, he took a deep breath. He hoped the two dozen long-stemmed red roses weren’t overkill. But when Gina came home from Becky’s tomorrow, she’d probably claim at least half of them, which Rico wouldn’t mind.
Rico buzzed him up right away, and Franco took the stairs two at a time. His palms grew sweaty, even though he didn’t plan on popping the question until dinner.
Just don’t drop the flowers.
Rico opened the door dressed in a white button-down shirt and soft gray pants that sent Franco’s thoughts immediately to removing them. People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive had nothing on his boi.
Of course, I’d find Rico sexy, regardless of what he’s wearing—or not wearing.
He handed the box to Rico.
“Flowers? Gina’s going to love them.”
“They’re for you, but I knew you’d want to share.” He pulled two crystal vases from the shopping bag, not wanting to see the roses in mayonnaise jars, which is where the last two bouquets he’d delivered here had ended up.
Rico set the box on the table to open it. “They’re gorgeous!” He met Franco’s gaze. “What’s the occasion?”
“Can’t a guy buy his boyfriend flowers without there having to be an occasion?”
“I suppose.” He seemed wary as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Franco set the two vases on the table. “Let’s put them in water before they wilt and die while you overanalyze everything.”
After they’d done so, Rico said, “Sorry. It’s been a long day. Looking forward to dinner. I’m famished.”
“Did you eat something light for lunch as I instructed?”
“Yes, Sir. Only I might have gone a little too light in anticipation of what you had in store for us for dinner—and after.” He grinned, and Franco shook his head, but didn’t chastise him.
“I promise to feed you well tonight.” He couldn’t afford a splurge like this often but wanted to make the evening memorable for them both. He’d heard great things about this world-renowned restaurant.
“Our reservation is for eight, so we should get going.”
“Let me grab my suit coat, and I’ll be ready to go.” Rico went down the hall to his bedroom, returning a minute later.
“Here, let me.” Franco took the coat and helped Rico into it before placing a kiss behind his ear.
“Don’t start anything you can’t finish, Sir. I’m starving, remember?”
Franco groaned then smiled. “Rain check.”
As they walked hand in hand to the Yukon, Rico commented, “It’s not often I get to dress for dinner, but I have to say it’s one of the things I enjoy most about city living.”
Hearing Rico saying something positive about living in Denver set the right tone for the evening. They drove downtown to an iconic restaurant on East Seventh. The place was bustling, but they only had to wait ten minutes for their reserved table.
After being seated, Franco ordered a bottle of Tuscan white wine. He’d hold off on champagne until later, hoping they’d have something to celebrate.
“How’d you find this place?” Rico asked.
“It’s well-known in the area for its fine dining. I’ve never eaten here before, but thought it would be a good bet, given its reputation.”
“Well, I’m certainly impressed.” Rico glanced toward the window to the kitchen where he could see three chefs preparing meals, then back at his menu. “It’s like a culinary lab. Angie would love to come here.”
“I’ll be sure to recommend it to Marc. So what looks good for an appetizer?”
Rico’s attention returned to the menu. “Jumbo lump crab salad. What are you getting?”
“I’ll go for the green salad. And your main?”
“That’s a tougher decision. Everything looks intriguing. Maybe the salmon.”
“Exactly what I wanted.”
Once they’d placed their orders, Franco said, “The school year will be over soon. Have you and Gina decided what your plans are?”
“I asked her if she’d like to spend the summer in Aspen Corners, with the intention of keeping this apartment for at least those few months.”
Hearing him talk about being gone all summer didn’t thrill Franco.
“But she became upset,” Rico continued, “worrying about missing her friends here.”
Trying to be sympathetic while also happy to hear he and Gina were on the same wavelength about the city, Franco nodded. “I’m sure that’s going to be an issue if there’s any kind of move away from what she’s familiar with, even across the city.”
Rico took a sip of wine. “I don’t want her to be unhappy or to disrupt her world any more than it has been in the last year, but no way am I staying in that apartment any longer than necessary. I need a bigger place and something to do while she’s at school.”
“Any more thought about a daVinci II?”
“Actually, yeah, I’ve more than thought about it. Even started looking at properties that might suit me. In fact, I wanted to ask your opinion about a couple of them, since you know the neighborhoods better than I do.”
Franco was honored he’d want his opinion. “Which neighborhoods are you thinking about for the pub?”
“Sun Valley is affordable, but they already have a lot of pubs and bars and grills. I’d like to find an area that’s not oversaturated, so my place can stand out.”
“Your place will always stand out over the rest.”
Rico beamed. “Thanks.” He grew serious again and said with a shrug, “I also don’t want to fail and go into debt on this venture.”
They spoke about several other locations that might suit, and Franco advised him on which he thought the best option.
“It’s a big undertaking, and I have a lot to consider.”
“You’re a successful entrepreneur. I know any business you run will be a winner.”
He smiled. “It means more to me than you can know to have your support. Might be famous last words, but it won’t be hard to set up the pub. Been there, done that. That’s one of the fun parts for me, actually. I can decorate the place similar to the original,” he glanced around the restaurant, “or go a little more upscale for the Denver crowd.”
“I like daVinci’s old-world charm. And the sense of community I felt when I was there. You’re very good at supporting local causes too. That would go over well here.”
“Not reinventing the wheel would make opening a new place simpler. I might have some surplus decor I could bring from Aspen Corners. And I’m sure my vendors will all deliver here. Hell, most of them are located in Denver anyway.”
Hearing his plans for a future in Denver was all he needed to know he’d made the right decision.
“I’ll have to figure out what to do with Gina on the days I can’t get home as early as I’d like, though. In the short run, I envision a lot of evenings being occupied with establishing the business.”
“Maybe she can go to a friend’s house after school, and I can pick her up when I get off work,” Franco offered. “That doesn’t mean I won’t have to work late some nights too, but when neither of us can be with Gina, we can line up a babysitter or an after-school program.”
Making decisions together about their daughter’s care warmed his heart.
“My pub will be family-friendly too, so if need be, she can hang out with me there, but I think that would bore her.”
“Probably, after the novelty wears off, anyway. Although she might surprise you and start offering ideas for how to run the place too.”
Rico grinned and nodded. “I wonder if she’ll have any interest in running the business someday.”
“Hard to say. She’s interested in so many things.”
“Would you want to live near the pub?”
“Not necessarily. The best places for a pub would be downtown, but I think I’m more interested in raising Gina in the ’burbs. Fenced-in yard, kids playing in a cul-de-sac. That kind of thing.”
“How does Gina feel about moving to a new school?”
Rico sighed. “I told her I’d have to make the decision I thought best for us both. But she’s adaptable. Makes friends wherever she goes. And it’s not like we won’t be able to take her to hang out with Becky on a regular basis. With any luck, we’ll even have a place for Becky to sleep if she wants to spend the night.”
Everything sound good, except that Franco wasn’t in the picture yet and very much wanted to be.
“If I can find a business location that’s close to turnkey, other than putting my own decorative touches on it, that would mean less time away from Gina before it opens. I figure I have all summer to find a place, then I can work on it when she goes back to school.”
“True. The three of us can work together and make this a family project.” Franco wanted to be a part of this new endeavor, however he could help.
“I hadn’t thought about that, but I’ll welcome all the team members I can get. When Gina’s older, I could hire her to be a food server or hostess to make some money for college or whatever she wants to spend it on. It would be a great way for her to develop a strong work ethic.”
Rico’s excitement was contagious, but Franco hadn’t thought about how hard it must have been for Rico to give up working at daVinci’s for almost a year. Hearing his long-term plans fit into Franco’s as well was icing on the cake. He took a sip of wine and set the glass down again.
Dinner proceeded with Rico mostly thinking out loud about all he’d have to do in order to open a second pub. Hearing him plan for a life in Denver only made Franco more certain the time was right.
After they’d ordered dessert, Franco reached into his pocket to pull out the ring box. Rico’s gaze zeroed in on it immediately, and his face grew flushed. Franco stood from his chair and went down on one knee in front of the man he hoped to spend the rest of his life with.
“Rico, I hope you know how much I’ve come to care about you since that molten-hot kiss last July. But I’ve also grown to love you more than I could imagine loving anyone—except maybe Gina, but that’s a different kind of love.”
He opened the box to show the tungsten ring he’d chosen. “I want to ask you to marry me, Rico.”
“Franco, you know my answer, but I’ll tack on an ‘it’s about time’ to that. Of course, I’ll marry you!” He leaned in and kissed him.
Rico’s eyes grew bright in the candle’s glow as Franco’s shaking fingers placed the ring on his left hand. A round of applause broke out in the room. Franco hadn’t been aware anyone but Rico was listening and hadn’t realized they’d put on a show—but he didn’t care if the whole world knew how much he loved this man.
“I’ve dreamed about you asking me this since my immature high-school fantasies,” Rico said, gazing down at the ring and watching it gleam as he moved it in different directions.
Franco took his seat again. “Long or short engagement?” he asked.
“With so much upheaval in Gina’s and my life right now, let’s say long.”
He’d have married Rico today if he could. “How long?”
“I don’t want to postpone everything, though. Maybe we could rent a place together for a year and see how everyone adjusts? I worry more about Gina than us.”
“As long as we’re together, she’ll be happy. If, after a year, you find living in that area isn’t right for you and Gina, then we reevaluate. And if you decide you want to live in Aspen Corners again, I’ll put in for a transfer to a fire investigation unit in or around Breckenridge.”
What on earth was he thinking? “You’d be bored to death with a slower pace and working more wildfire investigations than residential and business-structure fires.”
Franco shrugged. “As I said, the most important thing is that we’re together. I can’t imagine life without you.”
“Same here. And Gina’s been ready for us to get married since the first time she caught us kissing, but how will Mama J feel about us”—he leaned forward, placing his hand over Franco’s, and whispered, waggling his eyebrows teasingly—“living in sin?”
Franco rolled his eyes. “Mama’s not naive or a prude. Matteo and Angelina both lived with their future spouses before their wedding days, and she didn’t have a problem with that. I believe her when she said she loves and accepts us just as we are.” Why it had taken Franco so long to see that was beyond him. “She’s a romantic at heart and thinks everyone needs to have someone to love.”
“Can’t argue with that. You totally have the coolest mama.”
“That I do.”
As they finished their desserts, they continued to talk about their future. They couldn’t wait to talk with a real estate agent about prospective neighborhoods. For the first time in his life, Franco would have to consider local schools in choosing where to live.
Once they found a place, Franco planned to offer his apartment to Victor and Patti. They knew the landlady and he was sure she’d give another member of the fire service the same rent discount she’d offered him.
With all they needed to plan and do, the year would fly by.
Rico squeezed Franco’s hand. “Should be fun looking for a place together.”
Franco’s throat closed up with emotion. “I’ve waited for you my entire life, Rico. Now I’m looking forward to spending the rest of it with you and Gina.” He leaned in as Rico moved closer, and they shared another kiss that sent tingles coursing throughout his body.
When they tore themselves away from each other, Rico licked his lips, driving Franco to distraction. Now he couldn’t wait to get him back to the apartment.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make you and Gina happy.”
“You already have, Stud Muffin.”