52. Colt
52
colt
Law: You lost Daisy?
Colt: How the hell do you know that?
Tony: Mak via Maggie?
Hayden: Do we have her back?
Dax: Maggie or Daisy?
Robbie: 200 bucks it’s Maggie he lost. Colt’s going to screw that up somehow.
Tony: No. Wait. Okay. I’ll take that action. 200 he did not lose Maggie.
Colt: No one is fucking lost. And I’m not screwing anything up.
Tony: You did for like twenty minutes.
Colt: Your bet is null and void, Tony. Insider trading information. Mak knows it all.
Hayden: Glad to hear it. And I’ll bet against Robbie.
Robbie: Well, now there’s no bet. We all know the outcome.
Law: Do we? Is Daisy back? And it was Sloane who texted me not Mak.
Colt: You text with my daughter?
Law: She had some baseball questions and wanted to know what I felt about the book Money Ball. I told her to watch the movie. She was very excited there is a movie.
Law: And I text with all your kids.
Hayden: You do not text with my toddler.
Robbie: He does text with my daughter. The insomniacs club is what she calls it.
Colt: I’m at dinner. {Selfie of Colt, Daisy and Sloane tossing up peace signs}
I put my phone down and look at the girls. Gus prepped all the food himself tonight, and it’s delicious. He leans over the table and smiles at the girls. We’re at our favorite table that seems like it’s directly on the piazza in the heart of this city. The setting sun is baking the stone all around us. There’s a lyrical sound of forks, spoons and laughter all around us and a slight breeze on the air.
Ria walks up and hands Sloane a crown of flowers, which she puts immediately on her head. Then he puts a hand on Daisy’s shoulder and cocks his eyebrow at her. “No. No disappearing again.”
“Dad. Did you call the whole town?”
Ria laughs, “And then some. Buona serra, angels.” He puts a finger under Sloane’s chin.
She says, “Buona notte.”
He laughs and hitches his bag up and I nod to him. “E Congratulazioni per il tuo matrimonio, giovane.” We all laugh, except my youngest, as he congratulates Sloane on her wedding. Everyone knows everything here.
“We’ll see how it goes. It’s a rocky start. There was only one cookie in that bag. I thought at least there’d be like a reception cookie after gym class, but nope.” We all laugh except Sloane who is completely serious.
Gus sits down with us at the table. “Mangiate, dovete mangiare tutto il buono. Oof. This old man is tired and leaving from all the specialty cooking. Empty plates, okay girls? And Daisy, don’t do that to this old man’s heart again.”
She nods.
Sloane says with a mouthful of meatball, “Sì. Sì. Buona notte, Signore. Dormi bene e mangerò tutto il cibo.” His knees creak as he pushes up from the chair, patting Sloane on the head.
The girls and I laugh a lot at dinner. I don’t know what Maggie is up to, but we all need a minute to recalibrate. Daisy has been tight lipped about their conversation but tomorrow I’m telling her, I’m keeping Maggie. If she’ll still have me.
“Let me get this straight, Slygirl. You’re a vegan when?”
Daisy sips on her water as Sloane shoves another large meatball into her mouth and says, “When I’m at home.”
“But if we’re at a restaurant all bets are off?” Sloane moans her agreement while ripping into another meatball.
“Yes. I’m all carnivore here.”
Daisy asks, “Only at this place?”
“Maybe all Trattorias. I don’t know about the meatballs or the veal shanks at other places, but this one is fire.”
I grin and subtly check my phone for the billionth time. Daisy pulls her out and reads something. “No phones at the table, Daze.”
She glares at me, then looks down at mine on the table.
“I’m just checking on something.”
Sloane swallows a large portion of meatball and says, “Call her. Let your freak flag fly and get down on your old lady already.”
Daisy scoffs. “Speak something from this century.”
“No, man. You will not harsh my meat mellow.”
“Sloane. We’re done. If you’re done swallowing fistfuls of meat, let’s get to the business at hand.”
Both girls jump up and say, “Passeggiata!” The traditional Italian post meal walk has become our thing. We stroll through streets that have healed us in this nightly ritual. They’re the moments we spend together with no expectation except gelato at some point.
“Dad. I’m sorry,” Daisy says.
I clap my hands together, “There it is! Took you long enough.”
“Not about ditching school.” I raise my eyebrows at her, and Sloane howls with laughter. “I mean, I am sorry, and it sucks you grounded me but that’s not all the bad stuff I feel bad about.”
I fling my arm around her shoulders, and Sloane takes her hand. I’m so fucking grateful for this little family. I like this version. Gemma and the endless parade of political pictures and demands on all of our time was our first phase. Now we get to, for lack of a better phrase, let our freak flags fly. There’s no judgment, just peace, love and understanding. She’s got me thinking like a freaking hippie.
“I don’t want you to feel bad about anything, so let’s get it out. And from now on, let’s always let it all out.”
“I can do that.” Daisy says and I squeeze her closer and she pulls Sloane to her.
Sloane grins, “I love us.”
Next step, tell them I’m in love with Maggie. Maggie knows this but hasn’t spoken to me in six hours. I turn to head to Saline’s gelato store, but Daisy tugs me away.
“No. I found a new place.”
“You know me. I’m always up for a new experience. But Saline will not love us.” I take her hand again. “Bug, I know we’re all okay but what were you sorry about?” I say hedging toward a Maggie conversation but when we turn a corner and there are candles everywhere. Candelabras and on all the tables outside of the small little spot where we like to get pizza. There are flowers in every corner of the street and on all the tables.
Daisy has tears running down her face. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
She blurts out, “Maggie has something to tell you.” My head snaps to the candles again, and she steps out.
Sloane claps and yells, “Hey, Mags!”
Her hair is pulled back, and her long bangs are framing her perfect and breathtaking face. She’s in a billowy yellow dress like the color of those damn lemons, and I’m breathless. She’s beaming a smile, and I turn to my girls.
Sloane grins at me and says, “Daddy, we’re headed to my husband’s house for the night.”
“Ernesto?”
“Yeah. You know his mom.”
“I do?” I see her at the end of the street and did not realize she’s the baker. The cookie making more sense now. Sloane got herself a sugar daddy, for real.
Daisy says, “And she said we could stay after I told her we needed to give you a night off. One that involved her. And Maggie’s supposed to be at a hotel because they started moving the rest of the bats tonight. And well, here.” She waves her gangly arms around like she’s shooing away flies.
My heart lurches with so much love watching Daisy try to own the moment. I appreciate the moxie but it’s all a bit - wait.
I finally grasp what they’re doing. “I’m on a date?”
They both nod with very large smiles.
“And you’re okay with it?”
They nod again. “Dad, I’m sorry. I wanted everything to stay the same and it’s not. It can’t be. It can be different. But I don’t want to guilt you into doing things you don’t want and giving up the things you do like Grandpa.” She kisses me on my cheek and then takes Sloane’s hand. They both run and hug Maggie. My heart can’t take this for one more moment. Wow.
I yell, “Grazie. I’ll be by to pick them up in the morning.”
“Prego. Ciao.” As they disappear, I’m left with destiny in a dress. I quickly eat up the space between us and she looks ethereal, like she swallowed the candlelight and it’s pouring out of her.
I open my mouth, but she shoves her hand over it.
Her voice is sweet and rushed. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. I will always love you. And now, if you’re okay with it, I get to love, openly, proudly and forever. I love you so much. I love you. I can’t stop saying it out loud. I love you, I love you, Colt. I love you, Colton Andrews.”
I nip at the hand covering my mouth, and she pulls it back. I kiss her with all the swirling chaos of not knowing what the future holds and the excitement of knowing without a doubt it will hold this insane, large undeniable love we’ve never been able to get over. I can’t wait to live in it.
I wind my hand through her hair and undo it, so it falls around her shoulders in the most beautiful, natural way. I trace her ruby lips with my finger, and she gasps a little bit. I continue outlining her jaw and collarbone.
She says, “There’s pizza.”
I don’t stop caressing her face. “Not hungry for pizza.”
“Since when?”
“Shh.” I kiss her lightly as I nuzzle into her neck, her skin doing that goosebump thing that signals her excitement.
She whispers, “Gelato?”
I suck on the spot just behind her ear as I run my hands down her arms and land one hand on her hip and the other on the outside of her breasts. “You.”
She gasps as her hands clutch my bicep. “Me, what?”
“I’m hungry for you.”
“Thank God.” My hands skate down the side of her body, grazing her lush hips and perfect tits on the way down.
“I know everyone did all of this, but we can come back after. I need to see that lipstick in a ring around my cock. Mark me up. It’s all I can think about, my love.”
“Now, I’m the one that’s supposed to be hungry?” I thrust my tongue into her luxurious and waiting mouth. Her velvet tongue sliding against mine in a divine and familiar way that’s wholly owned by us. We gnash and moan into each other. I have to tear her fucking apart very soon so when we put ourselves back together, we’re like a knitted bone, stronger than before.
I move her closer and she feels how much I want her. “That’s a very big erection, you got there.”
“You think you can do something about it?”
“Here?” Her eyes bug out of her head and although it’s an intriguing thought, sweet Maggie misunderstood in her very Maggie way.
“Turns out I have an empty house two blocks from here, and as painful as my dick is we should probably go before I fucking shred that sweet, yellow flowered dress of yours. I don’t want anyone watching me peel down whatever lingerie you’ve chosen. And I’d like to fuck you hard against the door. Then I’ll lay down in my bed and you can ride my face until you lose your voice from screaming. After, if you still need more, as my girl always does, I’ll fill you again because you’re so good at taking my cock and once is not going to be enough. Sound good?”
She’s panting and her eyes are dark and delicious. Fuck, she’s god damned sexy with a body I’ll delight in using in all the best ways. She steps back from me and removes her heeled sandals. I adjust into my waistband so I don’t scare small children or old nonnas. She loses about two inches when she removes her shoes. I don’t know why she’s doing this but it’s adorable.
I stare at her and ask, “Sound good? It seems you didn’t answer my question.”
She’s dangling her sandals from lovely fingers with a glint in her eyes. She takes off running, and I’m stunned. She shouts over her shoulder.
“First one back gets to come first!” It echoes off the buildings. And then there’s wild screaming as she careens around the corner. I give her a head start to make it competitive, then I tear after her. We race past the open garage door, and Enzo and his wife are sitting at their café table and they both yell, “Finally!”
I catch her easily because she’s wildly waving her arms and taking little cute girl running steps. I know she can be an outdoorsy girl, but she wants to get caught.
I snag her around the waist and swing her around. Then I toss her over my shoulder as she lets out a high pitch carefree giggle. One that lightens the world as if you can almost see a filter being put on the world. I race with her over my shoulder down the block. I smack her ass, and she almost catapults off my shoulder with a squeal. So, I bite it.
“Quit playing with my butt.”
“Never.” I smack it again as I slow down at my front door. I kiss her ass, then put her down in front of me. She goes up on her toes and kisses me sweetly, and as I’m about to move closer, she reaches behind her.
She smacks the door and proclaims, “I win.”
“Guess you get to come first.”