Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Marialena walks in. Looks like we're having a reunion in the kitchen.
"Oh my God, Marialena," Flo says. "How is Mario? Is he better? Tell me he's better."
"I saw him this morning," Marialena says. "He's doing so much better. We were really scared there. Thank God Sergio was there at the right time."
"So she calls him by his first name, too," I say.
Quinn shakes her head. "She's his cousin!" She looks at Marialena. "I'm so glad Mario's doing better.”
“Thank you. What were you all talking about?”
Quinn gets a triumphant look. “Tell me, Marialena. We were saying there’s something special about Eden. Do you agree?"
Marialena nods. "Of course there is. She's the best person I know, and I know a lot of people."
What? My cheeks heat. “Are you guys still talking about me?"
Quinn shakes her head and jerks her thumb in my direction. “See? Adorable."
Flo puts her hand on my shoulder. "Sergio came back because he wanted to see you. I would bet my life savings on it.”
Marialena gives her a withering look. “I know what your life savings is, and I'm not impressed." Flo throws up a middle finger at her. Quinn smiles.
"I heard Sergio saved Mario's life?” I ask.
Marialena nods. "He absolutely did. I don't think anybody knows the full story yet, but there's a security camera that caught everything. You guys, Sergio, like, lifted the car off of Mario. Like a weight lifter. Like he was on a movie set. If I’d been with Mario instead, we’d be planning his funeral right about now."
We’re all silent for a moment, all of us thinking about that. I may be the one most focused on the idea of Sergio lifting a car off a man, his muscles straining under the weight, that look of concentration on his face…
Sergio saved his life.
Maybe he saved mine, too.
I look down at the potatoes, but I don't see them.
Marialena grins. “You guys, my grandmother is actually coming down here to personally thank him.” Flo gasps and covers her mouth.
Marialena turns to me. “OK, so Nonna doesn't leave the house. You have to understand. It's a really huge thing for her to come all the way down here to see Sergio just for saving Mario."
"Well, saving someone's life is a big deal," Quinn says.
"Mario and Sergio are best friends," Marlialena says. "Sergio is older, but they've always had just like… a connection. I'm sure Sergio would do it again in a heartbeat if he had to, and Mario would do the same thing, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't a huge deal."
It must've been so terrifying, him seeing his friend like that, not knowing if he was going to be able to help him or save him. My heart goes out to him. And then that same night, he came back and checked on me and everybody else at the club and now today, he says he has a job to do. I'd be willing to bet that job has something to do with checking in on Mario.
"Oh, Eden?” Marialena smiles. “That's a lot of potatoes. Tell me you're making that potato soup that you make with the cheese and the sour cream and all those super deliciously fattening things and carbs that I need because I'm on my period and that magical thing you do with a potato…”
“Have you tried that bread she makes with cinnamon sugar with like that butter swirl, and she slices it and serves it with like this apple butter stuff and like fresh butter that she makes by hand?" Flo asks. “Fresh butter, girls.”
"Eden, I need that bread before I go back home. Can you promise me that?" Marialena says.
"Of course. I’ll make a few and freeze them so you can have them later.” I draw in a breath, summoning my courage and my bravery. I have something to ask them and it's completely unusual for me. I've never done anything like this in my life. "And now I have a favor to ask of you." I gesture to my clothes. "I am tired of looking like an Amish person."
Flo screams with laughter. Marialena claps her hands. Quinn throws her arms around me and hugs me. "Atta girl. Sergio deserves a prize for saving Mario's life. And I think we have the perfect one right here."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sergio
When I’m apart from her, all I can think about is where she is, what she’s doing. All I can think about is getting back to her.
When I return to Bella Notte, I can tell it's a busy night tonight. Our valets are working hard, trotting from one car to the next. Our parking lot is full, and there's an expectant energy in the air.
I visited Mario. I’d gotten news from Gloria and asked some questions. I have my suspicions, but I'm not going to make any moves until I confirm them.