Page 87 of Trust Me

“Ah! Molto bene,” she yells. “My boy is here.”

She rushes over to Elio, taking him into her arms, his large frame swallowing her tiny one. Her hair is lighter like Bria’s, falling past her shoulders in curls.

“Hi, Mamma, this is Jasmine. My girlfriend,” he introduces me, pulling back from his mom.

She gasps, her hand covering her mouth. “Wow, you are beautiful, darling. It’s so nice to meet you.”

I blush at her compliment, feeling my entire face turn pink. “That’s very kind, thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Hey, Papa,” Elio says to a man who looks very much like him but is covered in salt-and-pepper hair.

“My son, so good to see you.” He grins, kissing Elio’s cheek.

“Papa, this is my girlfriend, Jasmine,” Elio introduces me for what feels like the hundredth time in five minutes.

“Pleasure to meet you.” He grabs my hand and shakes it, giving me a sweet smile.

“It’s very nice to meet you.” I smile back, leaning into Elio’s touch on my lower back.

We spend the rest of dinner getting to know one another, along with being introduced to Caleb, Daniella’s boyfriend, and Troy, who is Gabriella’s husband.

His family is warm and welcoming. There’s never an awkward moment, and the conversation flows easily as we eat. You can tell how much they love one another, and it makes me envy what they have.

Dinner seems to be an important event in their family, as each course is brought out separately, giving enough time for ample conversation in between. This also works out for my stomach because I need the extra time to get ready for the next course. Everything that’s been put out has been delicious, from the arancini balls to the lasagna.

My family isn’t very big, and I didn’t grow up having siblings like Elio did. I’ve always wanted a big family of my own one day, not wanting my children to grow up the way I did. I felt alone and smothered for most of my life. But I don’t want kids right now. I’m almost finished with school and still need to figure out what the hell I’m going to do after the holidays.

Time’s ticking on how long I have until I have to make a decision, and I don’t know whose path I’ll follow.

My parents or mine.

Chapter 35

Elio

In a little over a month, I’ve managed to secure a prime location for Isaiah’s mom’s music studio.

It’s central, easy to access, and close to neighborhoods with schools, meaning more potential customers for her.

In that time, we’ve done a complete rebranding, along with creating her social media presence. So far, the response has been great. Her followers are interacting with her content, and many have signed up for spots at the new location, which is opening today.

There’s a big red bow at the front, ready for Tammy to cut and signify the beginning of this new journey for her and her family. One that will not only allow Isaiah to keep his spot on the team, but one that will ensure all of his siblings can pursue their dreams too.

I watch with pride from the sideline as Tammy cuts the bow, surrounded by Isaiah and his two younger brothers. It fills me with a sense of accomplishment and joy like no other, seeing how happy they look and knowing I helped get them here.

I’ve assured Tammy that I’ll continue to consult with her for the first six months to make sure she’s on track, since small businesses tend to struggle the first few months of their opening.

It’s made me think more seriously about making this my next adventure. Helping small businesses flourish. I’ve begun working on business plans during my downtime and I’m excited to see where this can go after graduation.

Jasmine’s thrilled by the idea, having been nothing but supportive. She wanted to be here today, but due to the press, she didn’t come. If her dad caught wind of it, we’d be screwed.

“Coach!” Isaiah yells, catching my attention. “Get over here.”

I walk toward the Thomas family, who are all smiles from ear to ear. His two siblings appear to be younger, about ten or twelve if I had to guess.

“Whoa, it’s really him,” one of them whispers to the other.

Isaiah chuckles. “Yes, this is Elio Mazzo, my coach and the best hockey player to ever exist.”

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