Page 64 of Say It Isn't So

I nodded and leaned on the bar. “Fine with me. Thank you.” It’d help me keep my wits about me where a certain vixen was concerned.

“Good to see you again,” Allie said to me, smiling.

“Likewise. It’s been a long time.”

Maria smiled and agreed, “That it has.”

So it appears they’re going to ignore the elephant in the room—fine by me.

“Where are Perla and Frankie?” Bianca asked suddenly, looking around.

I placed a hand on Bianca’s back as we turned around.

“Doing what they do best,” Allie answered, rolling her eyes. She tilted her head toward a table where they were already seated. “Those two can’t keep their hands to themselves.”

One look over my shoulder and I saw what Allie was saying. Perla was sitting on her husband’s lap, turned to face him, playing with the hair on the back of his neck as she threw her own head back in laughter. Newlyweds, I thought. They always did say the honeymoon phase lasted longer for some.

Frankly, I could relate. Bianca and I weren’t even together, and I wished that was us. I wished she was on my lap, purring in my ear as I—

“So you’re going to see Dad tomorrow,” Maria noted as the bartender poured their shots. Talking about Angelo practically erased all thoughts I’d previously been having about Bianca and what I wanted to do with her. “Are you ready for that, Knox?”

Let’s be real, it was practically public knowledge at this point that Angelo did not like me. I, personally, had no beef with the man, but I didn’t like the way he was trying to take control of Bianca’s life. Again.

Bianca looked up at me expectantly and I shrugged. “It’ll be fine.” But when I looked down at Bianca, I couldn’t help but notice she didn’t look as confident. Assuring only her now, I spoke directly to her—“Really, it’s going to be fine.”

Allie passed Bianca a shot glass while Maria gave me my beer. “Thank you,” I told her before taking a swig of it and lifting Frankie’s from the bar to pass to him as the happy couple walked up to join us finally.

Bianca held her glass in the air. “I say we make a toast.”

With the beer in one hand, Frankie snaked his other arm around Perla’s waist as he stood behind her. “What are we toasting to?” Perla asked, her eyes practically dancing as she lifted her glass from the bar.

“To family and friends,” Bianca said simply, before we all raised our drinks and I heard a round of, “Salud!” as I said, “Cheers.”

Bianca looked over at me sweetly before hitting back the shot.

Allie hit the top of the bar before gesturing with her hands in a circle, as though trying to rally cattle. “Well, I vote we split up for a few minutes. I need some girl time with my sisters.”

I cocked a brow and Maria must’ve caught it because she said, “Come on, boys, just a few minutes. You go secure our table and we’ll be right there.”

Neither of us ready to put up a fight, Frankie and I took our leave and walked away.

Patting my back, he said, “They won’t be long.”

I took another swig from my beer before responding. “Let me guess, they do this sort of thing often?”

He nodded, chuckling at just how green I was when it came to being around all of them at once (not with envy, more like new to it). “Something like that. They’re a close bunch, but once you’re in, you’re in.”

“So how did you get involved with a Morelli sister?”

“That’s a long story, but the short version? Who can resist a Morelli sister?”

Now that was something I understood all too well.

* * *

Bianca

“I envy those who can pull off red lipstick.” I pouted as I traced my bottom lip with my finger. “I’m talking about you, Perla.”

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