Page 32 of Better Than Gelato
“Carmen, Carmen, Carmen,” Paolo says, and I have a feeling this is a conversation they have often. He gives a sigh. “I’d be delighted to drive everyone home. Would you like me to tuck you in as well?”
“No, that won’t be necessary.” Carmen smiles triumphantly and goes to get her purse.
“Thanks, Paolo,” Jake says. “We appreciate the ride.”
Paolo waves away his thanks. “I’ll get my keys and round up the others,” he says.
“We’ll meet you at the car,” Jake replies.
Jake and I slip out the door and walk down the hall to the elevator. As soon as the door closes, Jake reaches for me. His lips are on mine, and it feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment all night. I trace my fingers over his three freckles. I run my hand through his hair. There’s a dizzying feeling of electricity and adrenaline and then the doors open and we spill out into the lobby. The doorman averts his eyes, and Jake and I exit the building into the chilly fall air.
It’s too dark to find Paolo’s car, so we stand next to a tree to wait for the others to arrive.
“You look really lovely tonight,” Jake tells me.
“Grazie.” Part of me wants to tell him how funny Isa was choosing my outfit, but a bigger part wants to kiss him some more, so that’s what I do. His cheeks are cold, but his lips are warm. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me in extra close. I swear I’ve never been kissed like this in my entire life.
“Kissing you is my new favorite thing to do,” he whispers in my ear.
I hear Carmen’s voice as the crew comes outside. Reluctantly, I pull away from Jake.
He takes my hand, and we walk over to Valentina, Carmen, Diego, and Paolo.
“We couldn’t find your car,” I say. Because I feel like I need to say something.
“Ah, well, I usually keep it in the dark under that tree, but just for tonight I parked it right here.” He’s smirking at us, and I want to throw something at him.
He climbs into the driver's seat and Diego climbs into the passenger seat. Jake and I squeeze into the back with Carmen and Valentina. Valentina is mostly sitting on my lap, and her elbow is right in Carmen’s face, but no one seems to mind. I get the feeling they all squish in here a lot.
We drop Jake off first since he doesn’t live far from Piazza Duomo. I use all my self-restraint to give him a short kiss, acutely aware of the four other people in the car. Diego and Carmen go next. They live just two blocks apart. I fake a big yawn and mention how tired I am in the hopes that Paolo will take me home next and have some one-on-one time with Valentina. It doesn’t work. Valentina’s apartment is a five-minute drive from Carmen’s, while I live another twenty minutes away in the suburbs.
“Sorry you have to drive me all the way out here,” I tell Paolo.
“Di diente,”he says. It’s nothing. “As the only one in the group with a car, Carmen sometimes mistakes me for the group’s taxi driver.”
“Well, you’re a wonderful host. And it was a great party.”
“Indeed it was. Until we got to dessert. I have no idea how a woman so lovely could create something so foul. I feel like I can still smell it in the car with us.”
“I want to defend her and say it wasn’t that bad, but it was.”
“I’m going to remember that coffee mug trick.”
“Jake is a pretty smart guy.” I run my fingers over the leather armrest of my seat.
“Smart enough to snatch up a good thing when he sees it.”
Do I like being snatched up?
We pull into the Rossis’ parking lot and Paolo kills the engine.
“So, as a best friend, what do you think about it?” I ask.
Paolo looks at me innocently and stays silent.
“I know you have an opinion you’re dying to share. Let’s hear it.”
“Julieta Dolcetta.” Paolo turns and faces me. “As your ‘best friend,’ I want you to be happy. If this makes you happy, I think that’s great.”
