Baby V (Chianti Kisses #1) (6 page)

I’
m sure John and Mary had offered for us to stay with them... but it can get crazy at their house with three kids running around all day.
I’
m glad mom did
n’
t arrange that. Tony and Cecily's house is out of the question. They are going to be having a baby in three months or so, and the last thing they need is a couple of house guests hoarding around. Mike lives in bachelor pad.
 ‘
Nough said.

So, Aunt Rosie and Do
m’
s it is. Too bad Stephanie and I have
n’
t already found an apartment in the city. The timing would have been perfect and there is less of a chance that mom would shoot me down when I ask her to move out on my own if I was going to be displaced for a few months, anyway.

The highway signs for the bridge are becoming more frequent. Although
I’
d made this exact same trip countless times over and over during the last four years, it has an eerily-different feel this time. I know that this time i
t’
s permanent... not just a visit.
I’
m thinking out loud without realizing it when I catch myself.

“
Home sweet home
.
”

Dom looks happy to hear me say the words. He clears his throat nervously.
“
So... I promised John that
I’
d talk to you about taking on a role in the company, now that yo
u’
re home
,
” he tries to gauge my reaction to his comment before quickly continuing.
 “
We all have something to do with it, V. I
t’
s our legacy, and you
are
a shareholder. You need to be involved. Pick any department you want. W
e’
ll set it up. You could work with John over in legal, or Theresa in H.R. Tony says ther
e’
s tons of room in accounting. I doubt yo
u’
d want to help Mike over in logistics, but even that would be OK. V...
?
”

I’
d heard this speech a million times before. Make that a million and one now, thanks to Dom. I exhale loudly, not wanting to begin the same old diatribe, once again. Usually, i
t’
s John or Momma on my case. Now... they were bringing in backup.

“
Dom, I do
n’
t know what I want to do.
I’
m not ready to take all of that on, right now.
I’
ve told John a hundred times that I want to get an internship somewhere else first. I do
n’
t want to start a job at twenty-two years old, and know that tha
t’
s
it
for me. I want to get some real-world experience first, so I have something to offer the company when I decide to work with you guys
.
”

I have practically memorized the answer by now. It usually only keeps them at bay for a few months at a time before they start pestering me about it again. But, this time I would add a slightly different final
e’
.

“
And tell John to stop having other people do his dirty work for him
.
”

Dom remains silent for a minute, as if digesting the information I had just given him.

“
Look, V... as CEO, I help handpick interns and new hires all the time. With your GPA, extra curricular activities and educational background, I would hire you on the spot... regardless of your last name. You have plenty to offer us. Do
n’
t fool yourself, or use that as a cop-out excuse either. I do
n’
t always agree with John... but on this, I do. I have something a little different in mind than just throwing you in an office and giving you a random title just to get you on the payroll
,
”
 
he looks over to see if I am paying attention.
 “
Hear me out... I think yo
u’
ll be interested
.
”

The black SUV pulls in front of a tall brownstone in Central Park West.

“
Wake up sis, yo
u’
re home. You can go sleep in your own bed
,
” Do
m’
s words seems to do the trick.

Theresa sits up, all sleepy-eyed and stretches her arms before kissing me on my cheek and sliding through the door being held open by Dom.

“
Call me later, V
,
” she calls back.

The doorman helps Dom take his siste
r’
s suitcase out of the back, carrying it for her. She turns to  her brother, gives him a strong hug, and kisses him on the cheek before disappearing into the hundred year old building. Back in his seat, Dom looks at me before turning on his signal to rejoin traffic.

“
W
e’
ll talk about it tonight. Let me make my case, OK? I know you pretty well... better than John, I think. I guarantee you, i
t’
s something that yo
u’
ll love
.
”

Damn him. He is going to throw a monkey wrench in my plan, I just know it. It is no wonder he can practically hypnotize girls with his suave confidence. He makes you want to trust him, want to prove him right. Well, w
e’
ll see.

As the Range Rover pulls out to speed away from Theres
a’
s, Dom suddenly has to multi-task the oncoming city traffic with answering the incoming call through the car speakers. He recognizes the phone number flashing across the large built-in dashboard screen and speaks to his imaginary telephone.

“
Christopher... yo
u’
re on speaker, and
I’
m not alone
.
”

This Christopher person must be a very straight-laced and uptight person, or at least I imagine him to be as I form a mental picture to go with the deep voice and business nature of his tone.

“
Mr. D, the investigators have finished their report.
I’
m forwarding a copy to the insurance company along with our appraisals. It was a heavy hit. Stanson is still in ICU, his doctors do
n’
t see him improving enough to be moved until the end of the week
.
”

The news must be somewhat what Dom was expecting, as I do
n’
t register any shock or confusion in his expression. He simply holds the wheel with his left hand while resting his right elbow on the arm rest, supporting the weight of his chin with his fingers.

“
And what about his wife? Did you inform her of the arrangements? The last thing the guy needs right now is to worry about his family, Christopher. I want it all taken care of. Let her know
I’
ll personally stop by tomorrow to thank him. Send a copy of the report through a secure server to my home office. Send one to John, too
.
”

What the
hell
is this about? Who is Stanson, why is he in the hospital, and why does Dom need to thank him? I try to read Do
m’
s face for any hint of information, while Christophe
r’
s voice echoes to him.

“
Mrs. Stanson has been brought up to speed and is very grateful for everything.
I’
ll send you the copy as well as Mr. Lombardi. Is there anything else you need
?
”

Dom lifts off of his elbow and raises his hand, removing his baseball cap to run his fingers through his thick hair while exhaling slowly.

“
No. That should be all. Thanks for pulling this off so quickly.
I’
ll see you in the conference room, eight AM sharp
,
” he abruptly disconnects the call using the buttons on his steering wheel. Maybe now I can get some answers. Before I can even begin to form a question, he has another button pressed and the speaker is ringing. Two rings in, and John answers out.

“
Talk to me. You guys home yet?

“
Almost. Christopher is sending you his report
,
” Dom informs him
.
“
Read through it and call me back after you finish. I emailed everyone to be ready for an early meeting at the main office to deal with this. Have you heard anything from your contacts? Any noise over in Jersey
?
”

If I was confused before, I was certainly lost now. I usually hate hearing them talk business around me. I
t’
s all gibberish to me, and usually boring... but this time my curiosity is getting the better of me. What kind of noise would come out of New Jersey? I hope John will shed some light on this as I wait for him to respond to Do
m’
s question, on pins and needles.

“I’
ll call you later, at home. So... V. Ho
w’
s the hangover? Did you two talk
?
”

I choose to ignore the latter part of is question.
I’
m not getting into this again.
“
Do
n’
t know what yo
u’
re talking about big brother. I feel great, thanks
.
”

After a few awkward seconds, he must realize that I have no intention of appeasing him with the answers he is looking for, so he beats around the bush some more,
 “
Well, I hope yo
u’
re not starting a new trend with your behavior last night. I
t’
s time to grow up, V. We need to
-
”

I cut him off quickly, sensing the direction h
e’
s about to take,
 “
Wha
t’
s that John?... John... Yo
u’
re breaking up
,
” I speak to the dashboard as I lean over Dom and hit the red button on the steering wheel.

Dom looks amused, but only shakes his head back and forth.
“
You know h
e’
s only going to call back, V
.
”

I squint my eyes.

“
Answer it and
I’
ll kill you
,
” I scowl to him. Sure enough, the ringing starts and we both look to each other and laugh.

~*~

We pull up to the guard house just as the sun is starting to set. The man inside snaps up as Dom lets down the drive
r’
s side window.

“
Evening, Mr. D. Welcome home
,
”
 
he blurts out as he presses a button and the main gate starts to hum with electricity while opening. He sees me looking at him over Do
m’
s shoulder and waves.
 “
Evening Miss Lombardi. Congratulations, and welcome home
.
”

Home. It feels good to hear that word, even if it is
n’
t my childhood home that
I’
m driving up to. This is close enough. I had spent enough time in this house growing up for it to give me the same sense of relief, and comfort.

“
Night, Jim
.
”
 
Dom waves as we drive passed the standing man and up the long drive to the main house.

The DiBenedett
o’
s house is slightly larger than our own house. Nonna and I watche
d
“
Gone with the Win
d
” together when I was ten or so, and the DiBenedett
o’
s house reminded me of Tara, Scarlett
O’
Har
a’
s plantation. Whenever I drive up the long tree lined private road, I can practically hear the theme music from the movie paying in my mind.

The large windows with black shutters contrast against the gleaming white paint of the shingles. The porch lights are always on, regardless of the time of night, like a beacon welcoming you to the safety inside. When daddy passed, and we stayed at this house until Momma was ready to bring us back to the home they made for us together, those lights had soothed me more than once.

Parking in front of the large columned porch, we are barely out of the car before the front door opens and Aunt Rosie, Nonna and Momma have spilled out to greet us. All three women come to inspect me and feel my skin for fever as if I were ill. Dom lets them bombard me while unloading our luggage from the car, before cutting in and hugging his mom to distract her.