Down to Business (Business Series) (10 page)

I half-smiled. “I kinda got that hint from your uncle. He said he was in prison?”

“Yes, for embezzlement.”

I nodded slowly. “So your mother divorced him because of the embezzlement?”

“No and yes. She was just sick of his crap. She took me and we moved to the Hamptons. Dad and my older brother Jimmy stayed in Manhattan and opened Mazzolas. Then Dad went back to prison a few years after it opened, and my brother didn’t want it, so my mother took it over. She said it would be a good investment for us and it has been.”

I arched my brows. “Your father was okay with that?”

“He had to be. I know it sounds nuts, but my parents get along when it comes to family and business. It’s their personalities that clash.”

“I can understand that,” I said with a nod.

“Why did your parents get divorced?”

I frowned. “Well, my parents never told me the real reason, but I think my father was cheating on my mother.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah,” I said with a shrug. “I’m over it. We’re okay without him.”

“I feel the same way. We’re better off without them.”

We smiled at one another and I felt that bond I experienced earlier with him getting stronger. It was crazy that we came from two different worlds but still had similar experiences.

Before I knew it, we were back at the party. He put the car in park, letting it idle as he looked over at me. “Well, here we are.”

I looked back at him unsure of what to say. “Thanks for bringing me along, I had a nice time.”

He smirked and removed his glasses, putting them back in the glove box. “I’m pretty sure tonight was about as fun as getting a body wax.”

“You’d know what that feels like?” I asked with a smile.

“Unfortunately. My ex hated body hair and it kinda comes with the Italian territory.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I laughed. “Well meeting your uncle was certainly unforgettable.”

“That was only a taste of the insanity,” he said giving me a genuine smile. “You haven’t met the rest of my family.”

“Either way, I had a good time, regardless.”

“Me too,” he said watching me with a curious expression. “I’ve never met a girl like you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, crossing my arms loosely over my stomach.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way. I’ve never met a girl who’s willing to visit an old folk’s home and eat spaghetti with a plastic fork, while watching Jeopardy with my crazy uncle.”

I laughed, covering my face with my palm. “I knew I never should have eaten the spaghetti.”

“No, it’s good. I like a girl with self-confidence.”

“That wasn’t self-confidence, and don’t forget I almost choked to death. That was the icing on the cake.”

He chuckled. “You would have lived. I’m CPR certified.”

Imagining his mouth close to mine, regardless of being in near a death situation, made me warm all over.

“Well if I would have known that,  I might have fell over and pretended to be unconscious.” I teased.

He grinned and shook his head at me. I swore I saw a hint of embarrassment.

My cheeks flared and I pressed my lips together to stop smiling. “So, where did you learn how to be a hero?”

He smirked. “When I first got to college, I wanted to be a paramedic.”

“What changed your mind?”

He rubbed his hands over the steering wheel. “Wasn’t really my thing, and my mother needed my help with Mazzolas.”

“Ah.”

The conversation came to a dead halt and silence descended over us. The mood clearly stated; it was time to put out or get out. I stared ahead, anxiety chewing at my every nerve. After a few more moments of insufferable silence, it was clear he wasn’t going to kiss me goodbye, so I decided to go.

“I guess I should get back in there and start the search…” I reached for the door handle and looked over at him.

“Oh, yeah I guess so.”

I felt a pang of disappointment in his agreeable response. I just ate a plate of spaghetti and I probably reeked of garlic…not kissing material anyway.

Just as I yanked the door handle, he spoke up.

“Hey, Autumn?”

“Yeah…?” I asked, looking over at him again. He was leaning much closer than before.

“Can I get your number?”

“Yeah sure…” Blood rushed to my head and my heart drummed in my ears. I took his phone from his outstretched hand and typed my number into it before passing it back to him.

“Thanks,” he said, looking down at it approvingly with a hint of smile on the corner of his lips.

“You’re welcome. I’m surprised you even asked since I know you have a lot of
friends
,” I blurted, thinking of the girls I saw him with earlier.

“What friends?” he asked looking over at me.

I bit my lip in regret. “I saw you with those girls earlier. They’re your friends, right?”

He snorted and tore his gaze away with a shake of his head. “No. Those aren’t my friends.”

“Oh.” I pressed my lips together wishing I never said anything.

“Those kinds of girls aren’t your friend,” he looked at me again, his face stern. “They are only looking for a good time.”

I nodded. “I get it.”

“That’s what I meant when I said you were different. You’re not like them or any of the girls in the pack of whore hounds that follow me around.”

Did he call them whore hounds?

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

He smiled. “What?”

“Nothing, just…you called them whore hounds. I’ve never heard that term.”

“I might have made it up. What do you call them?”

“Sluts.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, then they’re sluts.”

“How do you know I’m not like them?”

He smirked. “I just know. You’re definitely not one of them.”

“Is that a good thing?” I asked, watching him.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing… a
really
good thing.”

His gaze drifted over me in a way that made every hair on my body stand on end. Heat pooled in my stomach when I realized we were leaning close enough to kiss. My heart pounded against my ribs as I helplessly gazed down at his lips, the need to kiss him overwhelming me. I guess he read my mind, his soft brown gaze drifted over my face and he leaned closer, his lashes low as he focused on my lips.

The realization that he was going to kiss me made me light headed. I closed my eyes and waited to feel the euphoric sparks of his lips against mine. Distant buzzing cut through my anticipation and I opened my eyes to see him looking down at his phone that was resting in the cup holder between us.

No! Please don’t answer it!

The sinking feeling that our moment had come and gone weighed in my stomach like a boulder.  He slowly picked up the phone and we both stared down at the name. Tyler Sullivan.

Leave it to that asshole to ruin my good time. I hated him more than ever.

“Hey Tyler, what’s up?” Vinny asked, frowning. “Autumn? Yeah, she’s here with me—yeah sure Lindy can talk to her.”

He passed me the phone.

“Hello?” I asked, not hiding the annoyance in my voice.

“Where the hell are you?!” Lindy’s voice screamed into my ear.

I yanked the phone back and glared at it before cautiously answering, “I’m outside in Vinny’s car. Why?”

“Do you know what you’ve put me through for the last hour and a half?!” she screamed in a frantic voice, “I’ve been looking all over this fucking party for you! I thought you got fucking kidnapped or were locked in some room with some asshole getting raped again! What the fuck!”

“Lindy calm down! I’m fine, I just went—”

“No! I won’t calm down! Where the fuck is your phone and why aren’t you answering it?!”

“It’s in my pocket,” I said pulling it out, finding it was set to silent, and I had missed fifteen calls. Guilt strangled me as I remembered that I had put it on silent while I was in class. “I’m sorry, Lindy, I put it on silent because I didn’t want it to ring in class.”

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it! Where are you now?”

“I’m outside in Vinny’s car, I told you. I’ll come inside and find you.” I said feeling like the worst friend in the universe.

“No! Just fucking stay there and don’t move.”

“Okay…” I responded timidly as the line went dead.

I glanced over at Vinny who was staring at me with his brows pulled together. “Everything okay?”

“Not really. Lindy has been trying to get ahold of me since we left. She’s freaking out.”

He glanced out the side window and frowned. “Here she comes now…man she looks pissed.”

I looked up to see her stomping across the street in her stilettos with Tyler following close behind.

I covered my mouth and gasped as a car came to a screeching halt, almost hitting her. Tyler paused to yell at the driver while she continued marching toward us with a scowl.

Anxiety stung my every nerve as she stormed up to the passenger door and yanked on it. Thankfully, it was locked. Lindy was the last person I wanted to deal with in a bad mood and tonight she looked like she was angry enough to beat the shit out of me.

“Open the door!” she yelled, banging hard on the glass.

I readied myself before pushing open the door and getting out. “Lindy,” I said trying to sound as sympathetic as I could.

“You bitch!” she screamed and threw her purse at me. It hit me in the chest and the contents dumped all over the curb. “How could you?!”

“I’m sorry,” I stammered, kneeling to pick up her purse contents with trembling hands.

I stood back up just in time to hear her let out a sob.

“I’m so sorry.” My voice cracked and I reached out to pull her into a hug.

“Don’t fucking touch me right now, Autumn!” She stepped out of my reach and swiped at her mascara-smudged eyes.

I glanced over at Tyler and Vinny who stood beside the car, frowning. Neither of them could understand what happened. Tears of guilt blurred my vision as she ripped her things out of my hands and placed them back in her purse.

“Lindy, I’m
so
sorry.” I repeated.

She sniffled and looked toward Tyler. “Can you please go get the car? My fucking feet are killing me. I don’t want to walk all the way down the street.”

“
Sure,” he mumbled, tucking his hands into his pockets as he walked past us.

Vinny stared at me with concern. I could tell he wanted an explanation, but there was no way I could explain, not at that moment.

It felt like an eternity before Tyler’s car pulled up next to Vinny’s. Lindy got into the front passenger seat, slamming the door.

I reluctantly headed for Tyler’s car.

“I’ll call you, I guess?” Vinny asked behind me.

“Yeah, I’m really sorry. I’ll see you.” I said, swallowing hard and climbing into the back seat.

The tension in the car on the ride back to the apartment was unbearable. Lindy didn’t say two words to me. I would have rather had her yell at me than give me the silent treatment between mascara-smudged scowls.

What made it even worse was that every time she glared at me, Tyler would follow up with one of his own dirty looks in the rearview mirror. Neither of them knew or cared that they had possibly ruined what could have been the best moment of my life. I barely got to say goodbye to Vinny and I bet he wouldn’t call.

Once we got home, Lindy walked up the stairs barefoot and immediately went to her room with Tyler. I wasn’t tired yet, so I decided to take a shower. Once I got out, I laid down on my bed and checked my voicemails. The ones from Lindy started out playful as she taunted about making out with some guy, then she sounded confused, then angry, then worried, and by the last one, she was crying. I listened and deleted them one by one, the wall of guilt rebuilding itself inside of me.

After I finished my voicemails, I sat back against my pillows and stared at my phone. I wished I had gotten Vinny’s phone number. I felt defeated, like I had lost the only chance to kiss him I’d ever get. I closed my eyes, reminiscing about how much I enjoyed my night with him. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I felt when I was around him, especially since we barely knew each other.

It dawned on me that what I swore wouldn’t happen, was indeed happening—I was falling for a guy…and it was only my first day of college. And what was even crazier, is that I didn’t regret it…at least not yet.

Vinny was a nice guy and if there was a chance for us be more than friends, there was no way I was going to say no. I turned off my light and curled under my blanket, letting thoughts of Vinny and the future carry me off to sleep.

I only slept five hours but I felt rested the next morning. I didn’t have class, which was a relief. I climbed out of bed feeling pretty good, until I remembered what happened the night before with Lindy. I walked out to the kitchen to find her sitting on the counter, wrapped around Tyler like a spider monkey while they made out.

I rolled my eyes and bypassed them to get myself a bowl of cereal. They didn’t seem to notice I was there until I sat down at the table. “Can you two please go to your room? I’m trying to eat breakfast.”

Lindy glared over at me. “You want me to be considerate after what you did last night?”