Gio (5th Street) (16 page)

Gio immediately jumped up onto the railing of the porch and made himself comfortable. Noah offered Bianca and Felix a seat on the porch bench no one was utilizing. Noah had been leaning against the railing when they arrived and Abel sat on the other side of the porch’s railing while Hector sat comfortably on the porch stairs. Bianca sat and took the beer Noah offered, feeling a little awkward as she sipped it. Obviously, they were all going to have a few pre-dinner drinks right there on the porch.

“So what’s the big announcement?” Felix asked.

Noah gave him a knowing look. Even Bianca who didn’t know them could guess this one. A couple only ever announced one of two things, a pregnancy or an engagement but she kept her thoughts to herself.

“Roni wanted to do this so I can’t say anything yet but…” he sort of rolled his eyes then chuckled.

A phone rang in the distance and Noah patted his pants, coming up with nothing. He paused to listen as it rang again. It was coming from inside. “That’s me.” He pushed himself away from the railing. “I’ll be back,” he said rushing into the house.

As soon as he was out of sight, Felix scooted up to the edge of the bench they were sitting on and asked Abel. “So what do you think? She’s pregnant or they’re getting married?”

“If she’s pregnant, knowing Noah it’s both.” Abel frowned turning to Gio. “You should talk to him, dude. They don’t have to get married just ‘cause she’s pregnant.”

Gio’s reaction to that was defensive. “What difference would it make? They’re already living together.”

Abel leaned over looking into the front door cautiously then lowered his voice. “Nothing against Roni. You know I love her. But this shit went down real fast, him moving in with her and all. That age difference thing may not be a big deal now but when they get older and it gets more noticeable things could go sour fast.”

Abel brought his finger to his lips in exasperation then peered into the front door again. Bianca watched and listened to all of this fascinated.

“She likes her just fine but eight years is eight fucking big ones,” Abel said keeping a watchful eye on the door. “Marriage is huge. Even if she is pregnant maybe they should just live together a few more years. You never know what could happen. He might realize maybe he did jump into this too quick. Maybe the age difference will be too much the older she gets.”

Gio shook his head taking a drink of his beer. “Man, he better never hear you say that.”

“Why? I’m just looking out for him.”

Gio continued to shake his head adamantly. “Dude, I don’t care how big you are. He ever hears you say something like that he’ll rip your fucking head off.”

Bianca felt like she had front row tickets to something girls were rarely given access too. Real live, uncensored guy talk. She was enjoying it just as much as the next nosy person until Felix put in his two cents. “I’m gonna have to agree with Abel on this.”

“Thank you!” Abel said, lifting his beer at Felix and turning back to Gio.

“Whoa.” Felix lifted his hand then turned to the door lowering his voice. “Not about the age thing. Noah scored with Roni. She’s a hot little thing. I don’t think she looks older than him now and I don’t think she ever will. But the committing for life thing at his age?”
This
is what had Felix shaking his head now and it made Bianca’s insides twist. “That’s crazy.”

Gio’s face soured. “He’s twenty-one and we all know Noah’s always been way older on the inside than any of us. That’s why Roni is so perfect for him.”

“Why is Roni so perfect for me?” Noah said stepping out the door.

Bianca nearly spit out her beer. She managed to avoid making a total ass of herself swallowing down hard what was in her mouth. Her eyes watered as the gas came back up her nose.

Gio took a slow swig of his beer before smiling at Noah. “Because she keeps your ass in check.”

Noah laughed. “Whatever. She’s never even had to try.” He turned to Bianca. “Speaking of, dinner is gonna be few more minutes but Roni asked me to send you in, Bianca. She’s in there finishing up and she wanted to meet you.”

Bianca stood up smiling. Felix stood with her. “I wanna say hi to Roni, too.” They both followed Noah back in the house. Gio barely waited for them to be out of earshot before looking back at Abel. “Look, I hear where you’re coming from but don’t even go there with him. It will
not
go over well. I’m telling you” Abel frowned, making Gio shake his head again. “All right, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Gio always knew Abel had his reservations about Noah dating someone so much older than him but he’d kept it to himself for the most part. This is why it surprised him that Abel was being such a hard ass about it now. Gio knew Abel just had Noah’s best interest at heart, but Abel couldn’t be that blind. Noah wasn’t changing his mind about Roni—not now, not ever.

A top-of-the-line SUV pulled up in front of Noah’s house, distracting them all momentarily. Gio continued to take sips of his beer as the girl in the SUV stepped out and walked around to the passenger side of the truck. She wore all black—a black sweater dress, black tights and black heels. Even her hair that she wore in a sophisticated sleek bob looked black in the evening light. She leaned into the passenger side door to get something giving them all a clear view of a very nice ass.

Hector, who’d been leaning back on the stairs sat up. “Who’s that?”

Both Gio and Abel shook their heads. Unlike Abel, who seemed just as interested as his brother, Gio was curious more than anything. Neither Noah nor Roni had any family that he knew of. As she walked up the walkway and Gio got closer a look, his jaw dropped. “Nellie?”

Abel’s head literally jerked back to Gio and was back on Nellie in an instant—Roni’s best friend. She’d done a complete one-eighty since the last time they’d seen her. “Hey, guys,” she said walking up the stairs.

Gio got up to hug her. “Wow, Nel. You look so different.”

Abel and Hector weren’t as affectionate they both just smiled nodding their heads to greet her.

“Yeah, I finally put the weight back on that I lost last year.” Gio tried not to stare too hard as he took all of her in. She was the epitome of sophistication. Her nails were perfectly manicured, she was draped in expensive jewelry and her makeup was as flawless as the times Bianca said she’d had hers done. “It was a rough year for me but I’m better now.”

Gio smiled in agreement. “Well, you certainly look all better.” Neither Hector nor Abel said much but Gio caught the way Abel checked her out several times. Gio couldn’t help but smirk as he got the door for Nellie. “Roni’s inside. They said dinner is almost ready.”

Gio watched her walk all the way in, then turned to Abel. “Damn!” He chuckled. “Too bad she’s eight fucking big ones older than us, huh?”

Abel rolled his eyes leaning back on the railing. “Even if she wasn’t she’s not my type.”

“Bullshit!” Gio laughed. “I saw the way you were eatin’ her up with your eyes.”

Abel shrugged with a smirk. “I didn’t say she didn’t look good. I’m just saying she’s not my type. I’ve talked to her before and on top of being too old for my taste I heard she’s got tons of drama going on in her life. No thanks. I’ll pass.”

Noah opened the door. “Perfect timing.” The guys all turned to look behind them at whoever he was talking to and saw Jack walking up the walkway. “I was about to tell these guys dinner is ready. So you’re just in time, Jack.”

Jack pretended to swing at him now and Hector dodged out of the way. “I’ll swing at you again if your brother tells me you’re still gettin’ in trouble at school, you wise ass.”

Gio turned to Hector. “You still getting in trouble?” Hector shrugged, glancing at Abel who wasn’t smiling. “What’s your problem?”

“His problem is he needs to stop wasting that brain he’s got on bullshit.” Abel shook his head, glaring down at Hector. “He can ace his AP stats class but he can’t figure out how to stay out of trouble.”

Hector rushed by Abel and into the house before Abel who looked ready to take a swing at him got a chance.

Gio laughed as they all walked in together. Roni looked as adorable as ever with her long tight ringlets hanging down around her face and as expected their announcement wasn’t much of a surprise. Nellie still stood up and hugged Roni with a squeal. Then she hugged Noah. “I already knew but still. I’m so excited for you guys!”

Noah rolled his eyes but laughed. “I figured that much. She swore me to secrecy but she told you?”

“I had to tell someone!” Roni explained.

Watching them as they talked about babies and marriage and their future there was no doubt in Gio’s mind Noah was not making a mistake. Abel’s mom was just old school but to Abel she could do or say no wrong. Whatever the woman said was golden as far as he was concerned. As much as Abel could kick some ass for the most part he stayed cool unless provoked. But the one thing that would light his fuse faster than anything was saying something bad about that boy’s momma. You couldn’t even mess around with
Yo Momma
jokes with him unless you wanted your ass handed to you.

It made sense now. If his mom had told him she thought eight years was too much of an age difference, no wonder he was so damn adamant about it.

Roni and Noah spoke of their plans to turn one of the extra bedrooms in the house into a nursery as soon as they found out the gender of the baby.

Gio’s eyes locked with Bianca’s a few times as the dinner went on. At first, he thought he’d imagined it. Maybe she’d just looked his way and their eyes had just so happened to stop at the same time. But it happened
several
times after that. As nervous as it made him that someone might notice he
could not
bring himself to stop looking her way.

She may as well have been glowing because regardless of where his eyes focused in an effort to keep them off her she always stayed in his peripheral view. He was aware of her every movement. Anytime she lifted her glass, or wiped her mouth was reason enough to look her way. It came as a bit of a surprise, but it was almost annoying too that he had so little control over something so simple—staying focused on whoever was speaking. What surprised him most was how indiscreet
she
was. Thankfully Felix was too busy yapping and catching up with the guys to notice her wandering eyes.

“So, Abel I hear you’re finally getting rid of your truck?” Roni said as she stood lifting her plate from the table.

“Get rid of it? No way. Old Nellie still has a few years left in her. I’m passing her on to this guy if he ever stops getting in trouble.” He pointed to Hector not noticing the room suddenly felt like someone had pulled the plug on the cheery buzz that had filled the air just before his comment.

Finally, something drew Gio’s attention away from Bianca and he turned to Nellie who was now on her feet also lifting her plate, her lips pressed tightly together.

Gio caught the murderous glare Noah gave Abel.

“I… I didn’t mean it like that,” Abel stammered understanding now the error of his choice in words. “It’s a saying. You know, like old Bessie.”

Nellie nodded with a smirk but lifted a very telling eyebrow. “No worries. I have a few good years left in me, too.” She took her plate and glass and walked away to the kitchen. Jack, who sat next to Gio, shook his head chuckling as he dug into his slice of pie.

“What the fuck’s the matter with you?” Noah hissed at Abel under his breath.

“It’s okay,” Roni tried to assure them, continuing to gather more empty plates atop of hers. “I’m sure she knows you didn’t mean anything by it. And her middle name is Bessie by the way.” Abel’s jaw fell open and Roni giggled. “I’m kidding!”

Felix laughed a little and Bianca jabbed him with her elbow but he could tell she was having a hard time holding it in herself. As tempted as Gio was to say something, he kept his comments to himself. He could tell Abel was already feeling like a dumbass the way he glanced around as if he was trying to think of a way to bolt out of there. Served him right for what he’d said earlier.

Wisely, Abel didn’t make things worse by commenting further about “Old Nellie.” He cleared his throat and took a drink of his beer. Then he turned to Noah who was still glaring at him. “I, uh. I thought I’d stick with another truck but when I saw this car my uncle had told me about, I had to have it.”

“Figures you’d get a muscle car.” Gio chuckled, still struggling from keeping his eyes roaming into dangerous territory especially since all eyes were on him for the moment.

Roni and Nellie strolled back into the room and sat down. Roni reached for a dessert plate while Nellie reached for her glass of wine and took a sip. Gio couldn’t help smirk at Abel’s noticeable discomfort.