Overflow: The Carpino Series (17 page)

“Yeah,” he agrees.

Feeling talkative for some reason, I go on, “I’m glad you
like my dress, it’s new.”

“I like your panties, too,” he adds.

“They’re new, too.”

“And your boots.  You can keep them on later tonight,” he
pulls his head up to look at me.  “But without the dress and panties.”

“So you like my boots the best?” I ask grinning at him.

“No, I think I’m just liking you the best,” he reaches down
to kiss me soft and I melt into him.  Then he bosses me, “Go clean up, we’re
late.”

“You say that like it’s my fault, Jude,” I say dryly without
moving a muscle.

“It is your fault, sugar.  I couldn’t help myself,” he
smiles at me, helping me off the counter and I come down with a clomp on my
boots.  Bending to grab my panties, I make my way to clean up and I hear Jude
call after me again, “And do me a favor, Gabby, don’t bend over in that dress. 
I don’t want to have to kick anyone’s ass tonight.”

Shaking my head I mutter, “Whatever.”

“You think I’m kidding, Gabby.  I just fucked you in that
dress and those boots.  I’m feeling territorial.” he growls out. 

Seriously.  We are going to a charity function with my
family, like there’s any reason for him to feel territorial!

*****

“We basically have two tables, the firm buys a table and my
Uncle Nic’s construction company buys another.  I think we’re at the firms
table, I’m pretty sure Tony arranged that so his mom will have someone else to
bother other than his date.  My Pop will be at our table, too, and since Lilly
is by herself, I asked her to join us.  You should know everyone,” I explain as
Jude pulls my Tahoe onto the Stable grounds to park.  We brought my car because
the antlers and antique toys are mine and I need to gather them up to bring
them home. 

“This is a sweet ride, but why do you have such a big car,
Gabby?” he changes the subject, apparently not caring who’s going to be there
or where we’re sitting.

Getting used to Jude’s conversation tactics, I respond
immediately.  “I’m always hauling around furniture, large pictures or area
rugs.  I needed something big.  I like your truck, Jude, but I didn’t want
one,” I wrinkle my nose at my explanation for my choice in vehicles.  “And by
the way, we need an excuse as to why we’re late.”

“Babe, one look at you in that dress, do you really think
anyone’s going to think twice about why we’re late?”

“Jude!  This is my family!”

“Gabby, you’re an adult,” he goes on to explain. 

I look to the ceiling of my car as he parks and start to
panic, so I put my foot down, “I’m not getting out until we think of an
excuse!”

“Just blame it on me, I can handle it.”

“Ohmygoodness,” I whisper to myself and I hear Jude getting
out of the car and slamming his door. 

I hear my door open, he grabs my hand to pull me out.  I hop
down, he slams the door looking down at me and kisses me quick.  “Don’t worry,
babe.  No one’s going to say anything,” he proceeds to turn and drag me up the
hill to the Stables. 

The sun is setting and it’s a beautiful night.  The bonfires
have been lit the near the lake and people are milling all over the grounds. 
Lilly has sold all three hundred seats and it looks like they could be close to
capacity already.  The Carpino clan isn’t hard to find in large groups because
of their sheer numbers and the volume they create when they’re together. 
Tonight is no different.  They are congregated near the bar in a mass of
people, Jude must have spotted them as well because this is where he is
dragging me. 

“Jude, maybe we should go look at the lake.  We can pretend we’ve
been here and just couldn’t find them.”

“Gabby!  Over here!  Where have you been?” my Aunt Lizzie
yells, stretching her already tall body up high and waving to us dramatically. 

“Too late, sugar,” Jude says on a chuckle.

“Shit,” I whisper as I wave back and we make our way to the
craziness that is my family.

“Where have you been?” Lizzie asks.

“I decided to paint my nails at the last minute!” I respond
with enthusiasm. 

I look around and my Pop is glaring at Jude with narrowed
eyes, Uncle Gino is taking a drink of his beer while shaking his head minutely
looking to the sky and Tony is grinning huge like he finds something funny. 
Shit, shit and shit again!  Needing to do something, anything, to take the
attention off me, I try and pull a ‘Carpino’ and say, “Tony, where are your
manners?  Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Tony’s huge grin disintegrates immediately and he glares at
me.  He puts his arm around his date, looks down at her and says, “Chelsea,
this is Gabby, my cousin and her live in boyfriend, Jude.  They’ve been
together for a whole month.”  He looks back over at me and gives me a look like
he has just one upped me. 

My manners on the other hand never fail, so I stick my hand
out and say, “Nice to meet you Chelsea.  And he has his own condo!” I add for
good measure.  “What do you do?”

It was at this time that I hear Lilly calling my name from
far away, “Gabby, Gabby!”

Chelsea keeps on, “I’m a waitress at a sports bar downtown. 
But I’m in college!” she adds with excitement.

“Gabby!” I hear Lilly snap, getting closer.

Ignoring Lilly, all I can think about is Tony on a date with
a college girl.  She looks so young, she’s very pretty and petite.  I’m sure
her red hair is very natural, it’s beautiful on her fair, clear skin.  “What
are you studying?” I ask, still trying to block out Lilly’s voice.

“I’m still undecided,” Chelsea explains.

Wow.  She’s really young if she hasn’t even declared a
major.  At this point I look at Tony who’s appearing a bit uncomfortable.  I
keep at Chelsea, “So you’re what, a freshman?”

“Gabrielle Carpino!” Lilly is very close now.

Totally ignoring Lilly right along with me, Chelsea exclaims
like she is super proud of herself, “Just started my sophomore year!”

Well shit again!  She could be as young as nineteen!  Really
wanting to know when she graduated from high school, I decide to ask that later
so it doesn’t look like I’m interrogating her. 

“Gabby!” Lilly yells again, and I feel two hands grab my arm
and I look over to her and see she’s out of breath. 

But I know she’s going to want the scoop on Chelsea so I
look over at Lilly and say, “Lilly, this is Chelsea, Tony’s date.”

“Gabby, not now,” she says under her breath.  “I’ve got to
talk to you!”

Ignoring Lilly again, I go on with my snarkiness, “She’s a
sophomore in college, but she hasn’t decided on a major yet.”

“Gabby!” Lilly semi yells in my face.

But before I have time to say anything else to her or act
like a snarky bitch to get back at Tony for announcing that Jude is my live in
boyfriend, I hear a different voice, a familiar voice call out, “Gabby?”

I turn to stone.  Looking straight into Lilly’s eyes, hers
get as big as mine feel communicating the whole story to me.  James is here and
she was trying to warn me but this is what I get for being a snarky bitch to
sweet young Chelsea.  Yes, this is exactly what she is saying to me through her
eyes! 

But it’s not me who responds, it’s my Uncle Nic, who says in
an unwelcoming tone, “James?!?  What in the hell are
you
doing here?”

I close my eyes instantly as I feel Jude’s hand on my
forearm and he gently slides his hand up my arm to my shoulder.  Opening my
eyes and giving Lilly a look that hopefully communicates that I cannot
effing
believe this is happening, I let Jude turn me as he gently folds me into him,
my front to his side with his arm around my shoulders holding me there. 

This is when I see him. 

James.

My one year and three month selfish asshole boyfriend who
broke up with me right after my parents died because I was too high maintenance
for him.  He’s pretty tall, though not as tall as Jude, but somehow seeing him
now standing in front of us, I realize how much smaller he is.  And that’s
because there is no bulk to him at all.  I wouldn’t call him scrawny, but
definitely skinny, really skinny.  Skinnier than I remember, especially
standing next to Jude.  I really don’t know what to say, I haven’t seen him
once since we broke up, but that could be because I haven’t put myself out
there since he broke up with me, either.  So I simply greet him with a cool,
“James.”

“Gabby,” he says while taking in some air.  “It’s good to
see you.  You look good.  How are you?”

What in the hell?  He wants to know how I am?  All Carpino
eyes are on us and Jude’s arm tightens around my shoulders at his ‘you look
good’ comment.  But before I can answer, Jude chimes in, “She’s great.  I
should know.”

Ohmygoodness! 

James’s eyes go directly to Jude and narrow on him while
asking, “And you are…?”

“Jude Ortiz, Gabby’s man,” Jude bites out.

“Jude,” I try and rein him in.

“You’re Gabby’s
man
?” James asks, apparently needing
clarification.

“Yep,” Jude clarifies, but James’ eyes come back to me.

“I’m gonna ask again, what are you doing here?” Nic chimes
back in.

“My accounting firm bought a table,” James answers but
doesn’t look away from me. 

“Maybe you should go and find that table,” Jude returns.

James looks back to Jude.  “Maybe,” he enunciates, “but I’d
like to catch up with Gabby first.”

“Oh, really, there’s nothing to catch up on!  Everything’s
the same!” I say in the fakest happy voice I can muster. 

James looks back to me and I can see but also feel his eyes
raking over my hair, dress, legs and finally back up to my face.  “No, I think
things have changed,” James mutters.

This is when I feel Jude turn to stone against my body. 

Oh no!

I can’t see it, but I can feel the Jude Fury setting in!

Okay, it’s time to bring this scene to an end!  “Well then! 
Thanks for coming over to say hi,” I say, trying to wrap this up.  “It
was…um…you look like you’re doing well, James.  That’s good.  Good for you. 
Maybe I’ll see you around.  Or not.  It
has
been almost four years,” I
say sarcastically. 

“Yeah, it has been almost four years.  You seem different,
Gabby,” he braves.

“She’s saying goodbye so you’ll leave,” Jude says, getting my
point across much better than I did. 

I snake my arm around in back of Jude and fit myself closer
to make a point but also just because it feels good.  That’s when James looks
at Jude, back to me and then at us both together.  “Okay, Gabby, maybe I’ll see
you around,” he looks at me a beat, I raise my eyebrows giving him a fake smile
before he turns to leave. 

The Carpino Clan at least gives him enough time to get out
of earshot before starting up the Carpino Incinerator.  My Uncle Gino starts
with, “That ass, has a lot of nerve, coming up here to talk to you in front of
all of us.”

“He’s got some balls approaching Gabby at all after what he
did,” Tony adds, now on my side again.

“But did you see his face?” Paige exclaims, the only happy
one in our clan over what just happened.  “That.  Was.  Awesome!  With Jude
telling him he’s your man and all!  Jude, you’re way hotter.  It makes me so
happy that Gabby got caught in that raid with the bad gun smuggling people.  We
always hated James.  Crazy as it was, I’d pay to see that again!  That made my
night! Priceless!”

As I glare at Paige, my Uncle Tony says, “Paige, sweetheart,
you couldn’t afford to pay to see that again.  It’s time for you to get a real
job.”

“Dad!” she yells back, not finding his comment priceless. 
The rest of my family just shake their heads, as we are all accustom to Paige,
she has her own brand of crazy.

Jude softly gives my shoulders a squeeze and says, “Sugar,
you okay?”

Letting the tension go, I smile up at him only to realize
that yes, I am more than okay.  “I’m fine,” then I look at the rest of my
family and go on, “really, everyone.  I’m good!

I can see my tense family barely begin to relax (other than
Paige who seemed to love the entire exchange) and sweet Sophia saves me by
saying, “Welp, everything looks amazing, Gabby.  You did a great job!  Sorry I
wasn’t up to helping.  Two more weeks with this one, I feel like a blimp!”  She
leans against Lanny as he takes her weight with an arm around her while she
rubs her big ole preggo belly. 

“Thanks,” I answer.  Looking up at my family I say, “I need
a drink!  Who wants a drink?”

“Come on, I’ll take you to the bar,” Jude says and he takes
my hand pulling me through my family to the bar. 

As we walk through my clan, Pop puts his hand up to Jude’s
shoulder stopping our progress.  Keeping his hand on Jude’s shoulder he looks
up at Jude for more than a beat, then with his other hand slaps him on the back
giving him a little shake. Then, one more slap on the back and Pop moves to
walk away. 

I look up at Jude, grin at him and whisper, “I think you’ve
just been given approval by the king.” 

Jude leans down and kisses my head saying quietly, “I’m
glad, babe.”  And we go in search of a much needed drink.

*****

Paige is swinging Gabby around the dance floor and Tia is
trying to get in on the fun.  They are all laughing their asses off.  Gabby’s
not as drunk as she was that night with her friends, but she’s getting close to
it.  She’s drinking something called a Salty Dog, which I’m pretty sure is just
grapefruit juice and vodka with a salted rim.  She’s made me dance with her a
handful of times which I cannot believe I did, because I don’t dance.  Ever. 
She’s danced with all of her uncles, cousins and even made friends with Tony’s
young date, who we found out just graduated from high school less than a year
and a half ago.  It was fucking hilarious and I’m pretty sure that bit of news
put a cold blanket on Tony’s night.  Needless to say, he might ask how old
women are when he picks them up in bars from now on.