Chapter 148
Chapter 148
Lucky
Dario comes to sit with me as soon as Alex has left to make her calls. “Lucky,” he says in a soft voice. He is very unlike Tony and Nico. There are no hard edges or lines to him. He is like an open book. I have no idea what it must be like to have gone through the addiction and pain that he has experienced. All I know is that he has a gentle soul and I hope that he doesn’t try to get heavily involved in the business. It would destroy him. He isn’t like his brothers.
“Dario,” I say with warmth to my voice. I don’t want us to be enemies. I want us to be friends. I need all the friends in the Santangelo family that I can get. If I can crack Dario then I can crack all of them.
“We have to make some plans for Arizona. Do you want to discuss directly with me or shall I hire us an assistant?”
“Ah, I have just hired Alex. I think she will do well. She has two weeks’ notice to give. I am sure she can handle us both. What do you think, Dario?” It’s important that I put the ball in his court, after all he is the Santangelo. I am merely marrying into the name. Although, Nico would argue that point.
He frowns slightly, his eyes scrunching at the side. Then he rubs a hand over the back of his neck. “Alex?” he says in a strangled voice.
I lean forward with my forearms on the iron table. “You don’t like her or you don’t trust her?”
He doesn’t say anything for a second or two, but I watch as his eyes followed her when she left me. There was definitely something there.
“None of the above. It’s nothing. Alex will be fine. I can work with her. She seems okay,” he tells me guardedly.
I break out in a smile; it’s like the penny has just dropped.
“Dario, do you have a crush on her? You like Alex, don’t you?”
Even the tips of his ears tinge with red. His cheeks blush, it’s kind of cute on him. I told you he was far more innocent than his brothers.
“Lucky that is none of your business. Let’s try to get along and be professional. Can we? I don’t want to discuss anything other than Arizona with you. This is going to be a business relationship only. I’m still pissed you are a Gianluca.” Wow, so many words, the most he has ever spoken to me. I call that progress ladies and gentlemen.
“Sure, so Alex will start for us in two weeks. After the honeymoon we will fly to New York, Nico tells me and then I will spend a few days there. I should be in Arizona with Nico to meet you, middle of October. Does that work for you?”
He nods and checks his mobile, the calendar app. “I can make that work, I have some training with Tony and then will fly out. It would make more sense for me to fly you from NYC with you and Nico. That way we aren’t burning jet fuel twice.”
He has a conscience not just for money but for the environment too, so it would seem. I like that.
“Agreed. You want to shake on our new business venture, Dario?”
He glares at me. “Are you insane? I’m never touching a Gianluca.” I ought to be shocked but I’m not. He will come around. Instead, I watch as he gets up and leaves me sitting there.
What can I say? You can’t win them all.
However, being Lucky Gianluca, I know I will.
The rest of the day passes with so many things to get organized for the wedding. Alex meets up with me again and tells me the flowers for my mother are on order. Chanel intends to come to the mansion in two days with some outfits and in the meantime, I should peruse their collection and look online for inspiration.
Since I have no idea where he is taking me it is difficult to plan. I already know, I’ll opt for a plain cream trouser suit with a black shirt. If I’m going to be married to the Mafia Don, The King of New York City - then I want to look the part.