Page 13 of Ribbons and Roses
I shake my head at Stitches as I grab my desk phone and dial up the man in question.
For the next week, Vito “Rhino” Capaldi, the capo from my early days in the family, will be coming out of retirement to look after operations. He agreed under one stipulation only: I go enjoy the Christmas holiday with my family and stop obsessing over work for once.
It seems everyone’s on Delphine’s side—everyone agrees I need the break so I can learn to embrace the season.
Rhino answers after a couple rings. “You don’t ever get tired of blowing up my phone, do you?”
“I was wondering what model you got distracted by this time.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there. I said I would, didn’t I? You go have a Merry fucking Christmas with your adorable little ones and beautiful wife with the fat ass. I’ve got everything covered.”
“Rhino,” I warn.
He hacks out a laugh that turns into a throaty cough. “No disrespect. I wish my ex-wife’s ass was that fat?—”
“Get down here in the next twenty minutes. Francis and I are heading out.”
I hang up on him before he can even start to get the next word out.
“All good?” Stitches asks.
“As good as it can be considering Rhino’s getting off his fat retired ass to fill in.”
“I have a good feeling about this. It’s all going to be fine.”
I can’t answer Stitches.
Though I’m looking forward to time with Delphine and the kids, I’m not as optimistic. This trip is about making them happy, not me.
Christmas will never be a time of year I enjoy.
“Everybody ready?” I ask, poking my head into the backseat of our SUV.
Three little brown faces stare back at me, each as adorable as the other. All three strapped into the proper car seat for their size. Dominic insists he’s too much of a big boy for his, but Delphine and I remind him how he’s setting an example for his little brother and sister.
Serena beams at me, kicking her legs in excitement. “Daddy, let’s go! We might miss Santa and his elves!”
Dominic rolls his eyes. “Rena, how many times do Bryce and I have to tell you? Santa comes out atnight.”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Yuh-huh!”
“NUH-UH!”
“Hey, hey,” I interject before Dominic can counter her. “Both of you remember what this season’s all about?”
“Togetherness,” Dominic mumbles.
“That’s right. Which means you should be nice to each other… if you want Santa to visit our house at all.”
Both of them gasp, their eyes rounding in shock. Meanwhile, Dante’s in the middle, the toddler in his own world as he gnaws on his teething ring of keys. I can’t help cracking a grin at how oblivious he is to his older siblings. The contrast is hilarious.
“What’s all this commotion?” Delphine asks as she approaches the car clutching her purse and yet another diaper bag for Dante.
I take the diaper bag off her hands and head around back to load it up. “The usual. Your children bickering over Santa Claus.”
“My children?” Delphine arches a brow, placing a hand on her hip. “That’s funny. I seem to remember the process involving two people. One of them who refused to keep his hands to himself.”