Page 5 of Talk About… Dramay

“Is that your face?” He let out an excited laugh as he pointed at one of my posters around the city. I’d worked hard to make a name for myself in the real estate market. The posters were a marketing necessity, but they made me cringe every time I saw them.

“Oh my god,” I groaned, trying to cover my face but he wouldn’t let me.

“No, don’t hide. Get over here, I need a picture!”

He didn’t hesitate to drag me to the poster and position me against the brick wall it was set on. His smile was wide, like he could barely contain his pride, and that was enough for me to pop a hand on my hip and give him a grin.

He held up his phone and snapped the picture, rushing back to my side and pulling me in.

“Look at my mate,” he said, grinning like a fool as he showed it to me, then stared down at it. “You’re gorgeous. I’m a lucky man, Stormy.”

With that he kissed the top of my head and led me into the restaurant. He didn’t mention the name earlier and I almost didn’t have the heart to tell him I ate here nearly every Thursday for lunch.

“Ah, my beautiful Oriana!” Vincent called out, moving around the bar and tugging me away from Roman to kiss both of my cheeks. He always smelled like fragrant spices that tickled my nose, but he was the sweetest. “It’s not even Thursday! What an honor.”

“Uncle Vinny, you know Ori?”

The name hit me square in the chest. It was one that reminded me of home and my dad. Fuck, I missed Rockwood Valley more than anything.

In the last thirteen years, I lost my home, my relationship with my dads suffered, and I lost my grandma.

Cameron took everything from me and didn’t even bother to care. How his mama hadn’t knocked sense into him, I’d never know.

Sure, I’d worked my ass off to make a name for myself in the real estate market here, shaking hands and sharing smiles with a few alphas who were using me just for publicity, but it wasn’t home.

“Vinny here makes the best Shirley Temples and always sneaks me extra breadsticks,” I whispered conspiratorially.

“You’ve met, Vinny?” Roman asked as he put his hand on my lower back. It was second nature to him to touch me, it seemed.

“Yeah, I usually eat at the bar with Vinny,” I explained. “I take extra time just for him.”

“Oh, you’re too nice to an old man, listening to all my stories and laughing at my jokes,” Vinny said with a grin that nearly matched his nephew’s. They were definitely family.

“Now I know where I’ll be crashing on Thursdays,” Roman said, nudging his uncle and barking out a laugh at the scowl that took over Vinny’s weathered face.

“Don’t you dare. She’s mine for that glorious hour,” he said, snapping his bar towel at Roman before we were all laughing, drawing more than a few curious stares and laughter.

That was one thing I always loved about Vinny’s Bistro. The environment was unmatched. It was a small oasis in a city full of far too busy people.

“Sit anywhere, you two,” Vinny said as he gave me a wink and took his place behind the bar again. “The corner table is available.”

“Perfect,” Roman said as he led me to the back corner. It was the one table that was more isolated than the others, a small partition blocking it off. It reminded me of those discrete tables you’d see in an old mafia movie.

“Word will be out in no less than five minutes. I didn’t expect you to be such a local celebrity,” Roman said. “Should I be jealous?”

“Nah, Vinny has been my only date in years,” I reassured him as I took my menu. For once I’d have to actually look at it. It wasn’t lasagna day.

It was strange to have someone so aware of me. His eyes tracked my movements, his attention was focused on every word I spoke, and his body forever angled my way. It made me feel like he genuinely wanted to know more about me.

Maybe that was the reason I barely waited until our orders were placed to start talking.

“Can I just get some things off my chest, that way if you want to walk away, you can?” I asked in a rush. He nearly choked on his drink but pushed his glass away and scooted his chair closer to mine.

“You can, but know I won’t be walking away from you, Ori. You’re mine and I have no intention of letting that change.”

His face was so serious now, all traces of his golden retriever energy disappearing in an instant.

My eyes stayed locked on my hands where they were clenched in my lap, stomach in knots, and anxiety eating away at me.