Nicole laughed. “Oh, there’s something you can do.”
Gio tilted his head to the side. “Which is?”
Nicole covered her face with one hand, laughed harder. “Never mind. Forget I said that.”
He was missing the joke.
“Nicole—”
“All I’m going to say is this, and don’t you dare repeat it. I haven’t seen Emma this relaxed around a man she was interested in since I’ve known her.”
Gio knew Emma was on the same page, but to hear Nicole voice it stroked his ego a whole lot more than he expected.
Nicole continued, “My God, she hasn’t been on a date in forever.”
“She’s a beautiful woman. I find that hard to believe.”
“You’ve met her. She has a linear focus. One thing at a time. And work has kept her channeling the corporate world for too long. She needs someone to shake that up.” Nicole pressed a finger to Gio’s chest. “And you might be the right guy for the job.”
He liked the thought of rattling Emma’s world.
In fact, he’d thought of nothing else since setting eyes on her.
Before he could comment, Gio’s phone buzzed in his back pocket. He looked at the screen, saw his mother’s face. “I need to take this.”
He answered her video call. “Ciao, pronto, Mama.”
“Did I call at a bad time?”
“Not at all. How is everyone? How are you?”
“We’re well. Sunday dinner isn’t the same without you. You’re still coming home to us, right?”
Nicole must have heard part of the conversation because she smiled at him and took a few steps away.
“It’s a vacation, Mama.”
“Good, good. Listen, Sergio has been sick.”
Sergio was the head bartender and had been with them for as long as Gio could remember.
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
“He’s on the mend, just can’t work. You know.”
“Send my love.”
“I will. Have you found any wine you love there? Something for our top customers.”
By top, he knew that meant a midrange wine to his mother. They had to make a profit, and while their restaurant did very well, they didn’t cater to the crowd that spent two hundred dollars on a bottle of wine.
“I didn’t know I was looking.”
“Well, look. We want something special when you come home. Giovanni’s favorites from Tuscany. Brooke has a whole campaign figured out.”
Brooke was a marketing expert. As Gio thought about it, the hook sounded good to his ears. “I like it. I’ve already purchased a couple of cases, but they’re for my own collection. I doubt anything will arrive before I’m home, but if it does, wait for me.”
His mother smiled.
From outside of the frame, Gio heard his sister’s voice. “Is that Gio?”
“All the way in Italy.”
Chloe popped in front of the camera. “How is my favorite pain in the ass?”
He laughed. “Isn’t that my line?”
“Not after last year. You look good. Isn’t it happy hour there? Shouldn’t you be drinking?”
“I’m a little burnt out, to tell the truth.” It was good to see his family. Even through a screen.
Chloe’s smile fell into a fake frown. “Are you feeling okay? Giovanni D’Angelo, burnt out on wine? Say it isn’t so.”
“Every day . . . all day.” Gio felt the weight of someone looking his way and he realized he was blocking Emma’s path as she was attempting to skirt by without interrupting him. He started to move and then changed his mind.
“Emma?” He waved her over.
She hesitated.
“C’mere.”
“Emma? Who is Emma?” Chloe’s sultry voice dropped an octave.
“Be nice.”
Emma moved to his side. “I don’t want to interrupt.”
“Not at all.” He turned the phone enough to get Emma in the frame. “Emma, this is my sister, Chloe.”
“Oh . . . oh!” Emma sounded surprised. “Hi, Chloe.”
“Hello. Can I assume you’re on the tour, too?”
“I am. We’re all having a wonderful time.” Emma slid a glance Gio’s way.
“Emma lives in Temecula,” he said.
“That’s crazy. What are the odds?”
“Who are you talking to?” Gio’s mother asked.
Chloe angled the phone to show his mother again. “Gio was introducing me to a friend of his. Emma, was it?”
“Yes. Yes.” Emma squirmed.
“Mama, this is Emma. Emma, my mother, Mari.”
“Aren’t you simply beautiful.”
The nervous laugh that escaped Emma, coupled with the rush of color to her cheeks, made everything about the call worthwhile.
“Did I hear Giovanni say you’re from Temecula?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Chloe pushed into the frame. “You’ll have to come to Little Italy.”
“I-I’d like that.” Emma nudged Gio’s side.
“We should probably—” As he tried to end the call, Franny ran into the room.
“Zio Gio, Zio Gio!”
He glanced at Emma. “Zio means uncle.”
“Good Lord,” Emma whispered under her breath.
“Hi, Franny.”
Franny’s huge smile pushed in front of his mother and sister. “When are you coming home?” she asked, immediately followed by “Who are you?”
“I’ll be back before you know it. And this is Emma.”
Franny paused, narrowed her eyes. “Are you Gio’s girlfriend?”
Emma busted out a laugh.
Chloe chided Franny. “You’ll have to forgive my niece. She’s the youngest and gets away with everything.”
“We should let you get on with your day,” Mari said for all of them on the California side of the line.
“Love you all. Ciao, ciao.” Gio blew them a kiss.
“Lovely meeting you, Emma. We hope to see you in person when you’re back,” Chloe said.
Franny waved.
“Safe travels, ragazzi,” his mother added. “Ciao.”
Another chorus of ciaos and Gio disconnected the call.
Emma turned to face him, hands crossed over her chest. “Girlfriend?”
“She’s a kid. Jumps to conclusions.”
“Mighty big leap.”
He shrugged, put his phone in his back pocket. “Now you have faces to put with the names.”
“I already saw their pictures.”
“Voices, then. As my mother always warns, my family is loud. Loveable, but loud.”
Emma lost some of her defensiveness. “They seem very nice.”
“Wait until you meet them in person.” As he spoke, Gio put a hand on Emma’s back and directed her toward the Golden Girls party.
“Who said that was going to happen?” Emma asked as her gaze slid to his arm.
“It will, bella. It will.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“So much for a quiet hike to the river,” Emma said close to Nicole’s ear.
Rob, Pierre, and Chris gathered next to Gio. The four of them divided up waters and snacks into two backpacks. Pierre and Gio took first shift carrying the provisions.