AllFreeNovel
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“What do you mean?” Vinnie asks. “Like gigolo stuff?”
“No, not gigolo stuff,” I answer for Hudson, giving Vinnie a disgusted look. “Like, pretending he likes science and posting on Instagram. Going to the opera, things like that.”
“I love the opera. Which one?” Lucia asks, even though she’s never been to the opera in her life.
“Don Giovanni.”
“Oh, that’s Italian,” Zia says.
“It’s not Italian,” my dad tells her. “It’s a Spanish story and the music was written by Mozart who was Austrian.”
“I guarantee you Mozart was a little bit Italian,” Vinnie says. Turning to Matteo, he says, “Do you know how close Austria is to Italy?”
Matteo shakes his head.
“It’s right frigging there,” he answers. “At the very top of the boot.”
My dad gives Hudson a meaningful look. “Do you know what it’s about?”
“Don Giovanni?”
Dad nods at him to which Hudson says, “Not really, no.”
“Don Juan. You ever hear someone call a man a real Don Juan?”
More wine. More sips of wine. Yes, that’s making this moment so much better because I’m now comfortably detached from it.
“I haven’t, Nonno,” Camilla says. “What does that mean?”
My dad offers her a sweet smile. “Well, my bambolotta, Don Juan was the type of man who liked to sprinkle pepper on every dish he saw.”
“But some food doesn’t taste good with pepper!” she says. “Like ice cream.”
“Exactly,” he says, pointing a finger at her. “See? This little child gets it. Pepper doesn’t belong on everything.”
“Oh Jesus,” I mutter.
My mom clears her throat, and I’m momentarily grateful that she’s stepping in to save things, until she comes out with this little gem: “You should take Allegra to the opera with you. She’s never gone.”
Oh fuck. Seriously, Ma? I scramble to think of a graceful exit, but the only thing I come up with is sliding under the table, which is neither graceful nor helpful. “Oh no, I’m sure Hudson has someone to go with him. Like … Margot Robbie or Jennifer Lawrence.”
Hudson gives me an amused look. “They’re both married, and I actually don’t have anyone to go with.”
“You don’t?” I ask, shocked that this demi-god doesn’t have a date.
“Nope. You’re really the only person I know in town.”
I grin at him, and I’m pretty sure it’s a sloppy one at that, based on how numb my face is at the moment. “Well, you know Chad.”
He chuckles. “True. I do know Chad.”
“You can’t take Chad to the opera,” Grandma says. “He’s a total schmuck. You have to take our Allegra. She can wear one of my gowns.”
Oh God, no. She’s putting him on the spot, and I seriously cannot be rejected in front of my entire family. Vinnie will never stop bringing it up. I’m about to shake my head and let him off the hook, but the smile on Hudson’s face as he gazes at me causes my mind to go completely blank. Damn vino.
“I’d love it if you’d go with me, Allie. That is, if you’re not too busy.”
“Um, well, I am, but?—”
