AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh wow, Donvino, that is…” I was stuck between being shocked and worried that he would be arrested and thrilled that he clocked a hateful ass in the nose. “Did your cousin call the cops?”
“No, no, he wouldn’t call polizia on family. He will keep my pay for two weeks and talk to my family badly.” His sight lingered on the tan home across the street. I followed his line of sight to find some cloth diapers and baby clothes hanging on the little window clotheslines so many here made use of. “The things he said…I should have hit him harder.”
“Did you hurt yourself?” He lifted his right hand, still clutching his beer, to show me a cut knuckle. Probably from a tooth. “Ouch. Did you wash it off?”
“Mm,” he grunted with a bob of his head. “So tell me, rainbow dreamer, was I good to do what I did or was I stupid?”
“Well, if you ask me, and you did, I think you were fucking brilliant to sock him in the face.” I tapped his bottle with mine. Sweat dripped from the cold bottles to the hot pavement, drying almost instantly. Old orange cat tired of chasing a bottle cap and slipped around us to nap in the shade of the recessed doorway. “I’m sure that couple would thank you if they knew you had stood up for them.”
“Yes, I think so too. But now I am without money even more.” He exhaled heavily as he drained his beer, his gaze still on those tiny tops. “Do you ever want children?”
I nearly suffered whiplash from the sudden turn in the conversation. “Oh…well, I’ve not really thought about it. I like kids, older ones. Ones that you can converse with and make them see reason. Babies are cute and all, but they’re so needy. And you know I’m a shallow little titmouse who needs all the attention all the time.”
That brought a timid smile to his lush lips, his sight moving from the burp rags to me.
“No, you are a rainbow dreamer. Tell me what to dream now, Arlo, for my old dreams seem so far away?”
“Okay, well…” I pulled my arm from around his wide shoulders, wiggled my butt, and sat up straighter, “maybe we can dream a second dream. Like dream plan B.”
“Dream plan B?” He looked at me with confusion.
“Mm-hmm. Plan Bs are important. B for backup.” I nodded at my own wisdom. “So, what we do is focus on this new opportunity my father has given us.”
“You, he gives it to you.” He eyed my beer as his was now empty. I handed it over.
“Stop picking nits.” I nudged him with my elbow as a couple of old men shuffled past, deep in conversation, both looking at us with some pretty vibrant side-eye. Guess we were too close. Well, fuck them and the sandals they walked by in. “The point is that we can now move from our first dreams, which are sitting tied to a dock and/or lying about my room in bits, and maybe into something new. We have a chance to start over and begin new jobs.” He said nothing, just drank my beer, his throat working in that enticing way that made my manly bits tickle. “I’m not sure how it will go. I swore I would not work for my family business, but now here I am thinking about doing just that.”
“Working for family is sometimes bad,” he mumbled and held out his hand to show off his swollen knuckles. “I don’t think you should punch signora.”
“Gods no, I’d knock her into the Arno. Although she’s tougher than she looks. She might be able to take me in hand-to-cane combat.” He coughed out a short laugh. That made me feel good. “I get what you’re saying though, and yes, family can be trying. But I did enjoy spending time with the workers, making their lives a little better. And to be frank, the only way to really implement change for the people doing the hot, hard work is to be part of the company.”
“True.” He mulled over my words. “Do you know how to manage a large farm such as 20?”
“Fuck no. Haven’t got one clue, which is why I was so shocked my father offered me such an important job. The only thing I can think is that 20 is running so well that it mostly runs itself. Those under the senior manager probably do most of the work. I’d probs just be doing paperwork.”
“Hmm, yes, that is how it is most times. The top man sits in the shade enjoying a beer while the tiny people slave under him.”
“Well, I hope to not make anyone slave. I’d rather be a nice boss. Also, I’m not thrilled about displacing Signor Piravino at all. He seems rather tightly bound. But my father assures me transfers happen all the time, so maybe that’s just part of the business world?”
“Perhaps. So, if you take this job then you move to Valle Sicuro? That is a far drive for a man with only a lawnmower job to make.”
“I’d give you a job on the farm.” I turned to face him, tucking my legs under me slightly. The sun was baking down on us. A smart man would have moved into the shade, but the old cat had claimed that as his. I hated to disturb a sleeping cat. Donvino pulled a sour face. “It’s not like that.”
“But it is like that. I am fucking you. You give me a job. That is just like that.” He finished off my beer and burped so loudly that the napping cat behind us mewled at being awoken so rudely. I rolled my eyes. “Scusa.”
“You’re excused. For the burp. Not for the presumptuous remark about you being on the farm only because you and I are lovers. You have a good work ethic. I’ve seen it in person. And you’re good with people. Well, decent people and not people who are hateful bigots. No one should be good with those sorts.” He bobbed his head. “So, given all that, I think you would make a glorious liaison between management and the union.”
“But what would I do other than talk? I like to be busy with my hands,” he explained, holding his big mitts out and turning them.
“Yes, I know you like to be busy with your hands,” I purred and got a small chortle in reply. “We’ll find something. I’m sure some positions straddle both sides. A hands-on position with good pay, benefits, and a small home.”
“Oh see, yes, this is another bad point. One house for you. I cannot live there, Arlo. People would talk.”
Yes, they would, and since he wasn’t out yet…
“Perhaps there’s a tiny home in the village to rent. If you take this job, your pay will be much higher.”
“This job that does not exist,” he pointed out.
