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“So, let me see if I understand what’s going on. All this time, we were texting each other?” I asked him once again, even though I had the evidence right in front of me. “How could this possibly happen?”
“Let’s just say it was meant to be,” he said, as he sat on the now-empty barstool next to me. The older couple who had been sitting there were finally called to their table.
“I’ll have to ask my friend about it,” I told him once we knocked off our second round of drinks. “Some sort of glitch, maybe?”
“Or édestino,an Italian term my mom uses a lot.”
“What does it mean?”
“I think it means fate.”
As he spoke, the truth of the matter hit me.
“Wait a minute. You told me you wanted the name of the app for your brother Frankie, yet here you are instead. How did that happen? If I remember correctly, you said a dating app wasn’t your thing? Was that bullshit?”
“Complete and total bullshit,” he said, grinning.
“So, then, you like dating apps?”
“No. I still hate them, but to be honest, I was hoping I could somehow sway you to go out with me on that app, rather than asking you in person.”
Her forehead furrowed. “You could’ve made it a lot easier on both of us if you would’ve just asked.”
“The timing wasn’t right. You’d just broken up with somebody.”
“His name is Mike, and he was my communications professor.”
He smirked. “Wait a minute. You were dating your professor? I thought that was something for the movies. No one in real life would be that stu…” He stopped himself from going any further… a wise move.
I knew he was right, but it still stung to hear it. “Stupid? Oh, yeah, that’s me. Plus, want to hear the kicker?”
“I didn’t mean to offend you… you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”
I wanted him to know the reason. I trusted Gianni, which was probably a mistake on my part, considering how we’d gotten to this point. With my track record, he probably had a steady girlfriend or worse, ahiddenwife.
“He neglected to tell me he was married,” I said, but I could feel the emotion welling up inside me. Oh yeah, the breakup was still raw. I knew I didn’t want to be with Mike anymore. That was a given. What stung was the fact that he’d been so good at lying to me, and I’d been so naive as to believe him.
“Damn! That’s rough,” he mumbled, then he took another sip of his scotch. “I’m sorry, but that explains why you made me promise to tell the truth, and I kind of failed, didn’t I?”
“In my defense, that nugget of information wasn’t anywhere on his social media. It’s like he kept that part of his reality a secret. And what’s even worse, the bastard keeps texting me so I can’t forget him.”
He sat there for a moment, then threw back his drink. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go to my house. Now. While it’s still a little early. We can have dinner there. Let’s get our Christmas on. After all, we can’t let that beautiful red dress go to waste in this crowded bar. Come home with me.”
He secured the bartender’s attention then and paid for our drinks using his phone.
I sat back, taken by complete surprise. “What? Now? I don’t know…”
“Sorry. That didn’t come out right. My family is in the midst of a monster party where everyone is welcome. You won’t feel awkward because I’ll never leave your side. Nothing says Christmas like spending it with a big Italian family who know how to cook. The wine alone should lure you. Uncle Paulie makes his own red wine, and Cousin Joe makes the white. My parents, along with my brothers and I, do all the cooking, and Aunt Bella will serenade you with her mandolin. And if we’re lucky, crazy Uncle Louie will show up and play his accordion… a lost art.”
He slid off his stool and held out his hand for me. I hesitated for a moment, thinking how this had been the wildest night ever, and now the guy who made all my breakup comfort pizzas asked me to come home with him to meet his family.
I thought about texting Sarah and asking her what I should do, or my friends in Northern Vines. They would know exactly what I should do, especially Layla, another of my best friends who always gave me the best advice. Instead, I took his hand and slid off my stool. In the next few minutes, I found myself tucked inside Gianni’s SUV on my way to an Italian Christmas gala.
Oh, holy night… indeed.
We drove in silence for a few miles, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake. His kiss had been amazing. Part of me was still reeling from it, but the other part of me wondered what the hell. How crazy could this night get?
“So, tell me, Dani, what made you decide to attend college in this part of Pennsylvania? California has some of the best schools in the country. Why here?” he asked, finally breaking the silence as we made our way through the dark countryside. I liked that he wanted to know more about me, rather than starting the conversation off with something about him.
