Page 29 of The Great Dating Fake Off
Nora is embracing an older woman who I assume is related to Benji. The two chat and laugh as Benji sits on the court with his legs sprawled in front of him, wearing an expression that suggests he feels similarly to Alessia about sports and/or mornings.
Nora, in contrast, is wearing a soft smile, cutoff jean shorts that show off her legs, and an oversized yellow shirt tied at her hip and emblazoned with her store’s name and logo. A sliver of skin shows above the waistband of her shorts. String-tied bows on each hip poke out of her shorts.
My attention falters there.
Those black strings have got to belong to a bathing suit. Can’t be anything else.
I double-check this bathing suit theory by scanning her neck for a matching black string—
Someone with a bullhorn knocks a few years off my lifespan by pressing the siren button. “Good morning! I’m the recreation manager here at the Foxfire Lodge Resort, and I’ll be helping coordinate this morning’s games!”
Nora all but drags Benji to his feet as the crowd comes to attention.
“First, if everyone will come grab a colored vest—bride’s side red, groom’s side blue—we’re going to mix and match teams. One blue player and one red player for each duo.”
“Mixed teams?” An older man in gray shorts and a differently gray T-shirt groans loudly in disapproval. He’s short and beefy with oily hair, a thin mustache, and a grating New York accent. If LaGuardia airport were a person, I’m pretty sure it’d be this guy.“Why would we do that?”
“Because I asked for this, Dad!” Rosalina barks. “In the spirit of unity.”
Dad. How did a man that short produce Benji and Rosalina?
“What’s the problem, Giuseppe?”
I stiffen at Dr. Mazzelli’s voice.
He sticks out his Lacoste polo-clad chest with overwrought bravado. “Scared to stand beside a Mazzelli on the court? Afraid your lack of physical prowess will show? Real men fear nothing.”
“He’s such a tool,” Alessia mutters under her breath.
That’s putting it mildly. Where my parents were kind about my not getting into medical school, her cardiologist father was vocally disappointed. As if the rejections weren’t crushing enough without his constant commentary.
Any person who makes her feel like shit about her accomplishments can take a pickleball paddle to the face, as far as I’m concerned.
“I won’t be standing next to you, mixed teams or not,” Giuseppe gripes. “I’ll be across the court, teamed up with one of your own family members to pummel your ass.”
“Hey, where’s your sister?” Vinny crosses his arms, a smarmy smile fixed in place. “Does she need a partner?”
Guiseppe thrusts his arm in the air. “You will not go near my sister! Or any female Ferraro, ti ucciderò—”
“Dad, stop,” Rosalina snaps at Giuseppe. “You know he’s joking.”
“I was merely offering to partner with his sister.” Vinny flashes his palms. “I don’t understand the hostility.”
“You knew exactly what you were implying,” Giuseppe grumbles.
Rosalina looks to her future husband and mouths help.
“Dad, enough jokes,” Enzo says.“Let’s keep this fun and light, okay?”
Vinny pretends to put a halo on his head. “You got it. I’ll take the higher ground.”
Rosalina puts on what must be a very fake smile for the activities coordinator. “Let’s get on with this game, please.”
Alessia and I are waiting our turn to get a vest when her phone rings.
Her brows pull together as she stares at the caller. “Eloise knows what I’m doing this morning. She wouldn’t be calling me unless it’s some kind of emergency. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll come with you.”
