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“Whiskey, please,” Luciano said.
“I’d love a glass of wine,” Simone said, “but you can save Luciano’s chianti for a special occasion.”
“Thisisa special occasion,” Gary said. “You brought Mr. Santini home with you. I wish you’d told me. I would have put on a Santini Original.”
Bruce laid a comforting hand on Gary’s shoulder. “Honey, he’s just a man.”
“Oh, please,” Gary said. “He’s a designer god. An industry icon, and he’s standing in my living room.”
Bruce laughed.
“Where are all the puppies?” Simone asked when Bruce walked into the kitchen.
Luciano meandered toward the windows while Simone chatted with her brother. The living space was open and airy with a minimalist vibe. The panoramic view was stunning. Lights dotted the horizon toward the east and the north. As he stared into the night, he wondered what life would be like if he lived in a home like this. His had been a refuge, but also a self-imposed hell.
Simone sidled over, the adorable dog still in her arms, and smiled up at him. “Thanks for being here. I didn’t think my brother would be so weird.”
“He’s fine,” Luciano replied.
Wasn’t the first time someone had reacted like that to him. Wouldn’t be the last. People got tongue-tied around him, so he did his best to dispel their nerves.
Bruce appeared with a stemless wine glass for Simone and a lowball glass of whiskey for him. Gary joined them.
“Welcome to our home,” Gary said. They clinked glasses, sipped their beverages.
“We’re having filet mignon,” Bruce said.
Luciano slid his gaze to Simone who remained silent. He was surprised they didn’t remember she didn’t eat red meat.
“Let’s go visit the babies.” Bruce led the way up the stairs to the second floor.
Gary opened a closed door to puppy mayhem. They were wrestling while Mom watched. One of the dogs raced over, yapping, its tail whipping back and forth.
Luciano’s phone hadn’t stopped buzzing. While he didn’t want to be rude, he needed to see what was going on.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I need to check on something at work.”
“You’re welcome to step out,” Bruce said.
Luciano scanned his work emails, then read the text from Sin.
Call me when you can
Later
He pocketed his phone, glanced up to find Simone sitting on the floor, the rowdy pups crawling all over her. Gary was beside her while Bruce sat in a chair. He paused to appreciate the joy on her face, the way her smile touched her eyes, and how something so simple as animals could bring her such joy. In that moment, he envied her.
“Luciano, come sit with us,” Simone said.
He crouched down and the dogs pounced on him, the mom too. They were small balls of energy, and he wondered if he would have caved and bought a dog for his children. While the moment should have been filled with laughter and joy, his heart felt heavy.
As if sensing his pain, she nudged him back. “Sit on your butt, Luciano.”
“Oh, dear Lord, don’t talk to him like that,” Gary blurted.
She picked up two frisky puppies, placed them in his lap. One climbed up him and stared into his eyes, barked once, then bounded off to get a toy. As he played with them, he couldn’t help but smile. They were adorable, naïve, and filled with boundless energy. When puppy-time ended, they returned to the first floor.
Back in the kitchen, Gary and Bruce got busy. The filets were removed from the sous vide, then Bruce seared them in a buttered cast iron skillet. The sautéed green beans were dished out along with the twice baked garlic potatoes.
