Sempre (Forever Series #1)(71)

“You too, ma’am.”

“Call me Celia, dear,” she said. “I have to go before Vincent complains, but I couldn’t leave without saying good-bye to you.”

Haven was touched she cared so much. “Good-bye, Celia.”

Celia smoothed Haven’s hair before walking away. Haven turned back to the dryer, and Carmine strolled in after they left. “Dia wants to know what time we’re going tonight.”

“Do you think I should go?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t you?”

“Well, your friends will be there. I’ll probably just be a complication.”

Truth was, it was New Year’s Eve, and she didn’t want to watch Carmine from afar all night.

“Don’t ever call yourself a complication,” he said. “And yeah, I want you to come.”

“Okay,” she said softly.

He ran his hands down his face with frustration. “Okay? We’re back to that again? If you don’t wanna go, say so. I’ll stay home too. I just thought it would be nice to get out tonight. And honestly, everyone knows about us already because of Lisa’s big mouth. Damn schifosa.”

“What’s a schifosa?

He tugged at his hair. “An ugly girl.”

“Do you really think she’s ugly, or are you saying that because you’re angry with her?”

“She’s all right, I guess.”

She smiled to herself. “I’ll go tonight. I just don’t want to embarrass my boyfriend in front of the schifosas he goes to school with.”

He stared at her like he was dissecting her words. “That’s the first time you’ve called me that.”

“Called you what?”

“Your boyfriend.”

She hesitated. “Isn’t that what you are?”

“Yeah,” he said. “You’ve just never acknowledged it before. I was starting to wonder if you were embarrassed.”

* * *

The New Year’s Eve party was being held in a vacant field on the outskirts of Durante, a cotton farm that had been abandoned years before. The barn still stood, empty and collapsing, the ground overgrown from lack of use.

Haven eyed the place peculiarly as Carmine parked, dozens of cars surrounding them. It was already late, everything shrouded in darkness, but Haven could see a large bonfire in the distance. Carmine took her hand as they strolled through the field. A few people greeted him, but Carmine seemed distracted. He diverted them to the left, taking her to where Dia stood by herself along the side. “I’ll be back, okay? Stay here.”

He looked torn as he let go of her hand before walking away. This was the reason she had considered not coming in the first place. “I’ll be fine on my own. You can go have fun, Dia.”

Dia laughed. “Fun? I think not. This is so not my scene. I’d rather hang out with you.”

Her response surprised Haven, but she was relieved when the words sank in.

The two of them chatted for a bit, and people walked past as if they weren’t there. Haven heard familiar laughter eventually and turned around in enough time to see Dominic before he draped his arm over her shoulder. Tess paused in front of them as Dominic thrust a cup at Haven. “Here, got you a drink. Don’t take anything from any of these other f**kers around here.”

She took it from him, sniffing the liquid. “Uh, thank you.”

“Sure thing. I didn’t know what you’d want, so I just got you some beer from the keg. I figured you wouldn’t like it, but none of us do and we drink it anyway.” He raised his own cup and hit hers with it. “Welcome to the club.”

He tipped back his drink, chugging, as Haven took a sip and grimaced at the bitterness. She drank the beer despite its taste and loosened up as they joked around. She laughed along with them, almost feeling like she fit in.

“Hey, Dom.”

The voice rang out behind them. Dominic turned, swinging Haven around with him. She tripped over her own feet when she saw Nicholas.

Dominic and Nicholas bumped fists. “What’s up?”

“Not much.” Nicholas nodded his head toward Haven. “You decide to trade Tess in?”

Dominic laughed. “No, I’m just watching over this one so the vultures don’t circle.”

“Yeah, I heard Lisa running her mouth earlier.” Nicholas turned to her. “Nice to see you again, Haven.”

She was surprised he was being nice after what happened during their last meeting. “You, too.”

He smiled. “So, what did one snowman say to the other?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, what?”

“Smells like carrots.”

She didn’t get it, but Dominic laughed.

“Anyway, I just wanted to say hi,” Nicholas said. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

He walked away, and Haven looked at Dominic curiously. “You still like him after he said something bad about your mama?”

Dominic nodded. “Nicholas shouldn’t have said what he said, but he just wanted to hurt Carmine. And before you came along, Twinkle Toes, the only way to hurt him was through Mom.”

Dominic swung her back around to join the others, and they chatted as she drank the rest of her beer. A little later, she heard a chuckle nearby, so close it made her skin prickle. Carmine leaned down, his lips beside her ear. “Hey, hummingbird.”