When It Falls Apart (The D'Angelos, #1)(76)
“How was Texas?”
“We made the client happy and got the job.”
“That’s goo-good.”
“It is. I pitched a campaign featuring normal women in fashionable clothing and it worked.”
“What do you . . . what do you mean ‘normal’?”
“Normal weight. Not a size zero.”
“Heavy?”
She shook her head, then nodded. “Some, I guess. Normal.”
“Huh.”
“Don’t be judgy, Dad.”
“I didn’t say . . . say anything.”
“Your nonverbal language says a lot. If you ever want to know why you burned through so many wives, I have a clue.”
“Hey!” But he was smiling. “Maybe I can visit your place. See it?”
Brooke glanced at the walker. “Four flights of stairs. But I can certainly take you to the restaurant for lunch or dinner. I’d like you to meet someone.”
Joe gave her a sideways glance. “Oh?”
“His name is Luca.”
Her father smiled, though the right side of his face never cooperated as much as the left since the stroke.
“He’s a chef.”
Her father smiled bigger. “I like to eat.”
She patted his hand. “I know you do, Dad. I know you do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“She’s not coming?”
Luca saw, heard, and felt his daughter’s disappointment when he told her Antonia wasn’t showing up at the park.
“Something important came up.”
Franny walked slower once he delivered the news. “Did she leave?”
Luca cringed, placed a hand on her shoulder. “No, tesorina. Not that I know of. She just couldn’t make it today.”
Side by side, they walked toward the park. He’d had the opportunity to spend a lot more time with his daughter the last few years, and he tried to keep it up as much as he could. He knew these hours were limited. It was only a matter of time before she wouldn’t want to hang out with him.
“How was your spelling test?”
She shrugged.
“That bad?”
“I dunno.”
Franny was shutting down in front of his eyes. He knew why, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
The park was filled with a lot of familiar faces. Although Franny wasn’t searching the crowd for a friend. She was watching her feet, deep in a pout.
Luca, on the other hand, saw a face he hoped would bring a smile back to his daughter’s.
He nudged her shoulder. “Look who’s here.”
Franny’s chin shot up. “Mama?”
That cut through him like a poison arrow.
He pointed.
Franny’s face brightened, and her excitement was even greater. “Brooke!” She broke into a run, then wrapped her arms around Brooke’s waist in a hug. “You’re back!”
“I told you two weeks.”
Franny hugged her harder.
Brooke looked over at him, concern on her face.
Luca shook his head.
“I heard you had some pretty big excitement while I was gone.”
Franny pulled away, smiled. “My mama came back.”
Brooke knelt to Franny’s level, kept a smile on her face. “I know. That’s crazy. How does that feel?”
“Strange. Good . . .” Franny looked over her shoulder at Luca, then back to Brooke. “But weird.”
“That’s a lot of emotions. Are you talking to anyone about it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like a best friend? Someone you can tell all the strange parts to and the good parts and the weird parts?”
Franny shook her head. “I told Regina, but she doesn’t understand.”
Luca listened to what Brooke was saying and considered her words more than his daughter did.
“Then we need to find someone you can talk to.”
“Like who?”
Brooke shrugged. “I bet we can find someone. And in the meantime, you can always talk to me.”
“Really?”
“Yup, really! I met my dad for the first time when I was just a few years older than you.”
Franny’s mouth dropped open. “No way.”
“Yes way. I remember it being great one minute and confusing the next. I’d get angry and sad and happy. I still get that way when it comes to my father.”
“Really?”
“Sometimes.”
Franny lowered her head . . . paused. “I’m sad she didn’t come today.”
Brooke looked at Luca. “We can tell.”
Franny glanced over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Papa.”
“For what?”
Tears started to pool in her eyes. Her lips quivered. “I-I don’t know.”
Luca took two steps and opened his arms and Franny fell into them. Her little body shook as she cried.
He held her tight and looked at Brooke.
The compassion in Brooke’s eyes was so deep, he could see the hurt for his daughter.
He held her for a few minutes until the sobs turned to whimpers, then sniffles.
Sitting back on his heels, he looked at Franny. “Feel better?”