Read Online Ask Mariah by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Freethy
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thinning hair and streaks of gray. His clothes were a little too tight, his shirtsleeves a little too short, his style a little too conservative.
"Michael?" Linda said. "What do you think?"
"What?" he asked, realizing she was waiting for him to reply to a question he didn't remember hearing.
Before she could answer, Frank jumped in. "We would have to charge more to cover the cost of shrimp. It would be cheaper to stick with chicken."
"Chicken is so dull," Linda said.
"Everything is dull to you lately," Frank snapped.
Michael studied them thoughtfully, suddenly noting the tension in their faces. He had a feeling they were talking about more than chicken.
Sophia cleared her throat. "That's a lovely idea, Linda. I'm sure Vincent will consider it. And I certainly appreciate the compliment."
"Personally, I think you should just stick with spaghetti," Tony said.
Vincent shook his head. "No one wants good, hearty spaghetti anymore. Do you know when I first started cooking for my father ..."
Michael paid scant attention to the rest of Vincent's story. He'd heard it all before. Vincent loved to talk, and the rest of the family listened with appropriate smiles and encouraging expressions, because Vincent was the heart of the De Lucas. A tall man with a lean body and stark white hair that provided a vivid contrast to his black eyes and olive skin, Vincent commanded respect. Despite his jovial manner, his word was law. The only one who had ever been able to bend his will was Angela. Vincent had always had a soft spot for his baby girl.
Tony nudged him as Vincent went on to another story. "Have you been dating anyone lately?" he asked quietly.
"Dating?" Michael said the word as if he didn't understand it. Actually it did sound foreign, not only the word but the thought. He hadn't gone on a date in eight years, not since he'd fallen head over heels in love with Angela.
"You know, going out with a woman," Tony prodded.
"No." He took a sip of his wine, wishing Tony would change the subject.
"Why not?"
"I don't think your parents would be happy to see me dating someone else."
"They wouldn't want to see you alone for the rest of your life. You're still young."
"I don't feel that young, and it's too soon."
"It's been a year."
"I'm busy."
"You're making excuses."
"I've got my hands full just getting my work done and taking care of the girls. The last thing I need is a relationship."
"What about sex?"
"Jesus!" Michael cast a quick glance around the table, praying no one had heard Tony's question, but Sophia and Vincent were now arguing with Linda and Frank about a movie they'd watched on television the night before. No one was paying them any attention. "There's more to life than sex," he murmured.
"Not much more," Tony said with a grin, "You can't tell me you don't miss it."
No, he couldn't tell him that. "My life is complicated. I've got children -- kids who won't talk to me. I can't throw a woman into the middle of this mess. And frankly I've got enough females in my life."
"You can never have too many women in your life." Tony sent him a thoughtful look. "You sure seemed interested in -- "
He cut him off. "Don't say it. Don't even think it."
"You're right. It would be strange. Like dating Angela's twin sister or something."
"What are you talking about?" Linda asked, interrupting their conversation with a curious smile.
"Michael met a woman today," Tony said. "She looks so much like Angie, she could have been her sister.
Vincent's fork clattered against his plate. He looked as shocked by Tony's words as Sophia had been earlier.
"Really?" Linda echoed. "Who is she?"
"She's a teacher at the school where the girls are going," Michael replied, noting the pale tense faces of both Sophia and Vincent. Was it just the mention of Angela that bothered them?
"Who wants coffee?" Sophia asked, trying to change the subject, but no one went with her.
"What a strange coincidence," Linda said. "Maybe she's a distant
"Michael?" Linda said. "What do you think?"
"What?" he asked, realizing she was waiting for him to reply to a question he didn't remember hearing.
Before she could answer, Frank jumped in. "We would have to charge more to cover the cost of shrimp. It would be cheaper to stick with chicken."
"Chicken is so dull," Linda said.
"Everything is dull to you lately," Frank snapped.
Michael studied them thoughtfully, suddenly noting the tension in their faces. He had a feeling they were talking about more than chicken.
Sophia cleared her throat. "That's a lovely idea, Linda. I'm sure Vincent will consider it. And I certainly appreciate the compliment."
"Personally, I think you should just stick with spaghetti," Tony said.
Vincent shook his head. "No one wants good, hearty spaghetti anymore. Do you know when I first started cooking for my father ..."
Michael paid scant attention to the rest of Vincent's story. He'd heard it all before. Vincent loved to talk, and the rest of the family listened with appropriate smiles and encouraging expressions, because Vincent was the heart of the De Lucas. A tall man with a lean body and stark white hair that provided a vivid contrast to his black eyes and olive skin, Vincent commanded respect. Despite his jovial manner, his word was law. The only one who had ever been able to bend his will was Angela. Vincent had always had a soft spot for his baby girl.
Tony nudged him as Vincent went on to another story. "Have you been dating anyone lately?" he asked quietly.
"Dating?" Michael said the word as if he didn't understand it. Actually it did sound foreign, not only the word but the thought. He hadn't gone on a date in eight years, not since he'd fallen head over heels in love with Angela.
"You know, going out with a woman," Tony prodded.
"No." He took a sip of his wine, wishing Tony would change the subject.
"Why not?"
"I don't think your parents would be happy to see me dating someone else."
"They wouldn't want to see you alone for the rest of your life. You're still young."
"I don't feel that young, and it's too soon."
"It's been a year."
"I'm busy."
"You're making excuses."
"I've got my hands full just getting my work done and taking care of the girls. The last thing I need is a relationship."
"What about sex?"
"Jesus!" Michael cast a quick glance around the table, praying no one had heard Tony's question, but Sophia and Vincent were now arguing with Linda and Frank about a movie they'd watched on television the night before. No one was paying them any attention. "There's more to life than sex," he murmured.
"Not much more," Tony said with a grin, "You can't tell me you don't miss it."
No, he couldn't tell him that. "My life is complicated. I've got children -- kids who won't talk to me. I can't throw a woman into the middle of this mess. And frankly I've got enough females in my life."
"You can never have too many women in your life." Tony sent him a thoughtful look. "You sure seemed interested in -- "
He cut him off. "Don't say it. Don't even think it."
"You're right. It would be strange. Like dating Angela's twin sister or something."
"What are you talking about?" Linda asked, interrupting their conversation with a curious smile.
"Michael met a woman today," Tony said. "She looks so much like Angie, she could have been her sister.
Vincent's fork clattered against his plate. He looked as shocked by Tony's words as Sophia had been earlier.
"Really?" Linda echoed. "Who is she?"
"She's a teacher at the school where the girls are going," Michael replied, noting the pale tense faces of both Sophia and Vincent. Was it just the mention of Angela that bothered them?
"Who wants coffee?" Sophia asked, trying to change the subject, but no one went with her.
"What a strange coincidence," Linda said. "Maybe she's a distant
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