Read Online Beautiful Life: The Carpino Series by Brynne Asher - Free Book Online
Authors: Brynne Asher
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“Don’t be your cool as a cucumber self, Tony. I’m not a client. You know why I’m here,” Gabby bites out, clearly pissed. She’s standing at the front of my desk with her hands on her hips, designer jeans, a fancy ass sweater and I can tell she’s wearing heels because she’s taller than normal.
“I’m busy Gabba, cut to the chase.”
On a huff, she says, “Leigh. I don’t know what you’re doing, but you had better stop. She is not some bimbo for you to conquer. Nor does she have the energy to put you off. She’s in a delicate place right now. I cannot believe with what she means to me, what she meant to my parents, not to mention what she has been through you would go there with her. Now I love you, Tony. You know I do. But there are times I have to love you despite how you choose to live your life with…with…women. And you know what I mean. Leave. Her. Alone.”
I pull in a calming breath through my nose. I can’t say I don’t deserve that. I probably do. Now I have to rein it in and explain to Gabby what Leigh means to me.
“Are you through?” I ask quietly.
Gabby tips her head to the side to take in my demeanor. She knows me better than anyone, I can tell she sees it. Or she sees something, because she asks, “What’s going on, Tone?”
I lower my voice, “Gabba, you think I’d go there with Leigh knowing what she means to you? What she meant to your parents? But especially after what she’s just been through if she didn’t mean something to me ?”
Gabby jerks back as if I’ve struck her. Shit, is it that surprising?
“What does she mean to you?” Gabby pushes.
“She means a lot to me,” I respond. “I’m taking a mind to her. I’m being patient. Shit, I’m handling her divorce now and I’ve read the police records. I probably know more than you. None of it’s good, Gabby. It’s all a shit load of bad. So yeah, I’m doing everything I can to make sure she’s mine, but I plan on handling her with care in the process. What I will not do is stop. She was tied to that asshole by the time I got out of school, I missed my chance then, I’m not missing it again.”
“Really?” Gabby breathes. “You wanted a chance back then?”
“Well, by the time I was ready, she was taken, but yeah. I just took too long to get my shit together,” I say.
“You and Leigh?”
“I hope,” is my only answer.
“Oh, I’m going to cry,” she exclaims and starts to wave her hand in front of her face. “I’m sorry,” she goes on, “I’m sorry I said that to you. I had no idea. You know I love you. Shit! I hate crying.”
I get up and go around the desk to her. She walks straight to me and plants her face in my chest to give me a hug. I hug her right back and say, “It’s okay, Gabby.”
“I’m really happy for you,” she says and then tips her head back to go on with a teary grin, “You know, she crushed on you all through high school.”
“She did?”
“Yeah,” she says with a giggle.
“Well, fuck me,” I mutter, shaking my head.
She giggles again and says, “I can’t wait to tell Jude. And I’m making dinner tonight, you have to come.”
“Gabby, shut it down. I’ll handle it. I don’t need any help,” I say, hopefully getting my point across.
“Okay,” she agrees a little too enthusiastically as she wipes her tears away.
“I’m serious. I need to handle her in my own way. Do you know she dreams?” I ask.
“Dreams?”
“Yeah, nightmares.”
“No. Did she tell you?” she asked.
“No, I heard her. I’ve slept on your sofa for the last three nights. Every night she’s had a nightmare and she won’t talk about them. You’ve probably never heard because your room is far away from hers.”
“You stayed all weekend?” she asks further.
“I didn’t want her to be by herself.”
Gabby tips her head and her face
“Don’t be your cool as a cucumber self, Tony. I’m not a client. You know why I’m here,” Gabby bites out, clearly pissed. She’s standing at the front of my desk with her hands on her hips, designer jeans, a fancy ass sweater and I can tell she’s wearing heels because she’s taller than normal.
“I’m busy Gabba, cut to the chase.”
On a huff, she says, “Leigh. I don’t know what you’re doing, but you had better stop. She is not some bimbo for you to conquer. Nor does she have the energy to put you off. She’s in a delicate place right now. I cannot believe with what she means to me, what she meant to my parents, not to mention what she has been through you would go there with her. Now I love you, Tony. You know I do. But there are times I have to love you despite how you choose to live your life with…with…women. And you know what I mean. Leave. Her. Alone.”
I pull in a calming breath through my nose. I can’t say I don’t deserve that. I probably do. Now I have to rein it in and explain to Gabby what Leigh means to me.
“Are you through?” I ask quietly.
Gabby tips her head to the side to take in my demeanor. She knows me better than anyone, I can tell she sees it. Or she sees something, because she asks, “What’s going on, Tone?”
I lower my voice, “Gabba, you think I’d go there with Leigh knowing what she means to you? What she meant to your parents? But especially after what she’s just been through if she didn’t mean something to me ?”
Gabby jerks back as if I’ve struck her. Shit, is it that surprising?
“What does she mean to you?” Gabby pushes.
“She means a lot to me,” I respond. “I’m taking a mind to her. I’m being patient. Shit, I’m handling her divorce now and I’ve read the police records. I probably know more than you. None of it’s good, Gabby. It’s all a shit load of bad. So yeah, I’m doing everything I can to make sure she’s mine, but I plan on handling her with care in the process. What I will not do is stop. She was tied to that asshole by the time I got out of school, I missed my chance then, I’m not missing it again.”
“Really?” Gabby breathes. “You wanted a chance back then?”
“Well, by the time I was ready, she was taken, but yeah. I just took too long to get my shit together,” I say.
“You and Leigh?”
“I hope,” is my only answer.
“Oh, I’m going to cry,” she exclaims and starts to wave her hand in front of her face. “I’m sorry,” she goes on, “I’m sorry I said that to you. I had no idea. You know I love you. Shit! I hate crying.”
I get up and go around the desk to her. She walks straight to me and plants her face in my chest to give me a hug. I hug her right back and say, “It’s okay, Gabby.”
“I’m really happy for you,” she says and then tips her head back to go on with a teary grin, “You know, she crushed on you all through high school.”
“She did?”
“Yeah,” she says with a giggle.
“Well, fuck me,” I mutter, shaking my head.
She giggles again and says, “I can’t wait to tell Jude. And I’m making dinner tonight, you have to come.”
“Gabby, shut it down. I’ll handle it. I don’t need any help,” I say, hopefully getting my point across.
“Okay,” she agrees a little too enthusiastically as she wipes her tears away.
“I’m serious. I need to handle her in my own way. Do you know she dreams?” I ask.
“Dreams?”
“Yeah, nightmares.”
“No. Did she tell you?” she asked.
“No, I heard her. I’ve slept on your sofa for the last three nights. Every night she’s had a nightmare and she won’t talk about them. You’ve probably never heard because your room is far away from hers.”
“You stayed all weekend?” she asks further.
“I didn’t want her to be by herself.”
Gabby tips her head and her face
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