Read Online March (Calendar Girl #3) by Audrey Carlan - Free Book Online
Authors: Audrey Carlan
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was in attendance during our little bonding session.
“I knew it!” Angelina said and slumped into the chair next to Hector.
That’s when Hector turned into a different person. His spine stiffened, his hands locked around his knees and he sat up. It was if he’d transformed back into cool, calm, all-together Hector everybody knew and loved. Not the love-stricken mess of a man battling some serious issues with his mate.
“Uh, Hector’s just going through something, and I’m helping…”
“You’re helping him and Tony pull the wool over the family’s eyes about them being together.”
I did not expect that. Hector’s eyes turned a startling greenish brown color. “I don’t know what you mean...” He tried and failed…miserably.
“Save it. You think I don’t know that you and my brother have been in love since college? What do you take me for? I’m Tony’s best friend. Well, besides you that is.”
“He told you?” he whispered.
She shook her head. “No, but I know Tony. And I know you. Neither of you have had a partner all these years. Once and a great while Tony would bring a ‘date’ to dinner but it was always obvious he wasn’t interested in her. Though I will say, when you popped up, I got a little concerned.” She glanced at me and smirked. “If there was ever a woman that could make a gay man straight it would be you.”
“What an oddly awkward compliment. Thanks...I think.” I sat down on the floor in front of both of them. “So what now?”
Angelina shrugged. “Tony needs to tell Mama.”
Hector shook his head so fast I thought it might disconnect from the spine. “Not an option. He does not want to disappoint Mona or the family. Plus, there’s business issues involved, and the boxing league he still enjoys.”
“Screw the league. He doesn’t even box that much for them anymore since Pops died. Sides, Rocko has all that under control, and Tony can participate any time he wants. The league is a bullshit excuse.”
“And the business?” Hector egged her on. “What of that? You think a family company like Fasano’s can handle the tarnish to its image having a gay man running the helm?”
Angelina shrugged. “Work is work. I don’t really care what the business thinks.”
Hector sighed. “But Tony does. It’s everything to him.”
I placed my hand on Hector’s knee. “No, I think you’ve got that wrong. You’re everything to him.”
Hector stood abruptly. “No offense Mia, but if that were true, you wouldn’t be here.” With those parting words he left the dressing room.
Getting up off the floor I slumped into the chair next to Angelina. “What a mess.”
“Yeah it is. I’d suspected for a long time but this is the first time I ever felt like I had to stick my nose into it. Mia...” Her blue eyes, so like Tony’s, were watery. “Mama really believes you’re the one. She is convinced that she needs to marry the two of you off so you can get started on baby making.” At the last part she bit down on her lip and looked away.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ll talk with Hector and Tony. We’ll figure something out. It will all be okay. I can stage a big breakup or something. No need to get so upset.”
“It’s not that, it’s just, Rocko and I have been trying for some time to have a baby and nothing’s happening. Mama doesn’t even ask about it. It’s all about Anthony having a son and carrying on the name.”
I petted her on her back. “That’s got to be difficult. Always feeling like second fiddle.”
She huffed. “There’s five of us, Mia.” Her tone was tired, sounding drained of all life. “Someone is always second, third, fourth or fifth. It’s just Tony’s always number one.”
I heard what she was saying and understood it. After dinner with the family and seeing the way Mona doted on her son and her grandchildren, the fact that Tony went so far as to hire an escort to pretend to be his fiancée to fool his mother showed the kind
“I knew it!” Angelina said and slumped into the chair next to Hector.
That’s when Hector turned into a different person. His spine stiffened, his hands locked around his knees and he sat up. It was if he’d transformed back into cool, calm, all-together Hector everybody knew and loved. Not the love-stricken mess of a man battling some serious issues with his mate.
“Uh, Hector’s just going through something, and I’m helping…”
“You’re helping him and Tony pull the wool over the family’s eyes about them being together.”
I did not expect that. Hector’s eyes turned a startling greenish brown color. “I don’t know what you mean...” He tried and failed…miserably.
“Save it. You think I don’t know that you and my brother have been in love since college? What do you take me for? I’m Tony’s best friend. Well, besides you that is.”
“He told you?” he whispered.
She shook her head. “No, but I know Tony. And I know you. Neither of you have had a partner all these years. Once and a great while Tony would bring a ‘date’ to dinner but it was always obvious he wasn’t interested in her. Though I will say, when you popped up, I got a little concerned.” She glanced at me and smirked. “If there was ever a woman that could make a gay man straight it would be you.”
“What an oddly awkward compliment. Thanks...I think.” I sat down on the floor in front of both of them. “So what now?”
Angelina shrugged. “Tony needs to tell Mama.”
Hector shook his head so fast I thought it might disconnect from the spine. “Not an option. He does not want to disappoint Mona or the family. Plus, there’s business issues involved, and the boxing league he still enjoys.”
“Screw the league. He doesn’t even box that much for them anymore since Pops died. Sides, Rocko has all that under control, and Tony can participate any time he wants. The league is a bullshit excuse.”
“And the business?” Hector egged her on. “What of that? You think a family company like Fasano’s can handle the tarnish to its image having a gay man running the helm?”
Angelina shrugged. “Work is work. I don’t really care what the business thinks.”
Hector sighed. “But Tony does. It’s everything to him.”
I placed my hand on Hector’s knee. “No, I think you’ve got that wrong. You’re everything to him.”
Hector stood abruptly. “No offense Mia, but if that were true, you wouldn’t be here.” With those parting words he left the dressing room.
Getting up off the floor I slumped into the chair next to Angelina. “What a mess.”
“Yeah it is. I’d suspected for a long time but this is the first time I ever felt like I had to stick my nose into it. Mia...” Her blue eyes, so like Tony’s, were watery. “Mama really believes you’re the one. She is convinced that she needs to marry the two of you off so you can get started on baby making.” At the last part she bit down on her lip and looked away.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ll talk with Hector and Tony. We’ll figure something out. It will all be okay. I can stage a big breakup or something. No need to get so upset.”
“It’s not that, it’s just, Rocko and I have been trying for some time to have a baby and nothing’s happening. Mama doesn’t even ask about it. It’s all about Anthony having a son and carrying on the name.”
I petted her on her back. “That’s got to be difficult. Always feeling like second fiddle.”
She huffed. “There’s five of us, Mia.” Her tone was tired, sounding drained of all life. “Someone is always second, third, fourth or fifth. It’s just Tony’s always number one.”
I heard what she was saying and understood it. After dinner with the family and seeing the way Mona doted on her son and her grandchildren, the fact that Tony went so far as to hire an escort to pretend to be his fiancée to fool his mother showed the kind
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