Dinner on Friday

17. Carla

WANDERING EYES

I settled into the passenger seat of the car, my gaze fixed on Dante as he leaned down to kiss me.

When he pulled away, I couldn't help but notice how different he looked from when he left for work earlier that day. Gone was his chef uniform, replaced by a cozy beige sweater that accentuated his broad shoulders and black slacks that hugged his muscular butt to perfection. Despite the visible signs of exhaustion on his face, he still managed to look amazing.

Although I hated every second of work in the restaurant, watching him in his element today had turned me on tremendously.

I couldn't wait for him to get back from this meeting with his father and his uncle. I suspected he wanted to talk to them about Annabella and I hoped everything went well, and that we would finally be able to put this wretched chapter in our lives behind us.

"Sergio," Dante said, "get her home safe."

Sergio, who had been holding the door open this whole time, nodded. "Will do, Sir."

The car pulled away from the curb, and my attention was momentarily diverted as I took notice of Sergio sitting in the driver's seat.

His presence was reassuring, and I couldn't help but acknowledge his handsomeness. In many ways, he bore a resemblance to Dante, with his strong jawline and expressive hazel eyes.

His dark, slightly tousled hair was neatly styled, giving him a polished yet approachable appearance. Sergio's well-defined jawline and clean-shaven face exuded a sense of professionalism, while a faint dimple appeared on his left cheek when he smiled.

I found myself appreciating the symmetry of his face, even though my heart belonged wholly to my husband.

Sergio glanced at me through the rearview mirror, catching my eyes as I had been staring.

"You don't talk much, do you?" he asked, breaking the silence. His voice was deep and soothing.

I smiled. "Not around people I don't know well, and I don't want to distract you since your one job tonight is to get me home safe."

Sergio returned the smile. "I can talk and drive. I know it takes time to warm up to new people, but you're going to have to get used to the idea of me being around. The more I know about you, the better I can protect you."

"What would you like to know?"

"Well, since you've opened the door, how about we start with something personal?" His eyes flickered with interest as he thought about what he wanted to ask me.

"Okay."

"My father told me about the situation with Dante's sister. We've been looking into her, but have yet to find anything linking her to you and what happened when you got the seizure. What are your thoughts on this meeting with his father and his uncle?"

"I just hope they see the person she truly is," I admitted. "What Anna did has caused a lot of pain, and I hate to see my husband hurting. Family is important to him."

Sergio's expression softened. "I understand. Family dynamics can be complex, but it sounds like he has a supportive wife."

"I try my best. Love means being there for each other through thick and thin, right?"

"Absolutely." Sergio's gaze met mine briefly in the rearview mirror before returning to the road.

Compared to when I first met Dante, Sergio was a hundred times more polite. Yet, I couldn't shake the uncanny resemblance the two shared. In a way, the familiarity was comforting, knowing that Sergio was going to be an integral part of our lives from now on.