Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“But I’m her baby,” I pouted into Becca’s arms.
“You’re both her babies. But he’s just too cute,” Becca told me, grinning at the put-out look on my face.
I had to admit grudgingly that she was right. Elio was too cute for his own good.
“It’s a grandma thing. Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll be the same when one of my kids eventually decides to have kids, if they ever find a partner willing to put up with them.”
I grinned at the playful bitterness in her tone. I knew Alessandro and Tallon had both had girlfriends and Dahlia had boyfriends, but the longest any had lasted was three months. In Tallon’s case, he had admitted that he only dated her because her dad ran the ice cream parlor and she bribed him with free ice cream.
He was devastated when the girl broke up with him on her dad’s orders, mostly because Tallon was going to start running them out of business with all the free ice cream.
“Eventually,” I chuckled, though I hated to break her heart but I was pretty sure that Dahlia never wanted any kids. She was content to be the cool aunt, and even after helping with Elio for so long and doting on him, I doubted she was going to change her mind.
Dahlia was too stubborn to do so.
“If you want another baby so bad, you could’ve just asked,” James grinned, curling a sly arm around his wife’s waist.
Becca sent him an amused look. “Nice try, old man, but this factory is done with. You find a way to give birth to the next one and then we’ll talk.”
I grinned. Becca was still young, so it wouldn’t have surprised me if they had had more kids. But I’d heard her say the same excuse to all of his moves on her for years. And just like always, James sighed, relenting unhappily.
Despite getting older, James was still in great shape and still absolutely in love with his wife. I hoped Gio and I could be like them one day.
“So where’s my son-in-law?” Mom asked, still holding onto Elio as she bounced him up and down like it was sheer force of habit. She glanced around with a frown, but I knew she wouldn’t find him.
“He’s off somewhere greeting guests. He’s been stressing about this party for weeks now,” I told her with a shrug.
“Any hint on who the successor he’s naming is?” James asked with a curious tilt of his head.
I glanced up at him, surveying his thoughts, but he truly only seemed curious. Seeing as both of his sons were contenders, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he tried to influence us, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“No.” I smiled. “He hasn’t even told me yet. Gabriele doesn’t know anything either, so I think he’s been keeping it to himself, or he’s still just procrastinating until the announcement.”
“I see. Well, I trust his judgment,” James said, nodding, “whatever he may decide.”
“Dinner!”
A loud shout came from inside the extensive dining room, the one that had been left unused for the entire time I’d been living here. The twenty to thirty people started flocking into the room and I grinned, turning to my mom with my arms held out.
“I’d better go find Gio, but thank you for coming. I know it means a lot to both of us,” I told them with a bright smile.
My mom pouted but reluctantly handed over Elio and I kissed his temple as I hitched him onto my hip.
He cooed happily, grabbing a handful of my hair as he gazed up at me with wide eyes.
“That’s right, food time.” I laughed with him.
James and Becca waved us off and my mom stayed with them to go find Dahlia, Tallon, and Alessandro. Meanwhile, the crowd easily parted for me and Elio, all of them smiling and cooing at Elio’s bright grin. Meanwhile, he took the chance to say “Hi!” to everybody, just like we taught him a few days ago.
The guests just melted at how adorable he was. I squeezed my way through the dining room and spotted the same curly hair as my son in the crowd. I made my way to Gio at the head of the table, where a second chair and a high chair had been placed next to him.
Gabriele stood lazily beside him, looking for all intents and purposes like he’d rather be in bed. He yawned, taking his seat to Gio’s right.
“Hey,” I called out to my husband, settling Elio into his high chair and buckling him before I scooted next to him.
He grinned, a hand wrapping around the back of my neck and he pulled me into a deep kiss in front of everyone.
My cheeks flared as I heard suggestive whistling and loud ‘oohs’ from nearly everyone settling into the table.
“Gio,” I scolded him as we broke apart, lightly slapping his chest with the back of my hand.
Gio had never done anything like that in front of everybody before, and I couldn’t help being a little embarrassed at the stares and knowing grins every shot at me.
But when I turned back to Gio, I saw the nervousness in his eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked worriedly, placing my hand on his cheek.
“Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” he admitted with a tired sigh. “A little affection from my beautiful wife and I’ll be right as rain.”
I rolled my eyes but let him pull me close, laying his head in the crook of my neck. I rubbed his back soothingly, whispering into his ear, “You’re still the boss right now, Gio. Everyone has to accept your decision.”
“I know.” He chuckled into my ear.
Over his shoulder, Dahlia sent me a saucy wink from down the table, making mocking kissy noises, which her mom promptly slapped her on the back of the head for.
But soon, we were all distracted as the doors to the kitchen opened, and in came a line of servers dressed in simple black and white suits, all carrying massive amounts of food.
It was like a banquet to feed a whole army, and soon the table was filled to the brim with wine glasses topped off in white or red, carved meats, and massive bowls of every side you could imagine. I took my time to enjoy the party, making funny faces at Dahlia across the table as we communicated in a way that only best friends could.
Gio spoke to the various men who came up to congratulate him on his retirement, dodging the many questions of who he was going to name a successor. But soon enough, the food was all gone and the night had drawn long.
After the last piece of pie had been served and eaten, Gio stood up with his empty wine glass in his hand and gently tapped on it with his fork. The sound caught the attention of everyone and all eyes gazed upon him with anticipation.
“Famiglia!” Gio announced loudly for everyone to hear. “I have been the Don of our family for over fifteen years. But as you all may be aware by now, I have decided it is time to step down.”
The room was complete silence and Gio’s eyes wandered at the many people before him, like a king surveying his subjects one last time.
He smiled and said, “Though I am sad to be leaving you, I know that you will be in good hands. My choice may be surprising to some, but I believe he is the best person for the job.”
The tension would have snapped a knife with how thick it was. The air was heavy with anticipation as all eyes stared at Giovani as he announced his last decision as the Don.
“Everyone, please welcome your new Don,” Giovani said, proudly, turning to the young man sitting only a few chairs down.
“Tallon.”
*Tallon*
“Welcome your new Don, Tallon.”
As the words echoed through the air, in and out of the ears of all fifty people who had been waiting all night to hear who would lead them after Giovani, I wondered a little hysterically, if it was possible for a heart to beat out of a person’s chest.
Surely, it was impossible. Right?
Because there was no way the rhythmic pounding in my head, similar to a drum line of the repetitive songs they play at the clubs, was actually my heart trying to rip through my ribcage and onto the dining table.
