The Suite Life (12 page)

The procession negotiated the gentle curves of the lane and entered a narrow bike path along the beach. A gentle onshore breeze added an additional dimension to the view I'd had from Alec's room. It was all I could do to resist pulling over to the side, sticking my bike in the beach grass, and running into the surf with open arms, clothes and all.

As if he had read my mind, Alec slowed down until I was beside him. “I've a mind to do some skinny-dipping tonight,” he said, jutting his chin toward the shore.

“We've managed to avoid parental disapproval so far,” I replied without any trace of a frown. “Let's not tempt fate.”

“Your words say no, but your face says otherwise,” he said with a chuckle. Our procession returned to the country lane half
a mile farther on and Giovanni led us toward a small marina in the distance. He wheeled into its gravel parking lot and pulled up to a shack that stood between two docks.

“Anyone up for some homemade Italian ice?” he smiled as he lowered his kickstand.

“Thanks, Grandpa!” the girls cheered in unison from the child seats affixed to their parents' bikes.

“Lemon for me, please,” I said, feeling like a kid myself. I'd never known my own grandfather, who died when my mother was only fourteen. In fact, I'd never really had any positive male influences in my life. Maybe I could make up for lost time now with Giovanni.

Back at the house, it was time for the next meal, this one consumed by the pool. There were hot dogs, hamburgers, and Italian sausages served with sides of potato salad and coleslaw, and drinks to satisfy any taste. I tried a peach wine cooler before switching to iced tea and watched Alec put away a six-pack of Peroni without noticeable effect. His three helpings of food might have had something to do with that, but, given his size and his history, it probably wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't even had a bite.

We'd barely finished our lunch when Filomena announced the plan for dinner at a popular country inn nearby. “Let's reassemble at eight, shall we?”

“Perfect,” Alec said, rising from his chaise. “That gives us plenty of time to watch the four o'clock game.” He reached for my hand as the men started for the den. “Care to join us, Sam?”

“If you don't mind, I'll stay here and enjoy the sun a little longer.”

“Not at all,” he said with a gleam in his eye, his hand slipping from mine. “But you're all mine later.”

I wonder if his mother caught that wink.

As usual, dinner was off the charts, as was cuddling in bed with Alec as soon as we returned to the house. Falling asleep that way, without any demand for more, was a perfect cap to a perfect day.

The next morning, as soon as breakfast was over, he announced that he'd be taking me for a ride. Leading me by the hand to the spacious garage, he punched in a code on a keypad and the door started to rise, revealing a pristine dark blue 1980 Mercedes 450SL. Its top was down, revealing a cream-colored leather interior.

“Nothing like cruising in a convertible in these parts,” Alec said.

“Is this yours?” I nearly shrieked.

“Just another toy, Sam,” he said with a shrug as he opened my door.

“Just another toy,” I echoed. “Like that classic Corvette in the next bay, I suppose.”

“The folks are very good about letting me keep them here,” Alec said as he sank into his bucket seat and turned the ignition key. “Until I get a place of my own on the water, that is.” He fired up the CD player and rolled down the driveway and out onto the two-lane road.

“Ever been to the Hamptons, Sam?” he asked unnecessarily. Just a few weeks ago I'd never even been to Tribeca!

After stopping for lunch in Bridgehampton, we headed toward the ocean. The contemporary homes along the beach that I'd seen photos of in glossy magazines were so much more impressive in real life.

“This is the real deal, Sam,” he said. “I've been planning to buy here for a year. My cut from the merger deal alone could make it happen.”

Truthfully, I hadn't gotten used to the family beach house fantasy yet, and I couldn't find the words to express how living in this place could ever be real for me.

“Speechless, huh?” Alec asked. I nodded. “I'll admit it, Sam, it took me a while to get used to the idea, but it's closer than you know.”

He has no idea how far away something like this still seems to me.

He kissed my neck and a tingle coursed through my body.
I should just give in to everything he sends my way. Let go, and let God.
“It's more than I can comprehend, Alec.” I sighed.

“My plans only started to make sense to me after I met you,” he said.

My introduction to those nearest and dearest to Alec had gone better than I anticipated. They were a genuine family who had made me feel very welcome, and I believed I'd grow even closer to them over time—especially Giovanni. He was most definitely the patriarch of the family, in charge of his domain, and his rise on Wall Street was no accident, but he also had a softer side, and it was this combination—which I also saw in Alec—that attracted me to both of them.

Diana Ross sang on the stereo as Alec headed for home:

If I don't have all the answers

At least I know

I'll take my share of chances

“Why don't you put on the game?” I suggested, feeling magnanimous.

“Thanks, Sam,” he said, reaching for the radio. “There are only a couple of things that interest me more, and you're at the top of the list.”

I smiled and pointed my chin at the radio. “Are they ahead of your merger?”

Alec laughed. “No . . . but it's close.”

Even though the Yankees lost the game, Alec was in a good mood all the way back to the house. When the family gathered on the deck, cocktails in hand, to watch the sunset, the men gravitated toward one end and began a heated conversation about their favorite team.

Gianna sauntered over and plopped on the chaise next to mine. “The only thing that could get between them and their Yankees is God and family,” she quipped, “and I'm not so certain about the first one. I wonder what Christmas would be like if it were in baseball season.”

“I don't know,” I countered. “But it's hard for me to imagine anything being more important to Alec right now than his merger negotiations.”

She raised her glass to me. “Except you, of course.” I smiled softly. “A merger of a different stripe.” She chuckled.
The kind that heats up in a bedroom, right?

I looked over her shoulder and whispered, “We have gotten closer.”

Gianna laughed, and the men glanced our way but never stopped talking. “I'm sure you have,” she said.

I was sure my face went beet red because Gianna rested a hand on my arm to reassure me. “I'm just teasing, Sam,” she said softly.
I wondered who would be first in Alec's family to call me that. I was betting on Franco.
“I think we've all gotten closer to you, and we're all pleased as hell.”

“I appreciate that, Gianna.”

“Everyone here appreciates
you,
” she continued. “Alec is always ready to jump in and help anybody; he's generous to a fault, so it's nice to meet someone who won't take advantage of him.” With that she grabbed my glass and rose to her feet. “Here, let me refill that for you,” she said insistently, then moved toward the patio bar.

At that moment, Giovanni stepped away from the other men to make an announcement.

“Anyone object to pizza tonight?” he said to the sounds of boisterous approval all around.

I'd barely digested my lunch, but I always had room for good pizza.

Later on, stuffed again, Alec and I finished the night as we had the one before, cuddling in bed, fondling and smooching, and sharing some pillow talk.

Monday morning I dashed down to the kitchen having already determined to take charge of the eggs and bagels. I was looking forward to treating the family to a slice of my past—those mornings with Grandma that I still cherished. Samantha Bonti put on a show and it was a hit with everyone, Alec most of all. As I put away the last of the strawberries I also put away any further thought of being embarrassed around Alec's family.

Afterward, Alec and I took a walk on the beach, hand in hand, hardly talking. He squeezed my hand every few yards, immersed in feelings that I was sure mirrored my own. After half an hour we retraced our steps, and when we were in sight of the house he stopped, swept me up into his arms, and locked his lips on mine in the way that was uniquely his. The tingle from head to toe was resurrected, and the path to our future together was wide open again.

Franco was alone on the deck, talking on the portable phone, when we walked up onto it.

“Where's Dad?” Alec asked when he hung up.

“In his office. I suppose none of us has had a total break from work.”

Alec leaned close to me. “I've got to talk to him about something,” he said, heading inside. “I won't be long.”

Franco smiled broadly and patted the chaise next to his.
“Let's bond a little, Sam,” he said as I sat down and swung my legs onto the lounge. “I don't think I'll be seeing you in my office anytime soon,” he teased, blatantly looking me over from head to toe.

“I don't think so,” I agreed.

“So Dad tells me you're religious.”
Franco doesn't waste any time getting down to it.

“I'm not as familiar with all the rites and ceremonies as I probably should be,” I replied. “But I'm definitely among the faithful.”

“Dad's a real believer, too. He's always trying to get us to go to church, or to one of his retreats on Staten Island.”

“You're not interested?”

“I get to Mass, mostly for Monica and the kids,” he said. “Mount Manresa is something else entirely. Those Jesuits are tough, but I'm not sure they could handle me and Alec.” He let out a chuckle.
Whether I can handle you guys isn't a certainty yet, either.
“Besides, we've got our hands full with the NIAF functions that Dad drags us to,” he added.

“What's the NIAF?” I asked, wondering if I should have heard of it.

“The National Italian American Foundation. It represents over five million
paesanos
.”

“Doesn't sound like you're interested in that, either.”

“There's more of a payoff for business types,” he said, eyeing me up and down, and not for the first time since I sat down beside him. “I can find patients anywhere.”

I looked over Franco's shoulder toward the people strolling along the shoreline.
Especially in this neck of the woods, I'm sure.
I fidgeted and pondered how to change the subject, but just then Alec reappeared, coming to my rescue.

“Is he behaving himself?” Alec asked, taking my hand.

“She's not in any danger, bro,” Franco said.

“Not anymore,” Alec answered, pulling me gently to my feet. “We're leaving,” he said.

“Before lunch?”

“I wanna beat some of the ungodly traffic back to the city.”

Alec and I said good-bye to Franco and made the rounds. Filomena gave me a polite peck on the cheek, but Giovanni hugged me as if I were one of his own children.

Of course, Alec wouldn't venture out on any trip destined to last more than an hour without proper provisions, so he rummaged through the kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator and packed enough food and drink to last at least three days.

“You sure we have enough to eat?” I cracked as we rolled out of the driveway.

“You probably could get by on a small bag of pumpkin seeds,” he countered, as he turned on the CD player. “I, on the other hand, am headed into battle on the LIE and an army travels on its stomach.”

I gazed pointedly at his midsection, which almost touched the bottom of the steering wheel even though his seat was as far back as it could go. “Yeah, well, in that case you'll certainly survive the whole war.”

“Well, I wasn't only thinking about the trip,” he explained a bit sheepishly. “I figured there'd be plenty left over for a late night snack.”

“Of course.” I smiled.

“Listen, Sam,” he said softly, “I had a tremendous time with you this weekend.”

I touched his arm. “Thanks for having me, Alec,” I said, double entendre unintended. “I had a great time, too. I felt right at home.”

“That's because my family fell in love with you right away.”

Tony Kroon said over and over that his mother loved me.
“I don't
know if I'd go that far, Alec. Maybe ‘fond of' would be a better way to describe how they feel.”

“It's just a hop, skip, and a jump from fondness to love, you know,” he said with a smile.
True, if they move even half as fast as you do.
“Anyway, the weekend couldn't have gone better.”

That was true enough, if you discounted a previous marriage. I'd just have to accept that he was being honest when he said it didn't mean anything. And, in any case, whatever trepidations I'd had about meeting his family and measuring up had turned out to be completely unfounded. It was obvious to me that they were all in Alec's corner and they never made me feel as if I threatened their bond with him in any way. In fact, they had been amazingly generous and genuine in the welcome they gave me.