Chapter 7 - The Table Reserved for Three
One year later, the Vesper Crown had a new rule.
Children were allowed in the employee childcare center.
Jamie took full credit.
Salvatore Vescari was awaiting trial on conspiracy, extortion, kidnapping, financial crimes, and charges connected to Evan's death.
Derek pleaded guilty to wage theft.
And me?
I wasn't working housekeeping anymore.
Luca offered me an executive job.
I refused.
Then he offered me a position overseeing the employee family-support program.
I accepted.
There was one condition.
“I report to HR.”
Luca frowned.
“Why?”
“Because dating the owner while reporting directly to him sounds like a lawsuit.”
He stared at me.
“Dating?”
I smiled.
“Would you prefer courting?”
“No.”
“Seeing each other?”
“Terrible.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Absolutely not.”
From across the kitchen, Jamie shouted:
“Mom's boyfriend!”
Luca closed his eyes.
I laughed.
He pointed toward Jamie.
“That child has no respect for me.”
“He's six.”
“Exactly. Old enough to understand hierarchy.”
Jamie ran toward us wearing a tiny black suit Luca had bought him.
“Are we late?”
“For what?” I asked.
“My reservation.”
Luca looked suspicious.
“What reservation?”
Jamie grabbed both our hands.
“Come on.”
He dragged us downstairs.
Inside the hotel's restaurant, the staff had prepared a corner table.
Three chairs.
Chocolate-chip pancakes.
At seven in the evening.
I looked at Luca.
“You did this.”
“No.”
Jamie climbed onto his chair.
“I did.”
Luca raised an eyebrow.
“How?”
“I asked Marco.”
Of course he had.
We sat.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
A year earlier, I had entered this building terrified that one mistake would destroy the little life I had left.
Instead, that mistake had led my son into a forbidden elevator.
The elevator had led him to Luca.
And Luca had led us to the truth about Evan.
Nothing about the road had been clean.
Nothing about Luca's world was simple.
He was still a dangerous man.
He still carried tattoos bearing the names of dead men.
Men still lowered their voices when he entered a room.
But Jamie didn't.
Jamie poured syrup onto his pancakes and looked directly at him.
“Luca?”
“Yes?”
“Are you gonna marry my mom?”
I nearly dropped my fork.
“Jamie!”
Luca went completely still.
Marco, standing near the entrance, suddenly became extremely interested in his phone.
Jamie shrugged.
“What? You've been taking forever.”
I covered my face.
“Please stop talking.”
Luca looked at Jamie.
Then at me.
His expression changed.
That same almost-smile I'd first seen in the penthouse appeared.
Only this time, it stayed.
“I was planning to ask.”
My hand slowly lowered.
“What?”
He reached inside his jacket.
My heart stopped.
Jamie grinned.
“I knew it!”
“YOU knew?”
“He asked me first.”
Luca placed a small ring box on the table.
I stared at him.
“You asked my six-year-old for permission?”
“He's difficult to negotiate with.”
“I wanted a dog,” Jamie explained.
I looked at Luca.
“You bribed my son?”
“Negotiated.”
“With a dog?”
“A small dog.”
Jamie interrupted.
“A German shepherd.”
I stared at both of them.
“You're impossible.”
Luca reached across the table and took my hand.
The restaurant around us became quiet.
“Nora Bennett.”
“No speeches.”
“I prepared one.”
“I don't want it.”
“It was good.”
“Luca.”
He smiled.
Then he abandoned the speech.
“Marry me.”
Simple.
Direct.
Very Luca.
I looked at the man everyone else called the Wolf.
Then at my son, practically vibrating in his chair.
“Does the dog come with the proposal?”
Jamie nodded enthusiastically.
Luca sighed.
“Apparently.”
I laughed.
Then I leaned across the table and kissed him.
Jamie threw both hands into the air.
“YES!”
The entire restaurant applauded.
Luca slid the ring onto my finger.
Then Jamie pushed the pancake plate toward him.
“You can have one.”
Luca looked genuinely touched.
“That's generous.”
“But not the biggest one.”
“There it is.”
I laughed again.
Outside the windows, Atlantic City glowed beneath the night sky.
A year earlier, I had been afraid of losing everything.
Instead, my son had walked through the one door nobody was supposed to open.
May you like
And somehow found us a family on the other side.
THE END
