Chapter 29

I toyed with my veal, wondering what the fuck was going on.

Within a matter of minutes, Wills returned to the table. He had himself under control once more. If I hadn’t spent the last nine months getting to know him, I wouldn’t have guessed that he’d been seriously disturbed by something only moments before.

“This looks good.” He spread his napkin across his lap and picked up his fork. “I’m starved.”

* * * *

We finished off dinner with cappuccino and a cake filled with cannoli cream. On it was a single candle, and the waiters came out singing “Happy Birthday” in Italian. The other diners applauded as I blew out the candle.

“How’d you know it was my birthday, Nino?”

“Ah,” he tried to look mysterious. “A little bird, he told me so.” And he winked at Wills.

“When did you have time to tell him?”

“When I called to make the reservation. I told you, babe. Only the best for my guy.”

I laughed and shook my head, relieved that he had regained his equilibrium.