Page 55 of Angel

I started to point out that Angelo had failed to get in touch with me yet, but the words slipped back down my throat when he appeared in the restaurant entrance.

With his unbuttoned suit and side parted hair, he looked just the same as he always did. It just felt like years since we’d seen each other.

An uncertain smile on his face, he approached the table.

“Hi,” he softly breathed.

I couldn’t help but stare at my hands. “Hello.”

“How are you?”

“Fine,” I told my pinkie finger.

Sophia cleared her throat. “Angelo, have a seat.”

“Thank you. Paige, I was actually wondering if I might have a minute with you first.”

I finally had to look up. “Uh, okay.”

“I’ll order some appetizers,” Sophia announced, burying her nose in the menu.

“And wine,” I told her. “A bottle.”

Or two.

I followed Angelo across the main dining room and into a little hallway, then up a short flight of stairs. He seemed to have a destination in mind so I let him take the lead. On arriving at the landing, the noise from below softened. We passed a doorway showing a private dining area, the chairs all overturned on the tables.

Angelo stopped near the end of the upstairs hall.

“Well?” I barked. I hadn’t meant to be so cutting, but now that I was being just that I figured I would just go with it. Crossing my arms, I glared with everything I had.

“I’m sorry.”

I didn’t buy it.

“What for, exactly?”

Angelo’s head ducked. “For not telling you before about what I knew about the photo. And for failing you in any other way. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry for letting you down. I’m sorry for making you feel like you couldn’t trust me.”

I couldn’t stop that last part from softening my heart a bit. Still, we weren’t done. “You really know for a fact that your family had nothing to do with my parents’ deaths?”

“I swear on my life,” he seriously said. “They didn’t. My parents were friends with yours. Your dad wasn’t just my father’s tailor.”

The way he said it was all I needed to believe him. “I’m sorry too,” I sighed. “I’m sorry I accused them of being involved.”

“It’s understandable.”

There was still more, though, more to get off my chest.We weren’t about to ride off into the sunset just yet.

“I heard you like to chase women.”

“I did,” he softly said, not skipping a beat.

“You… did?”

Angelo took a step towards me and I responded by moving backwards. My back bumped against the wall, leaving me with nowhere to go.

He pressed his arm against the wall next to my head and gazed down at me.