Page 11 of Joey

“I wasn’t suggesting…” He sighs and shakes his head. “Where is this club you’re going to tonight?”

“Downtown. It’s new. They offered to put me and the girls on the guest list. We get a VIP booth and everything.”

“Hmm.” He narrows his eyes.

“What?” I set my silverware down, ready to argue my case if he starts pulling any of his sexist, overprotective bullshit.

“I don’t like people using you for free publicity is all.”

“Free publicity?” I frown.

“Yes.”

“How am I free publicity?”

“You’re Joey Moretti,” he says, scowling. “Everyone in this city knows who you are. You think they gave you a free booth out of the goodness of their hearts?”

I shrug, unbothered. “Whatever the reason, it sounds like it’ll be fun.”

He closes his eyes and sucks in a breath that makes me wonder what he’s thinking. I know he’d rather I stay home where he can keep a closer eye on me, but that’s not the life I want to lead. “Henry and Ash will go with you.”

“Of course.”

“Is this going to be your life now? Partying and going out with your friends every night?”

“I go out two or three nights a week, Dante,” I say with a sigh. “I’m twenty-two, it’s what young people do.”

“I know…” Gabriella starts to fuss, and he bounces her on his knee. “But you could do so much more.”

I lean forward in my chair. “Such as?”

“What do you want to do?”

Narrowing my eyes, I stare at him with suspicion. Is this a trick question? “I want to work in the family business.”

I expect him to laugh at me, but he regards me with curiosity. “You do?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He takes another bite of his steak.

“What?” I blink at him. I must have slipped into an alternate universe.

“I said okay. Let me speak to Lorenzo and see where he thinks would be a good place for you to start. Unless you have an idea of what you’d like to do?”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck me,” I mutter.

“Don’t curse in front of my daughter,” he says with a slight frown.

“Sorry, but this is pretty epic, D. I mean, you’ve never once given me any indication that I could work with you and Lorenzo.”

Dante shrugs. “Well, things are different now.”

They sure as hell are!“I don’t know where I’d like to start yet, but I’ll think about it. And I’ll consider your and Lorenzo’s suggestions about it too.” As much as they drive me crazy, my brothersarethe family business, and they know it inside and out.