Page 164 of The Temptation

“Of course not. I already told you that when you make that decision, I’ll support you one hundred percent. No matter what you decide.”

I nod, swallowing down the unease as I force my feet to keep moving. I’m still torn on that one. I want to meet them, but I’m scared to.

By the time I’m dressed and heading back down the hall, I hear Dante’s voice followed by easy laughter, and I immediately relax. I can handle a night with my best friend and his wife.

But what I’m not expecting when I step back into the kitchen are the extra faces waiting there. Dominic with Lil’ Peach nestled on his hip. Beside him stands Father Flannery, smiling warmly at our enforcer, as if he hadn’t walked into a house full of sinners.

“There he is,” Dante shouts, and everyone’s eyes moveto me. “The man of the hour.” He places his beer down on the table and stalks towards me. “Happy birthday, mate,” he says, extending one hand and grasping my shoulder with the other. “How have we been best friends for over twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve celebrated this special day with you.”

“Because you’re a shitty best friend,” I reply, smirking.

“I’m the best fucking friend you’ve ever had,” he retorts and then grimaces when he remembers there’s a priest in the room. “Sorry, Father,” he adds, glancing at him over his shoulder. “I meant to say fudging.”

Father Flannery chuckles. “I run a youth program, remember, so I hear that word often, sometimes worse. I’ve even said it a time or two myself,” he replies.

Dante rears back. “You’ve dropped the f-bomb?”

“I haven’t always been a man of the cloth.”

“Right,” Dante replies.

We may have attended the same school, but we lived completely different lives back then. He had a safe place and loving family to go home to, so he didn’t know Father Flannery like I did.

I step towards Father Flannery and hold out my hand.

“Happy birthday, Romeo,” he says.

I clear my throat, glancing over at my wife. She’s watching me with that soft smile she wears so easily, her eyes shining. She has Caterina in her arms again, and I find myself hoping that one day I’ll get to see her holdingourchild.

“Thank you.”

It’s funny that I spent most of my childhood wishing someone would notice this day. Now here I am, thirty-three years later, and not quite knowing what to do with the attention.

Father Flannery doesn’t skip a beat. “I’ve been meaningto ask you … any idea how a brand new car ended up outside the rectory a few weeks ago?”

I clear my throat again and shove my hands deep into my pockets. “Why would I know anything about that?”

“Well, last time I saw you, you asked why I was still driving that heap of shit around … your words, not mine.”

“That proves nothing. Your carwasa heap of shit.”

“It reminded me of the time someone offered to pay for the new roof for the youth club, and when I declined, a miraculous anonymous donation was made.”

I tug at the collar of my dress shirt. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You do realise lying to a priest is a sin,” he says, grinning like he’s already got me.

I raise an eyebrow. “Isn’t lying in general a sin?”

He leans in slightly. “When’s the last time you came to confession?”

I hear Dominic snort behind me, so my eyes flicker to him and narrow. “When I was a teenager.”

Father Flannery claps a hand on my shoulder. “Come see me next week. You’re long overdue.”

“I appreciate the invite, but that’ll be a hard pass.”

There is no chance I’m unpacking the last couple of decades for this man. He doesn’t need to know some of the horrific things I’ve done to protect theFamigliaand my wife.