Bellissimo Angelo- Book Three

Chapter 20 - Way Off

Dom and I take a ride around town for a bit before he pulls into the local diner's parking lot; we climb off the bike, and he leads me inside. Once we are seated in a quiet booth toward the back, Dom reaches out for my hand across the table, "Is something wrong? You seem as if you the weight of the world on your shoulders, Bella."

I sigh audibly, "I can't get anything past you, can I?"

He chuckles, "I'm all ears; you can tell me anything that is on your mind."

The waitress approaches our booth to leave the menus and to get our drink order. Once she departs, I proceed, "Well, do you recall how happy I was that my best friend, Brie, was coming to town for Gran's funeral?"

He nods his head, "Yes, did she go back home yet?"

"No, see... that's the thing. She is still in town, and she hasn't made plans to hang out with me at all."

A confused look crosses his face, "Hmm... I wonder why?"

I snicker, "I have no idea, but she has time to go to my brother's house for dinner with his family and best friend. It seems kind of suspicious my brother asked Momma to watch the grandbabies while he and his wife make dinner and invite his best friend over...then they invite my best friend..." I stop mid-sentence.

Dom looks at me with anticipation when suddenly it dawns on me, "Wait...Ahhhh!!! I think I know what is going on here..."

Dom shakes his head from side to side, "You do?"

"Yes! I bet my brother and his wife are trying to play matchmaker with Seth and Brie to keep her here! That's it! My brother married Brie's cousin, Mariah. Do you remember her? I introduced you to her at Gran's funeral?"

"Yes, I remember," he answers.

I sit back, smiling ear to ear, "Wow...I am so glad I didn't make a bigger scene..."

His eyes grow wide, "Ohh... my sweet, innocent Maggie made a scene?" he asks curiously. 

My cheeks begin to flush, "Well, I didn't make a huge one, but I wasn't very nice to them, let's put it that way."

"I highly doubt that," he responds as he pats my hand. 

"No, I'm dead serious. Momma asked me why I wasn't very nice to them." 

He chuckles, "Well, I'm glad you figured it out. Maybe your friend will call you soon."

I nod my head and open the menu, "I don't even know why I'm looking; I already know what I'm going to order." 

"Oh? What are you going to order, Bella?"

"Turkey Burger," I reply.

He glances up at me, "Do you order that when you come here?"

I snicker, "Every single time, it's my favorite."

He scans the menu as the waitress approaches our booth to bring our drinks and to take our order, "Do you know what you want to order, or do you need more time?" I ask. 

He shuts the menu and sets it at the end of the table, "I will have what you are having. That sounds good to me. I will try something new."

After the waitress takes our order and leaves, I continue,  "So how did it go at the doctor?" I ask curiously. 

"It was fine. I am still in the clear."

"Oh, Dom! That is great news!" I respond excitedly. 

He smiles ear to ear, "Yes, I am thrilled it has not returned."

"I'm sure you are! We will need to celebrate." I tell him. 

After a while, the waitress brings our food. We continue to make small talk as we finish our dinner. Once we are finished, Dom pays the bill, and we leave the diner en route to his place. 

As soon as we arrive and get settled on his sofa, he wraps his arm around my shoulders, "Do you want to watch a movie with me?" he asks.

"Yeah, that sounds perfect. You pick."

He jumps up from the sofa to choose a DVD from the entertainment center before inserting the disc into the player and plops down next to me, "I hope you like what I have chosen. It is my favorite movie." he says. 

"I'm sure I will; what is it called?" I ask. 

"Breakfast Club." 

"Oh! I love that movie! Such a classic."

The two of us cuddle on the sofa, enjoying the movie before retiring to the bedroom and making love several times before our bodies give out and we fall fast asleep. 

TWO DAYS LATER...

I wake up to the sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. I turn over and quickly grab it, checking the caller ID to see who it is. Dom turns his head, "Who is it, Bella?"

"Well, look who it is...Brie Montgomery...I better answer it and see what she wants." 

He turns to face me as I answer the call, "Hello." my voice is raspy, I clear my throat.

"Hey, heifer, are you awake?" she asks.

"Hey Hugh Heffnah, not really; why?" I respond.

"Why are you sleeping in so late?"

I chuckle, "I'm a bartender, goober! I work until 3:00 am!"

"Oh s**t! I'm so sorry I woke you up," she responds.

"No worries, what's going on?" 

Dom whispers, "Is she calling to visit?" 

I shrug my shoulders and run my fingers through his silky black mane as he gazes up at me with those beautiful icy blue eyes before Brie interrupts our intimate moment, "I wanted to hang out today for a while if you wanted to." she says. 

"Sure, what time?" I ask as Dom begins to leave a trail of kisses down my abdomen; I inhale audibly. 

"Whenever you wake up. I have until 3:00 pm when I pick up John Luke at the babysitter's." 

I run my fingers down Dom's bicep, "Oh, did Seth find a babysitter?" 

"Well, he is trialing her for now. I don't think she's very good, but I don't know much."

"Well, shoot, I hope it works out for him," I tell her. 

"I'm going back to Knoxville Sunday to get my things to move back here," she says. 

I sit up quickly and gasp, "You are?" I ask as Dom gazes up at me, eyes wide. 

"Yes! A lot has happened; I need to chat with you!"

I chuckle, "Well, meet me at Momma's house at noon." 

"Alright, I'll see ya then." She says. 

"Bye," I tell her as I disconnect the call. 

I set my phone on the nightstand and gaze at Dom, "She is moving back here, so I'm assuming she wants to tell me that she and Seth are an item.  I'll pretend to act surprised." 

He chuckles, "Well, you will have to let me know how that goes." he says as he runs his fingers down my thighs. 

My eyes grow wide as he quickly hides under the covers and tickles my inner thigh. I squeal with laughter before pulling the covers up over my head. The two of us make love once more before I get myself cleaned up and leave his apartment to head back to Momma's house to meet Brie. 

Once I get there, I cuddle up on the sofa, watching television with Chloe. Momma is at work today, so it's just the two of us. Around noon, Brie arrives and is greeted at the door by Chloe. She kneels next to her and runs her hand along her back as Chloe licks her arm, "Oh my gosh, you are such a beautiful dog." 

"So what's been going on?" I ask curiously before my eyes become fixated on the huge rock on her finger, and I sit straight up, "Oh s**t! What the f**k is that?" 

She covers her face with her hands quickly as her cheeks begin to flush, "I'm engaged." 

A look of shock crosses my face, "To who??! I thought you and Patrick split up?!"

"It's not to Patrick; it's to Seth," she whispers. 

I lean over, holding my stomach, my eyes wide, my mouth drawn slightly, "You are kidding?!"

She shakes her head from side to side, "No, we got engaged a couple of days ago."

"You just got into town Saturday? I'm so confused," I replied excitedly. Man, I was way off in this case!

"Maggie, listen, we have a lot to talk about," She says as she approaches me on the sofa. She plops down next to me, kicking off her sandals, and curling up with me under the afghan, "So, I lost my virginity to Seth when I was eighteen." She blurts out. 

I playfully slap her arm and covers my mouth, "No way!"

She nods her head, "Yes, way, and we carried on a fling that whole summer before I left for college."

I sigh audibly, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" I ask. I sure wish she would have told me. Now I feel bad that Seth and I messed around last year when Nate and I broke up that summer for a few weeks.

"We didn't tell anyone for fear word would get out to Dylan, and we didn't want anyone to make snarky comments about the age gap," She replies. 

I throw my hands up and roll my eyes, "Hello, I am your best friend. I would have never have told Dylan or anyone else."

She reaches out to hold my hand, "Maggie, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I know it was wrong. I was only eighteen, and I wasn't thinking clearly. Dylan and Mariah know all about us now."

I chuckle, "Did he flip out?"

"He pretended to at first, so I knocked him on his ass," She responds while biting her lip to keep the laughter from escaping.

I begin grinning ear to ear, "Holy f**k! You hit my brother?"

She nods her head, "I did, and he came over and apologized to me the next day for always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."

"So awesome! I wish I were there!"

"You would have died, Maggie."

"Well, I'm happy for you and Seth. You guys deserve to be happy. It's very sudden, but if you guys love each other, then I'm happy." I tell her. 

She reaches out to hug me. I think I better refrain from telling her about last summer with Seth. I don't think this is the best time to talk about that. 

The two of us spend the rest of the afternoon together before she leaves to pick up John Luke from the babysitters. Momma gets home shortly after Brie leaves, and I spend the rest of the evening hanging out with her until it gets dark before driving back to Dom's apartment to stay with him once more. I fill him in on the news of Brie and Seth's engagement; I'm still in shock over the news, but I'm really happy for them. 

Dom and I fall into a routine of dinner, movie, and bed every night we are together. I'm the happiest I've ever been with someone. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of being with him. He makes me feel so loved and appreciated. It's something I never had with Nate, and I truly welcome it with open arms.  I just pray that it leads to something more permanent. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.