The Spia Family Presses On - By Mary Leo Page 0,99
were involved and this will only cause more problems for you. It’s best to—”
“Stop quoting yourself! Do you even know how annoying you are? Like I’m going to tell Nick anything in a bar? This isn’t your game. It’s mine, and so far all I have is a hunch that whoever is doing this is out to destroy my mom, me and Spia’s Olive Press. It’s more to the killer than just getting that ring. This person wants total destruction. And as of this afternoon that person is succeeding.”
Lisa reached out for me, but I pulled back, eyeing her drink. Then in one quick move, I picked up her full glass.
“No. Don’t.”
But it was too late. I fished out the olive, popped the damn thing in my mouth, chewed and swallowed. At once a sense of calm came over me.
Fortunately, it was pitted.
“Thanks. I needed that.” I slammed the glass down, hard, splashing the mind-altering elixir all over the bar. It took every ounce of my inner fortitude not to bend over and lap it up.
Such a waste!
“Now,” I said, as the bar color changed to an intense red—which sent my blood surging through my veins—and I pulled the clip out of my hair, freeing it to fall around my shoulders, “to hell with Dickey’s murder. He’s ruining everything, even our friendship. So I say again, to hell with Dickey! Right now the only thing I need is a man. Where the hell is Leo? I need some heavy-duty quality mattress time, and I want it right now!”
I slapped the red bar.
EIGHTEEN
Oops, There He Is
Not two seconds later, as if I was some kind of Genie, Leo and Nick appeared.
“How’d you do that?” Lisa asked.
“The olive is a powerful force,” I told her, feeling naturally high.
As soon as I saw Leo, I knew I had to get out of there or I would be sucking down martinis with abandon. I didn’t want to think about murder or murders, or Jade, my dad, rings or that big black Tundra parked outside. All I wanted was a night with Leo.
“We need to go,” I said to Leo, completely ignoring Nick. It was a wonder to me how Nick could simply show up and pretend as if he wasn’t in the process of completely dismantling my life piece by tiny piece. I totally got why my family hated cops. I was beginning to come around to their way of thinking.
“We just got here,” Nick said.
Lisa glared at me then she got it. “That’s why we should go,” she cooed, and Nick understood her seductive message.
“We should, um, go,” he mimicked, never taking his eyes off of her, looking as if she had him hypnotized.
Was she that good?
“I’ll round up my mom and aunts,” I said, dragging Leo behind me.
“Why? Are they coming with us?” Leo asked.
“We’re dropping then off at home and then . . .”
I turned and kissed him, one of those intense, I’m going-to-fuck-you-right-on-the-floor-if-we-don’t-get-out-of-here kind of kisses.
“You’re not moving fast enough,” he said when I finally released his lips.
He took my hand and plowed through the crowd like a bulldozer. I was in awe of his ability to slip between people without knocking anyone down. He would be great on the crowded streets of Chinatown in San Francisco.
Uncle Federico, my mom and my aunts were all standing together in front of an olive tasting bar where a forty-something woman was handing out free samples of locally grown and cured olives. Spia’s olives took up half of the bar.
“We need to go,” I told them trying not to sound desperate.
“Who invited him?” Aunt Hetty said when she spotted Nick.
“He’s with me,” Lisa assured her.
“Huh,” Hetty said, turning away from us.
“We’re leaving now, Aunt Hetty.”
She turned halfway around, so she wouldn’t have to see Nick. “But I haven’t even begun to taste all the olives,” she slurred.
She reeked of gin. I took a step back. “Now I know we need to get out of here. You’re way past your olive quota,” I told her.
“I’m going to stay,” Aunt Babe said, her arm around a dapper looking gentleman with white hair and a smile to die for. “Charlie has wheels. He’ll give me a lift home.”
Charlie wore a wicked little grin that told me the “lift” home would be to his home and not hers.
“Whatever you want to do is fine by me,” I said.
“I’m not going either,” my mom added. “Benny’s here and he wants me to stay, the little darling. He’ll give