Sal Gabrini 4: I'll Take You There (The Gabrini Men Series Book 7) by Mallory Monroe Page B

Grace?”
    “I’ve
got to fly on to Rome after this meeting.   He and Grace will fly back to Seattle.”
    “Oh,
the life you jet-setting people live,” Trina said with a smile.  
    Gemma
headed toward Valerie, whom she had not seen in a while, as Trina hugged
Grace’s neck.   “Girl, you’re the only
woman I know who looks younger the older she gets,” she said.   “And given how Tommy treats you like a kid,
I’d bet he just loves it.”
    “You’d
win that bet,” Tommy said with a smile as he and Trina kissed on the lips, and
then hugged.  
    Valerie
stood and hugged Gemma as she approached the sofa.   “So good to see you again, Val.   It’s been a while.   What have you been up to?”
    “Working
hard.   Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Gabrini
referring so many of their friends to us, my Dad’s real estate business has
exploded.   But he’s hired three more
realtors, so that should give me a little bit of a break.”
    Gemma
looked over at Jimmy.   “What’s up, Jimmy
Mack?”
    “Bartending,”
Jimmy responded, holding up an empty glass.   “Ma seems to be under the impression that I like serving you old folks.”
    Gemma
laughed.   “Old my ass,” she said, as she
sat down on the sofa.
    At
the front door, Trina was closing the door.   “How does it feel to be with child?” she asked Grace.
    “Between
Tommy’s overprotectiveness, and Little Tomalina’s wild rambunctiousness,” she
added as she rubbed her stomach, “it’s been a trip.   But a loving trip.”
    “What’s
so loving about it?” Reno Gabrini asked as he entered the living area from the
back rooms.   “I’ve made that
Seattle-to-Vegas run a thousand times.   Was nothing loving about it!   Hey
Grace.” He kissed Grace on the lips and then hugged her.   And then he and Tommy exchanged a warm
embrace.
    “She
wasn’t talking about the flight, Reno,” Trina said.   “She was talking about being pregnant.”
    “Oh,
right!” Reno said as he looked down at her stomach.   “You’re really showing.”
    “Of
course she’s really showing,” Trina said.   “She’s really pregnant.   Or have
you forgotten that fast?   Sophia isn’t
that old!   And Grace, I heard you mention
Tomalina.   I hope you aren’t planning to
name your baby Tomalina.”
    Grace
looked at her.   “What’s wrong with
Tomalina?”
    “Nothing’s
wrong with it,” Trina admitted.   “But . .
. Well. . . You know.   It’s not exactly
the most creative name out there.”
    Grace
laughed. “Just fooling!   We haven’t come
up with a name yet.   Tommy says it’s bad
luck.   He wants to wait until she gets
here.”
    “What
are you guys having to drink?” Jimmy asked from across the room.
    Tommy
smiled.   “What Jimbo, you’re the
bartender tonight?”
    “You
know it, Uncle Tommy.   Mom and Dad won’t
let me relax to save their lives.”
    Tommy
looked at Reno with a smirk on his attractive face.   “You have nearly a thousand people working
for you, and almost all of them are downstairs at this very hour.   From the lounges and restaurants, to the
casinos and this five-star hotel itself, you have all of this staff.   But you still won’t hire one of them to work
your parties.   Instead you work poor
Jimmy and Trina to death.   It’s a shame,
Ree.”
    “Fuck
shame,” Reno said, with a smile of his own.   “I don’t want my employees all in my business.   They stay their asses right down there where
they’re supposed to be, and I’ll keep my ass right up here where I’m supposed
to be.”
    “I
guess Trina is the chef tonight?”
    “Damn
right,” Reno said assuredly.
    “Not
really,” Trina said.
    Reno
looked at her.   “What do you mean not really ?”
    “Chef
Paul will be serving us tonight.”
    Reno
didn’t like it.   “But I thought I told
you I wanted a home cooked meal tonight.”
    “And
you’ll get a home cooked meal,” Trina responded.   “Cooked at home by Chef Paul.”   Tommy and Grace