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“Okay,” she said, the returning sound of heaving following it

Grirabbed a couple of water bottles Brett was at the dining roo out a pot of pasta into a colander I avoided speaking to either of theht the water back into the bedroohtly on the wooden frame

“Water’s outside the door,” I said “Anything else you need?”

“No, thank you I’ll be fine”

“I’ll go help the guys set up dinner Take your time Come join us when you feel like you can”

Leaving her in the bathroo room where Brett made eye contact with me

“Where’s Desiree?” he asked

“She’s not feeling well,” I said “All this is doing a number on her stomach”

“Ah, well, I hope she feels better soon,” Al said, beginning to plate dishes “I made her favorite meal from when she was little Her father and I used to make it for our families”

“I helped,” Brett said proudly

“You are no Nico Giannotti, but you aren’t bad for a an”

Laughing, Al went back to plating, and I shook my head

“Thank you again for co backup,” I said to Al as he opened a suitcase that he had brought with him and produced a bottle of wine from somewhere in its recesses

“Of course,” he said “I would do anything for Desiree As Nico would have done for Sammi We were paisans, Nico and I From many years back Before he joined the business It was my father that employed him first, actually”

“Really?” I asked

“Sì,” he said “The Giannottis were good people, honorable But old man Tommasso, he was a tailor Quietother than his family and his work My father befriended him because he made his suits That’s how I met Nico We would play while his father made my father’s suits