“It’s Vegas, baby.” Vinnie moves forward in his chair, unable to sit still. “I never thought this day would come.”

It’s football draft day, something I’ve watched on television every year since I was a kid. Never in a million years did I think I’d be here waiting to hear my little brother’s name being called to play pro ball.

Tilly wraps her hand around my bicep. “There’re so many people here.”

I glance around the large room at the thousand or more people packed inside like sardines, and I pull Tilly closer to my side. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Vegas is a different world.” She shakes her head.

“So is football,” I tell her.

There’s nothing like draft day, and with it being in Vegas this year, it’s bigger and crazier than ever.

“God, please let Chicago call my name.” Vinnie rubs his hands together and closes his eyes. “Please.”

“It would be nice to have you home, kid,” Daphne tells him as she strokes his arm, trying to calm him.

“Will you still love me if Green Bay drafts me?”

Lucio gags. “It’ll be hard. Honestly, bro, I can’t wear the green and gold even if it has our name on the back.”

“I thought Chicago had that crazy chick you were trying to avoid,” I say.

“She’s the team owner’s daughter.”

“I thought you said she was hot?” Lucio looks confused, but he wasn’t there when Vinnie told us what really happened.

Somehow, the chick got into Vinnie’s dorm room and was waiting for him one night. Completely naked. She basically threw herself at him, professing her love, and saying they were meant to be together. Thankfully, and surprisingly, Vinnie called campus security instead of banging the chick. Which is surprising because, let’s face it, Vinnie has never been one to say no to pussy.

But security didn’t stop her from showing up on campus again, nor did his repeated attempts to explain that he wanted nothing to do with her. The chick was relentless and seemed to have eyes only for Vinnie.

Vinnie rubs his forehead and grimaces. “If hot means crazy as fuck, then yeah.”

“You do attract a different breed,” I tell him, trying to bite back my laughter.

“You’ll never believe who we just saw,” Pop says as he pulls out the chair next to Vinnie for my mother.

“Who?” Leo looks up from his phone, finally joining the conversation.

“Ditka.” Pop’s beams. “I never thought I’d see him again after what happened.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“You don’t want to know.” Pop slides into the chair next to my ma and takes a sip of his beer, avoiding looking me in the eye.

With my father’s past business dealings, anything is possible. The man knows half the city in one way or another. He’s never been completely open about shit, but I’m happy I don’t know everything. Some things aren’t meant to be public knowledge or even shared among family.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.” Ma touches Vinnie’s cheek.

“Ma, there’s cameras.” He moves his head to the side and away from her hand. “Not here. You’re killin’ my cred.”

She narrows her eyes as she holds her hand in the air. “I don’t care about your cred. I’ll kiss your face if I want to.”

Vinnie grunts as the camera that was at the next table turns toward him.

“Next up is Chicago,” the announcer says into the microphone as the head of the football league walks out onto the stage.

“With the tenth pick in the first round, Chicago selects…”

Although some people in the room are on their feet chanting Chicago, you could hear a pin drop at our table. It’s the only time I can remember the Gallos ever being completely silent.

“Vinnie Gallo, Quarterback from…”

It’s impossible to hear the rest of his statement because the Chicago fans, along with my family, are on their feet, screaming at the top of their lungs.

As Vinnie stands, Ma grabs his face and plants a giant kiss on his cheek for the entire world to see. He doesn’t fight her on it, rolling with it because he loves his mother and he doesn’t want to look like a complete asshole to the millions of people who are watching.

When she finally releases him, he jogs up to the stage to meet the team’s general manager and don the team hat for photos.

“Unbelievable,” I mutter.

The kid did it.

Not only is he going to play ball for the home team, but he was picked in the first round, which means he’s the best of the best. I’m almost teary-eyed watching my kid brother on the stage.

Tilly tucks herself into my side, screaming louder than I’ve ever heard her scream before. “Go Vinnie!”

I peer down at my girl.

“Fuck yeah!” Daphne screams, but it’s barely audible beyond our table. We get a few looks, but whatever. They can go fuck themselves.

The moment is monumental but short-lived as the clock starts ticking down for the next draft pick.

“He did it.” Ma claps. “My baby’s coming home.”

My father wraps his arm around her back. “He is, sweetheart. Big things are coming for him.”

If by big things, he means tons of money, fame, a crazy-as-fuck chick, and probably a head ten times bigger than he already has…then, yeah.

“We have to celebrate,” I say, knowing this is Vegas, and the city never sleeps.

I’m taking full advantage of a child-free weekend, and so is everybody else around the table. It’s rare that we all have this kind of freedom, but Aunt Fran insisted she and Bear could handle watching the kids for a few days.

“Oh shit,” Daphne says, pointing toward the stage and the team owner’s daughter, who’s waiting for Vinnie near the stairs.

“Fuck,” I groan, knowing she’s all kinds of trouble. The last thing Vinnie needs is a girl who’s nuttier than a PayDay candy bar chasing after his ass off the field and distracting him when he’s just starting his career.

Tilly tightens her hold on my arm, following my eyes. “She doesn’t look so bad.”

“She’s the worst kind of trouble.”

“I’m starving.” Pop rubs his stomach and looks at my mother, who’s not even paying attention to him. “Let’s start with dinner, and we’ll see what kind of trouble we can get into. I have a friend…”

“Oh, no.” Lucio shakes his head and holds up his hands. “We’re not going to some mafia joint. We’re steering clear of your old buddies.”

Vegas, which was started by mobsters, is no cleaner than it was fifty years ago. They’ve just learned how to hide in plain sight better, flying under the radar of the public and the authorities. My father seems to know people everywhere we go in this city, and it’s not because of his charm or good looks.

“You pick the place, then,” Pop tells Lucio.

“Angelo and I already made dinner reservations for the family, and we’ll figure out the rest as we go. This is Vegas, and I’m not planning a night of drunken decadence.” Lucio glances at Delilah. “I want to enjoy my woman a little bit.”

Delilah flings her arms around Lucio and whispers something in his ear. By the look on his face, I’d say it was scandalous and exactly how I plan to finish off my night too. Minus Delilah and Lucio, of course.

“Vinnie said he’ll meet us at the restaurant,” Ma says as she glances at her cell phone. “Let’s go. Nothing else can outdo that moment.”

I have to agree. No draft before or after this one will ever come close to the feelings of pride and joy I experienced hearing my little brother’s name being called.

Daphne stands, placing her purse under her arm. “Let’s do this. I have liquor to consume.”

“I feel a hangover coming on,” Tilly says as she slides her hand into mine, standing from the table. “Don’t let me get too drunk.”

“I got you, baby,” I say against her lips. “Always.”

The entire table is staring at the menu in silence as we sit in the swanky steakhouse at our hotel. We’re stalling and sipping champagne as we wait for Vinnie to finish up with the press. The day has already been monumental, and there’s one more thing that needs to happen to make it perfect.

Something I’ve been planning on doing for weeks but haven’t found the balls or the moment to pull the trigger. This isn’t the most romantic location, but I don’t think Tilly will care.

I lift my ass and kick the chair backward, dropping down on one knee. Tilly’s eyes widen. She knows what’s coming. I fish the ring out of my pocket after carrying it with me every day for just the right moment.

“Tilly, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Tilly gasps as tears fill her eyes.

“Shut up.” Daphne peers over Tilly’s shoulder to get a look at the ring. “Say yes,” she begs her.

Tilly covers her mouth with her hand and stares at me as tears stream down her face. “Yes,” she whispers so quietly, I barely hear her.

I grab her hand away from her face and slip the two-carat princess-cut ring onto her finger. “I love you, Tilly.”

She falls forward into my lap, almost knocking me over. “I love you, Angelo. Yes. Yes. I want to be your wife.”