There’s only one word to describe the DeLuca household at this moment. Chaos. My Nonna’s birthday is bigger than any other holiday, and every single member of our family has arrived for her party. I only got here two hours ago and I’ve already been cornered and bombarded with the usual questions.

“Leo, when are you coming back to NY?” My aunt asks while tenderly rubbing my arm. “We miss you so much.”

“Leo, when are you gonna settle down boy? You need a good woman by your side.” My uncle slaps my other arm.

“Leo, have you seen any hot movie stars in L.A?” One of my younger cousins, Marco, asks as if he hasn’t asked the same question every time he texts me the location of where the latest hot shot actress was spotted.

Yeah, this is my family, like I said. They’re loud, messy and nosey as hell, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After saying hello to all the people I cross on my way to my Mom’s kitchen, I busy myself helping her get all the dishes ready to carry them to my car and deliver them to Buona Fortuna, my parents restaurant.

This isn’t just me helping out, it’s me avoiding my oldest sister, Teresa. After Gabs told me what she did, I’m having a hard time reigning in my temper. I know her intentions weren’t bad, but being away from my family for so long, I was looking forward to have a good time and now, with my ex at the party, everything will be awkward as fuck.

“I know what you’re doing.” My sister, Gabs, says as I load the last tray into my car.

“Well hello to you too.” I answer without turning to her.

“Don’t be mad, Leo. Teresa is upset, you haven’t even said hello to her.”

“I have every right to be upset, Gabs,” I finally turn around and run a hand through my hair. “The last thing I need right now is to see Peyton. Why in the world did Teresa think it was a good idea to invite her to the party?”

“It wasn’t just Teresa, mamma invited her too. You know they’ve always loved Peyton and they still think of her as family.”

“Great.” I huff.

“Besides, you said you were coming alone,” she grabs my hand and squeezes it. “Maybe this is a good thing, you know? You could talk, have some closure at least.”

“We talked, we got closure. She left me, remember?”

Gabriella cringes and I decide to lighten up, it’s not their fault after all, it’s nobody’s fault, it’s just the way life is.

“I’m sorry, I know I’m being a total ass.”

She smiles, “You’re always an ass.”

“But a hot one,” I wink

“Ew.” She makes a gagging motion.

“C’mon, let’s get this to the restaurant before dad starts to get anxious.”

“And while we are on our way,” Gabs shoves me on the shoulder. “You can tell me all about this internet girl of yours.”

Christ, this is going to be one long ass day.

* * *

The party is in full swing. The look on Nonna’s face when she saw me, makes the possibility of anything happening with Peyton tonight, bearable. Her eighty-five years don’t even register because she has the spirit of a twenty-year-old.

I still remember when my dad brought her to this country. You would’ve thought that she was going to be one of those people that criticises every ‘wrong’ thing about the American culture. But with open arms, she embraced her new life and enjoys every new experience. I was fifteen when she arrived and she was my favourite person to go sightseeing around the city with.

“I heard the prodigal son had returned. Where the hell is that Figlio di puttana?” Vincenzo, my cousin, hollers.

“Over here, man.” I chuckle as I see my aunt Agatha, his mom, slap his arm for calling me ‘son of a bitch’ in Italian.

Vincenzo and I are very close, being the oldest sons and being born in the same month, always made us experience everything together. Marco, the ‘oops’ as we called him, is his younger brother.

Did I mention he’s also single? Yeah, that has also helped create a strong bond between us throughout the years.

“Look at you man, you look like shit.” He hugs me and slaps me at my back.

“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine?” I joke.

“Fine, you look like a walking spray tan commercial.”

“Says the Calvin Klein model.” I snort.

Vincenzo is an underwear model, with a billboard or two in Times Square, his job has taken him all over the world. It’s one of the reasons why we don’t see each other much. That and the fact I moved to L.A.

He pulls up his shirt and makes a pelvic dance ala ‘Magic Mike’ style while saying. “All natural baby.” I’ve missed the bastard.

He gestures for me to follow him. “Let’s grab a beer before we eat.”

With our beers in hand we go to the quietest corner we can find so we can catch up on whatever news we have since we last spoke.

“So,” Vincenzo leans against the wall, “I thought you weren’t gonna come, it’s been awhile since you decided to grace us with your presence.”

His sarcastic tone is not lost to me. “Well, I’ve been really busy and traveling hasn’t been an option.” Taking a pull of my beer I continue, “Not until now. I couldn’t miss Nonna’s birthday party.”

“Folks in L.A. are treating you okay?”

“Same ol’, same ol’.”

I know what he’s asking but I don’t feel like talking about my problems, so I quickly change topics.

“What about you? Have you been running into trouble with the ladies?”

Vin chuckles, “You know me, I’m always getting into some sorta problem, brother. And you? Have you found a hot little aspiring actress to sink your teeth into?”

“Nah, you know that’s not my type.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he takes his hand to his chest, “I didn’t know you had a pussy instead of a dick,” he mocks.

We both laugh it out but deep inside, my caveman primal instinct has me spilling out the words I know I shouldn’t.

“I actually met someone.”

His brow raises. “Is that so? Did you bring her? Is she here?”

“No, I... Shit.”

“No, shit, what? C’mon man, spill it.”

I’m about to rip off the band aid and be done with it, when my sister approaches us.

“Spill what?” Gabs asks as she steps besides us.

“Heeey, look at you lil’ G.” Vin scoops her up and spins her in his arms. “Have I told you, you’re my favourite cousin?”

Gabs squeals. “All the time, now put me down.”

I laugh because I can’t remember a time when Vin didn’t treat her as a little baby girl. I think in his mind, she’s still the little five-year-old that told him she was going to marry him one day.

“What were you talking about? Internet girl?”

“Internet girl?” Vin looks at me with a questioning look.

“Christ, thanks Gabs.”

“Well, I want to know all about her,” she protests.

“Yeah,” Vin wraps an arm around her shoulders. “We, want to know.”

I sigh and tell them all about how I met Kaitlyn, and how she’s become so important to me in such a short span of time. It’s weird, but I always find myself looking forward to our conversations or reading her messages, even when our timing doesn’t match and we just reply to each other whenever we can. What’s even weirder is that I don’t feel uncomfortable baring my soul to the two pairs of widened eyes in front of me.

“She makes me feel great, like I haven’t felt in a long time and there’s nothing you can say that will make me feel like shit about it.” I finish. Proudly speaking my mind.

“Well, shit,” Vin mutters and Gabs cringes.

“What?”

“I think you might think differently in about ten seconds.” He gestures for me to turn and when I do, air leaves me in a whoosh as I see Peyton walking towards us.

“Hi Peyton.” Gabs launches forward and greets her as if trying to stop her from getting anywhere near me. But I know her effort is in vain.

“Hi, Gabriella. It’s so good to see you.” She hugs her back.

As their hug ends, her eyes lock with mine and she smiles. “It’s so good to see you too, Leo.”

Without saying a word, I nod letting her know I heard her.

“Am I invisible or some shit?” Vin says loud enough to startle her. He dislikes her almost as much as I do.

“Hi, Vincenzo. I see you haven’t changed much.” Peyton says with a small smile.

He mutters something under his breath and then slaps my shoulder. “Let’s go grab some food man, I’m starving.”

I’m about to kiss the floor he’s standing on for giving me an out without causing a scene, when Peyton grabs my arm.

“Actually,” she squeezes making me look at her. “Can I have a word with you?”

I want to say no, she had every chance to talk to me for the whole six months I spent trying to work things out with her. But she decided to cut all ties with me and didn’t bother to look back. Fuck no, I don’t need this shit, but as I look around, I know we’ll cause a scene if I refuse and tell her how I really feel. That's why I stand still and glance at Vin who, to my surprise, just nods and says. “I’ll get a plate ready for you.”

Gabs and Vin leave quietly and Peyton moves until she’s standing in front of me. She hasn’t changed, she’s still a gorgeous woman. She’s even more striking with her fuck me heels and a short black dress; her blonde hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders is longer than the last time I saw her. Yeah, now you get why I don’t like blondes?

But her looks don’t do anything to my cock. Women often say that guys think with our dicks instead of our brains, that’s true, but there are some rare occasions when looks don’t do anything for us, especially if what’s inside the wrapper is as rotten as Peyton’s heart.

“I see L.A. suits you. You really look great, Leo.” She smiles and I lose it.

“Cut the crap, Peyton. Was this all you wanted to say?”

Her smile disappears and she straightens her back. “No, that’s not it. I just thought we could talk about us. I thought we could be friends again.”

“What do you really want, Peyton? Because I ain’t buyin this shit. I tried to talk to you, to end things on good terms and you just disposed me like a piece of trash.”

“It’s been two years…”

I cut her off. “So, that fucking makes it okay? The hell it does. So, you better tell me what the fuck you want now before I lose my shit and ruin my Nonna’s birthday, which by the way, you had no right coming to.”

“Your family still likes me Leo, that’s not my fault. We’re still close.”

“That’s because I never told them what you did, Peyton.” Her eyes widen at my confession and she bites her bottom lip.

“I guess I knew that. You were always a gentleman.”

“Then speak before I show you how much less of a gentleman I am now.”

She goes silent for a moment and I can see I’ve startled her. She’s right, when we were together, I always treated her like a queen, like the most precious thing I had in this world, after all, she was going to be my wife.

“I’ve met someone.” When she sees I don’t react at her words she continues. “I’m going to marry him, but he’s just starting his own business and right now, all his money is invested in his company.”

“And this concerns me, why?”

“Well, my apartment...our old apartment. You never really signed it over to me like you said you would, and I’d like to get that sorted so we can live there after our wedding, only until his business picks up.”

I laugh. “I’m assuming you already have the papers ready.”

She nods. “I didn’t bring them, I thought we could go grab a coffee and then...”

“Don’t bother, you can send them over here, I’ll even pay for the delivery.”

“You’ll sign them?” she seems surprised. Oh, the irony.

“Yeah, you want the apartment? It’s yours. Like you said, L.A. has been good to me and my business is doing great. Consider this as my wedding gift to you, and please, don’t bother sending me or anyone in my family an invitation to your wedding.”

“Leo, I…” I wait. When I realize she doesn’t have anything else to say, I put an end to this awful conversation.

“It was good seeing you Peyton, I really hope you’ve finally found what you were looking for. You’re welcome to stay and enjoy the party. But please, stay the fuck away from me.”

Without another word, I leave her standing there. As I move toward the buffet area, Vin gestures for me to go over to the table where him, Marco and Gabs are eating. I signal for them to wait. I make a beeline towards the hallway, and I stop near the lobby, away from the noise.

I get my phone out of my pocket and check to see if I have any texts from Chrissy. A pang of desperation hits me, and I log into my Facebook account. Kaitlyn isn’t online and I have a sudden urge to ask where she is, who she’s with. It’s irrational, I know. She’s not Peyton, but still, I want to talk to her, I want her to know I’m thinking about her. Pull it together man.

I breathe once, twice, and soon enough I feel a little bit calmer. I type her a message, wishing I could make time move faster and be back home already.

Leo: I can’t wait to get back home and have you all to myself again. I want another date and this time you’ll be telling me everything that you’ve been thinking about me. No more holding back.