Gio opened the door, stepped out and locked his glare on me. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
I looked down at the wicker arms of my chair, then back at him. “I appear to be sitting.”
His face dropped. “I can see that.”
Then why did he ask?
“Got any other smart remarks?” He asked while stepping up to our white plastic gate.
Well, if he insisted. “Your left leg is shorter than the right.”
Satisfaction rolled through my chest when he paused to look down at his legs.
“Keep it up,” he hissed while easily opening the gate – which I hated him for. “And your left ass cheek will be redder than the right.”
“Who’s this idget?.” Mr. Garibaldi asked, making me snicker. “You want me to get my shotgun?”
Tempting but… “No, unfortunately this idget is my boyfriend.”
The fact that I wasn’t disturbed by the term boyfriend was something I was not about to analyze anytime soon.
“Well, I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.”
Mr. Garibaldi sucked air through his teeth while Gio sauntered up the walk. Gio stopped at the stairs leading up to the porch and eyed my neighbor.
Mr. Garibaldi eyed him back. “What you want, boy?”
Gio’s brows knit, causing a crease in his forehead. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Who the fuck are you?” Mr. Garibaldi asked back.
Gio puffed his chest out and proudly announced, “I’m Giovanni Mancini.”
“Congratulations Giovanni Mancini. You’re an idget with a fancy name.”
“My bad.” I interrupted while trying not to laugh. “Gio, Mr. Garibaldi.” I waved my hand from one to the other. “Mr. Garibaldi, Gio.”
The proper response when one was introduced to another person was a polite greeting. Or just a general greeting. Neither of which Gio did.
Instead he looked Mr. Garibaldi dead in the eyes and said, “I don’t give a fuck who he is.”
Ugh, rude.
Apparently, shooting a man didn’t soften him up any.
Mr. Garibaldi wasn’t taking his attitude. “Have your balls even dropped yet, boy?”
“My balls are none of your concern, old man.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Based on my recent conversation, I’d say Mr. Garibaldi was very invested in balls.
Gio arched a brow at me, while Mr. Garibaldi gave a knowing wink.
“Don’t forget the periwinkle.” He shot Gio a dirty look. “This one looks like he needs it.”
I couldn’t argue with that, though I still wasn’t sure what a periwinkle was.
Gio snapped his glare back to Mr. Garibaldi and rolled his shoulders back. “You got a problem with me old man?”
