“Hell, no, I’m gonna be your muscle.” Carlo pointed to Tino’s pocket, because Carlo didn’t carry a cell phone. “Call Rocco and tell him to bring the limo.”
“What if the don needs it?”
“The old man’s in the Hamptons. Frankie never does anything important enough to require the limo, and Nova always drives himself,” Carlo said as he turned around. “Let Rocco earn his keep.”
* * * *
Tino needed one of his own suits, because he was taller than Nova. He also wasn’t quite as broad. He didn’t have that thick, pit-bull build like the Morettis. Not that Tino was super thrilled he took after his mother’s side, but he was sorta glad he didn’t have an eighteen-inch neck.
Nova had to have all his suits tailored like Romeo did. Tino was an off-the-rack guy. Clothing salesmen loved him. They told him he was built for suits, and since they said it, Tino usually made their day a little brighter and bought two or three.
“Why do you have so many?” Carlo mumbled as he stood in Tino’s closet. “I mean, really, Tino, this is a disorder. You don’t even wear them.”
“I go to Mass with Nova sometimes. Besides, I worked hard for the money in my bank account. I feel like it’s my obligation to spend it,” Tino said simply. “And I don’t think a guy who has over a hundred classic cars ditched all over the city can criticize my closet.”
“It’s not a hundred,” Carlo mumbled.
Tino turned to give him an unamused look as he threaded his tie through the collar of his shirt.
“Okay.” Carlo held up his hands in defeat and then eyed Tino’s tie. “You should wear a gold one.”
Tino arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t own a gold tie.”
“Nova does.”
“No.” Tino started tying the purple one he had on. “There’s a reason I don’t own a gold tie.”
“But you’re being Nova,” Carlo reminded him. “Nova wears gold ties.”
“Novashouldn’twear gold ties.”
“You think Nova doesn’t know that? He knows it, but it’s an image. It’s Siciliano. You gotta wear the gold tie.”
“It’s Siciliano, all right,” Tino agreed with him. “And one of the main reasons those northern motherfuckers have so much material.”
“Wear it!”
“No!”
Carlo jumped at him and physically jerked the purple tie out of Tino’s collar. Tino threw his elbow back into Carlo’s chest and kicked him for good measure, but then he stepped back and smoothed his hand down his chest. “Do you attack your zu? Check yourself, motherfucker.”
“Yeah, I got no respect. I’m just not inspired,” Carlo agreed. “Now if you were wearing a gold tie…”
Tino looked down at himself and studied his suit before he whispered, “Merda.”
He was forced to shrug out of his gray jacket and put it back on the hanger. He hung it up and reached for a black, pinstriped suit.
“Yes!” Carlo pointed at it. “That’s a Nova suit. It’s gotta have the vest, though. Does it have the vest?”
Tino pulled the jacket back, showing off the vest, even though Tino never wore a three-piece suit. He wasn’t even sure how he got this one. It must’ve been one of those moments when he was just buying to boost the salesperson’s commission.
“That’s the suit. Put it on, and then we’ll raid Nova’s closet downstairs for the tie.”
* * * *
Once they got to Nova’s closet, it was over.
Carlo decided he was going as high-class muscle like he did for the don. He stole one of Nova’s suits, because Carlodidhave an eighteen-inch neck.
