Chapter 83

My father settles me into a comfortable chair at the center of the group and Tristin, to my right, shoots me a cold smile. Baby Estrella, in her lap, coos a happy greeting to me, so I give them both a warm smile in return.

It’s a happy affair, really – everyone seems eager to greet me, to bring me plates of food, to ask me about my life, my studies, and my career.

Overall, I’m kept quite busy and happy, getting to know my biological family and all of their friends. I catch a glimpse, as the afternoon passes and the sun starts to set, of Daniel still happily playing volleyball. Apparently, his team has progressed to the championship round.

As people start to settle in for the evening and stronger liquor starts to be poured into everyone’s cups, I start to notice...well. That there are a lot of boys around.

I look around the circle, noting that there are, of course, women – aunts and cousins, many of them. But I’ve also been introduced, this afternoon, to a variety of handsome young men. All here alone.

And all, apparently, single.

For instance, the one who is talking to me now – or, should I say, who has been talking at me since he sat down in Tristin’s seat as soon as she abandoned it to go feed the baby.

“Yeah, I’m in finance,” he says, taking a swig of his beer. He gives me a little smirk. “So, you majored in psych, right?” he asks.

I squirm a little in my chair, uncomfortable. “Um,” I say, “how did you know that?”

“Your dad told me,” he says, using the neck of his beer bottle to gesture towards my father across the fire. “Or at least, he told my dad. Who told me.”

The guy looks at me again. “They, uh...know each other.”

“Oh,” I say, my lips pursing as I look away from him. Am I supposed to know what that means?

“Yeah,” the guy continues – what was his name again? “So, our dads think it’s a good idea if we like, get to know each other.” He waggles his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I sit back in my chair, my mouth falling open.

“So are you free?” he asks, leaning in. “On like, Saturday? I’ll take you out somewhere nice. And then maybe, afterwards...” he runs a finger along my forearm, which I immediately snatch away.

“Um, sorry,” I say, staring at him. “But I’m engaged?”

Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father Chapter 0082 “What?” he says, sitting back in his chair. Then, suddenly, he laughs. “No, you’re not.”

“I assure you,” I say, opening my eyes wide and leaning forward. “I am. To that guy,” I point over to Daniel, who is still playing volleyball in the fading sun. Though, because he’s far away, I guess my pointing towards a generalized group of men isn’t very convincing.

The young man next to me has the gall to laugh again. “No seriously,” he says, taking another swig from his beer. “If you’re engaged, then where’s your ring?”

I fish around in my beach and then slide my engagement ring back on my finger. I had taken it off while I ate crab and lobster – too much butter. I didn’t want to risk it slipping off and getting lost in the sand.

“Seriously?!” the guy shouts, his face going a little pale when he sees the size of it. He stands up immediately from his seat and stalks off towards my father. I stare after him, hearing him as he mutters, “then why the hell am I here?”

“I have no idea,” I mutter in response, watching him tap my father on the shoulder, having some angry words with him. As I watch the little argument break out, I see, out of the corner of my eye, someone else take his seat.

“What’d you say to that one,” the newcomer mutters.

“I just told him I’m engaged,” I say lightly, and then, turning my head, blink in surprise to see that it’s the young man with all the tattoos. The one I had noticed, earlier, when we’d first arrived at the beach. “Oh!” I say, surprised into exclamation.