Amy asked me about Stanford, and I did my best to be vague but not avoid the subject. A few times I nearly told her the truth, but I never found the courage. So I fudged it. I told her I was studying journalism, that I hoped someday to write for one of the big newspapers, like the New York Times, and maybe take down a president, like Woodward and Bernstein. Yeah, I was laying it on thick, but what did I have to lose?
Amy apologized for Scott.
“What’s his problem?” I said.
She said she’d been in town for two weeks and her visit had cut into Scott’s time with Jennifer. “He’s been sulking the whole time I’ve been here. He wants to get laid.” Amy shrugged. “I was in the way. Dropping me off was his idea.”
“I figured as much. Anyway, I’m glad he did.”
Amy smiled and it looked sincere. “Yeah. So am I.”
As the night wore on, and the number of glasses of beer I drank increased, the liquid courage came on stronger. “You have gorgeous eyes,” I said at one point, and I meant it. Though she had a dark complexion and dark hair, Amy had these crazy blue eyes and long lashes.
“My mother is black Irish,” she said.
“And your father?”
“One hundred percent Italian. No doubt about it.”
“Get out of here. That’s the same as my parents,” I said. “Though my mom is blonde with blue eyes. Where is your father’s family from in Italy?”
“Southern part of the boot,” she said.
I leaned away from the table. “Your last name isn’t Corleone, is it?”
She smiled coyly and said, “Are you concerned I’m going to make you an offer you can’t resist?”
“I’m more worried you might have bodyguards.”
“DeLuca,” she said. “My father is Anthony DeLuca.”
“Wait, serious?”
She looked confused. “Yeah, why?”
“My father’s family is from Sicily and his last name is DeLuca.”
Her face went blank. I waited a beat, then laughed. “I’m kidding. My father’s family is from outside Bologna and his name is Bianco.”
Amy threw her pizza crust at me. Then she said, “You’re a good liar.”
It gave me pause.
Amy reached across the table and touched my hand. “Bet I can still make you an offer you can’t resist.”
“Refuse,” I said, feeling my blood surge. “As an Italian, you should know the line is ‘make you an offer you can’t refuse.’”
“Refuse. Resist. You want to get out of here?”
“You don’t want another beer?” I asked. The pitcher remained half-full and, as I said, picking up on subtle female cues was not exactly a strength of mine.
William, who had been standing close by, reached over and grabbed the pitcher from the table. From behind Amy he looked down at me. “Rich girl,” he mouthed.
“Yeah, sure,” I said, but I now faced another potential problem. What if Amy DeLuca wanted to go to another bar, or a club?
We left Village Host and walked to my car parked on Broadway. I unlocked Amy’s door and held it open for her, then went around to the driver’s side trying hard to think up excuses why I couldn’t get into another bar. I’ve drunk too much already. I can’t drive. What if Amy offered to drive?
I pulled open the car door and slid behind the wheel, going through each potential scenario. When I looked over to ask Amy where she wanted to go, she leaned across the car and kissed me. I felt her hand on the back of my head and her tongue against mine. She pulled back a bit, smiling at me with those black-Irish blue eyes.
“Let’s go to my cousin’s house,” she said.
I relaxed. I wouldn’t get carded, and I’d have Jennifer and Scott, and probably both parents, to ease any uncomfortableness. Again, subtle female cues, not one of my strengths.
Amy sat back, then quickly leaned forward and picked up an eight-track. “Oh my God. You have Greetings from Asbury Park?”
“Are you a Springsteen fan?”
“Are you kidding? Everyone from New York is a Springsteen fan. He’s homegrown, straight from Freehold, New Jersey, and the Jersey Shore.”
“I know. My sister’s boyfriend, Mike, used to go sneak into bars to hear him play when Bruce was just getting started.”
“The Stone Pony,” she said. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” I said, stealing William’s line.
“I saw him and Southside Johnny play there. Will you put in the tape?”