Acquaintances (A Mafia Romance)

Four.

Eve, a radiant woman in her late thirties, possessed a captivating warmth that could instantly brighten any room. Grinning mischievously, she generously declared, "On the house," as if she had uncovered everyone's little secret.

Marco couldn't resist making a wisecrack in response to her offer. "Aren't they always?"

She was slightly taken aback by Marco's drunken humor, noting that it wasn't every day she saw him this happy. "Only on my good days," she replied with a nod and a warm smile, swiftly moving on to attend to another customer vying for her attention.

Observing Eve's immense popularity, Rebecca took a sip of her drink and commented, "She's quite busy, isn't she?"

Marco wholeheartedly agreed, leaning closer to Rebecca. "She's one of our best. Everyone adores her," he praised, genuine admiration evident in his voice.

Curious, Rebecca shifted her gaze towards the end of the bar, fixating on the vacant spot where the bartender, Frank, whom Marco had yelled at earlier, used to stand. Breaking the silence, she inquired, "What about the other guy, Frank, right?"

"He's just one of my dad's employees," Marco said, his expression momentarily darkening with disapproval. "I never really warmed up to him." He quickly shifted gears, his tone lightening as he continued, "Speaking of complicated relationships, have you always been so skeptical about marriage proposals?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, letting out a dry laugh. "Wow, straight for the hard stuff, huh?" She took another sip, contemplating for a moment before placing her glass down. "Honestly, I dunno, I feel like the pressure to walk down the aisle screws up something that's perfectly fine as it is."

Marco studied her for a beat. "And is it fine? Your relationship, I mean."

The question hung in the air, making Rebecca hesitate. Her thoughts tangled as she considered how much to reveal.

"Let me guess," Marco prodded gently, curiosity in his voice. "He cheated on you?"

Rebecca shook her head quickly. "No, no. He's a good guy, really loyal. I love him, I do..." Her voice faltered, and she absently stirred the ice in her drink, her gaze growing distant. "But... something's off. Or maybe I'm just overthinking. I dunno. It feels like there's a part of me—of us—that just doesn't fit anymore, not like how it was."

She let out a long sigh, the weight of her unspoken thoughts lifting a little as she allowed herself to be vulnerable. The relief of sharing her feelings with a stranger made her feel a touch lighter, even as the uncertainty lingered.

"Hmm," Marco nodded in agreement, a smile playing on his lips, "It's kinda like you're into horror flicks and he likes documentaries; so you guys have a rotation going...but eventually you end up watching documentaries mostly."

"Yeah, something like that" she mused, a thoughtful expression on her face. 

Marco chuckled softly, his voice carrying a touch of self-reflection. "I've had my fair share of tough relationships, too. It's challenging, almost scary, trying to figure out what truly makes you happy. There's a lot of risk. Then a lot of self-doubt...like, is this just lust, or is it something more."

Rebecca burst into laughter, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "God, you must be a fucking genius when sober."

"Me, drunk? Common..." Marco retorted with a playful grin, raising his glass. "Besides, I'd say this makes us even, don't you think?" He lifted his glass for a toast.

"Even for what?"Rebecca queried, a curious expression on her face.

"For curing my gold-digger's syndrome." As the light hit the swirling amber liquid, it cast a warm and inviting glow on Marco's face. "I didn't even think it was still a thing. I thought it died out when Kanye changed his name"

The buzz of conversation around them faded into the background, leaving only the clinking of glasses and the gentle hum of music. Rebecca couldn't help but be captivated by the way the light played on Marco's features, accentuating his jawline and the warmth in his eyes.

With a soft smile, she raised her own glass to meet his. The cool touch of the glass against her fingertips brought a refreshing sensation, and she felt an immediate bond with Marco. They had discovered a moment of limbo, away from all the world's troubles.

"To crappy relationships?" Rebecca murmured, her voice low and sincere.

Marco lifted his glass, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Here's to the never-ending train wreck we call love," he proclaimed, clinking his glass against hers. The sound reverberated through the air, a melodic toast to the boundless potential that lies ahead.

As the night wore on and the drinks took their effect, their conversation became more animated and carefree. They laughed uproariously as they swapped wild stories of past loves, trading tales of outrageous dates and hilarious missteps. With each sip, their laughter grew louder, and they reveled in the joy of their shared, slightly tipsy camaraderie.

"I once dated this guy who was so clingy," Rebecca said, rolling her eyes. "He would call me every five minutes and get furious if I didn't answer."

Intrigued, Marco leaned in, eager for the juicy details. "And then what happened?" he inquired, a playful grin on his face.

Rebecca's lips curved into a wry smile. "Well, my dad took matters into his own hands," she confessed. "He had the guy arrested for some bullshit charges I didn't even know existed. "

Marco couldn't contain his laughter. "Okay, okay, mine is not as bad, but I once dated a girl who had a fascination with my hair," he revealed, his voice laced with amusement. "She'd constantly fuss over it, treating me like her personal troll doll or something. I even found clippings in a ziplock bag."

Their shared laughter filled the air, forging a bond between them as they continued to navigate the unpredictable maze of love and its curious idiosyncrasies.

"What happened to her?"

"Same. My father handled it."

Rebecca burst into laughter, finding his comment strangely hilarious. "You know what's not funny though? Dealing with someone who has zero understanding of personal space. It's like, why do some people think it's cool to invade your bubble?"

Marco leaned in a mischievous sparkle in his eye. "Maybe they just want a clipping of your hair," he teased.

Rebecca chuckled, playfully swatting at Marco's arm. "No thanks, I'll stick to folks who respect my boundaries."

"Good call," Marco agreed, taking a sip of his drink. "But sometimes it's tricky to spot the clingy types. My ex, ex, ex...three exs-ago, yeah. She seemed perfectly normal at first, you know. It wasn't until we started exclusively dating that she turned into a full-blown diva. Like where did this monster emerge from?"

Rebecca let out a long sigh. "It's like they're completely different people. It's such a letdown when that happens."

Marco nodded in understanding. "It's like they're wearing a disguise, and once you get close enough, they take it off and reveal their true colors."

Rebecca grimaced in agreement. "I know, right? I can't stand that feeling."

"But you know what? I guess, we learned from those experiences," Marco said, raising his glass for a toast. "We now know exactly what we want and what we don't want in a relationship."

Rebecca burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. "Another toast? We've had like what, twenty-four?"

Marco's grin grew wider. "Let's make it  twenty-five."

As the night progressed, their playful banter carried on, accompanied by the influx of more people into the bar. The ambiance crackled with excitement, filled with the clinks of glasses and animated conversations. Neon lights adorned the ceiling, enveloping the room in a cozy, inviting glow that painted a vibrant aura over the crowd.

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