Tiptoe Kisses

Chapter 15

Chapter 15- Sisterly Advice   (Please remember to vote, thanks)

Santo sits comfortably on his sofa, barefoot, shirtless and wearing a pair of old ripped jeans while typing on his laptop.  It’s late Saturday afternoon and he’s decided to spend the evening catching up on some work.  The key turning at his front door catches his attention and the uninvited guest that enters is his sister carrying a zipped up clothing bag.

Serena slings the bag over her shoulder while walking over to stand in front of her brother.  She’s not surprised by what he’s doing in fact she suspected he would be working.

Taylor's behavior when they were shopping Saturday showed something wasn't right. She tried on two dresses then refused to try on anymore.  Serena had told her they wouldn’t pry but she and Celine couldn't help it after seeing how miserable she was.

Celine asked Taylor if Santo was upset with her for taking time off from work.  She seemed weary of holding so much in and by the time they shared a slice of chocolate cake Taylor had told them about her break up with Nathan, the theft at the office and about some of her disagreements with Santo. Serena tried to convince Taylor that Santo didn’t dislike her, after all, he was coming by her house to pick her up for their date to the Heartland Foundation dinner at seven-thirty on Saturday.   

Serena doesn’t regret playing matchmaker, but later when her mother asked her if Santo had actually told her he was taking Taylor to the dinner, Serena avoided answering the question.  

Santo looks up at his sister then at the bag she’s carrying.   “What’s that, your dress for the dinner?”

Laying the bag over the back of a chair, Serena plops down next to him on the sofa and stares at him, “No, it’s your tux.  Dad said you left it at the house, so I thought I would bring it to you.”  

“What?”  He glances at the frown on her face then turns back to his laptop.  “You can leave the same way you came in you know.” 

Serena turns her nose up at his frowning profile.  "I know, don't be so grumpy, you could say thank you."

“Okay, thank you for bringing my tux to me.  You can hang it in the hall closet on your way out.”  He continues to focus on the spreadsheet he’s creating on his laptop.

“Ugh, you’re so stubborn, Santo why did you leave the tux at the house.  You need to start getting dressed so you can pick up your date.”  Serena tries to grab at the laptop and he moves it to the side out of her reach.

“I’m not grumpy so don’t call me that.”  He snaps at her.  “I don’t have a date and I’m not going to the dinner.  Like I said, put the tux in the hall closet on your way out.  Goodnight and have a wonderful time.”  His voice drips of sarcasm as he continues to type on his laptop still not looking at her.

“God, I feel sorry for the woman that ends up with you, you are one grumpy arrogant bastard.”  Serena rolls her eyes at him as she stands up and goes into his kitchen.

Santo looks up to see where she’s going.  Putting his laptop to the side on the sofa he follows her.  “I told you not to call me grumpy.”  He takes the glass she’s grabbed from his cabinet out of her hand and she’s left standing at the kitchen counter with her mouth open surprised at his rudeness.

“Ok, so calling you an arrogant bastard is fine but you’re offended that I called you grumpy.  Wouldn’t be because somebody else calls you that would it?”  Serena  mumbles as they stand across the counter from each other.  Santo grabs another glass and goes to the refrigerator.  He puts ice in the glasses then pours them both a glass of tea.  He slides the glass across the counter to Serena then sits in one of the counter bar chairs and takes a sip of his drink sulking like a spoiled child.