Chapter 320

Chapter 320 My Little Ally in Winning Ava Back
Joseph’s POV

I needed allies in this mess I’d created, and watching Antonio chatting animatedly with Eleanor gave me an idea. My nephew’s perceptive nature and silver tongue could be exactly what I needed to gather intelligence.

“Antonio, care to join me for lunch?” I asked, earning a bright smile from him.

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation.

“Perfect, let’s go,” I said enthusiastically.

Eleanor gave me her trademark stern look. “Joseph, be back by two o’clock sharp. I won’t wait around for you.”

“Yes, Eleanor,” I replied, walking out like a sulking teenager.

Knowing Antonio’s love for steak and fries, I took him to the finest steakhouse in Harbor Bay, renowned for their premium cuts.

“This is awesome, Uncle! I love this place!” Antonio’s face lit up when we arrived.

“Glad you like it. I know these are your favorites,” I said with a smile.

“Is it because I’m your favorite nephew, or because you need my help?” Antonio asked, clever as always.

“A little of the first, a lot of the second,” I admitted honestly. No point in pretense at this stage.

“Then I’m ordering big.” When the server approached, he ordered the largest steak on the menu with an enormous side of fries. “Don’t touch my fries.”

“You little rascal! Antonio, who do you take after? Your mother is elegant and composed, your father is a gentleman…” I teased.

“I take after my playboy uncle!” he grinned, his wit sharp enough to make me laugh out loud.

“Still mad at me?” I asked, referring to his disapproval from yesterday.

“I’m not mad, Uncle. But you shouldn’t treat Ava like that—you shouldn’t treat any woman like that, especially not her. Isn’t that what you taught me?” Antonio cut straight to the point.

“You’re right. I was an idiot, but my father always knows how to get under my skin and make me lose control.”

“I don’t consider that man my grandfather. You and Mom give him too much power.”

“Sometimes I think you’re a sixty-year-old man trapped in my nephew’s body,” I said. Antonio was far more mature than most kids his age.

“I just observe and learn, Uncle,” he explained. “Tell me, how are you planning to get her forgiveness?”

“Still figuring it out. Could use some help. You in?”

“That’s why I’m here. We can’t let some other idiot steal Ava away from us!”

We high-fived across the table. This kid was so amazing I wanted to steal him from my sister.

“First, I need to know what else is going on that I’m not aware of.”

“What do you know so far?” Antonio asked.

“She went out with that idiot Theo yesterday and now they’re going to the movies today.”

“Uncle, Theo’s not an idiot! He’s good-looking, has a great personality, and comes from a good family. He’s not the kind of guy who hooks up with random girls, he’s the kind girls want to bring home to meet their parents,” Antonio informed me, surprisingly well-connected.

“You know him?” I asked, surprised.

“Mia knows him well. Eleanor mentioned Ava dated him before, so I asked Mia about him. She speaks very highly of him. Unlike you!” he added with a smirk.

“That complicates things,” I sighed, reaching for his fries only to get my hand lightly slapped.

“Seriously? You’re really going to hog all those fries?” I complained.

“I warned you!” he said while chewing his steak contentedly.

“Do you know which theater they’re going to?” I asked.

“Great minds think alike!” Antonio grinned proudly. “Actually, I was thinking of taking Mia there and ’accidentally’ running into them. Maybe bring Mia’s big sister too, make their date less romantic.” He emphasized “accidentally” with air quotes.

“Kid, you’re the best wingman ever!” I said delightedly.

“I know, and you should bring me here more often.”

“Whatever you want.”

“But don’t go to Ava’s place today. She’ll know it’s a setup,” he warned.

“Got it. How did you find out?”

“Eleanor told me. She thought I’d tell you to go there, but that’s not how this is going to play out.”

“You’re getting too smart for your own good. Can’t keep secrets from you anymore.” I commented, and Antonio gave me a fake smile.

“Ava’s going out with me on Wednesday.”

“What do you mean, you’re going out?” I asked, curious.

“We’re going to that new classic car-themed restaurant that just opened. Tomorrow night is girls’ night and they’re going to the social club. You could show up there if you want.”

“Impressive. You’ve got my whole week planned out,” I marveled at how thoroughly he’d thought this through, especially his talent for showing his angelic face to women, making them think he was just an adorable kitten.

“What else can we do?” he asked eagerly.

“I was thinking of doing the cards again, like at the mall, but this time with apology notes,” I suggested, hoping to repeat what had worked before.

“That could break the ice, but we need to be more clever,” Antonio pondered. “What about sending a card every day with a small gift? Something simple but that she likes? Chocolates, a nice pen, or a mug? Not huge bouquets of flowers, just a single rose each day.”

“I like that idea. But you should deliver them personally.”

“No way. Why me?” Antonio put down his utensils and rolled his eyes.

“Because it would be meaningful, you were the one who delivered the cards before.” He thought for a moment.

“No, Uncle, I have a better idea!” My nephew’s eyes lit up. “For pickup lines, you need someone charming like me. But for apologies, you need someone gentle, sweet, cute, and impossible to resist. Someone who makes people believe you’re genuinely sorry with no ulterior motives.”

“And who would that be, genius?”

“How many nieces and nephews do you have, dummy?”

“Watch your language, kid,” I warned, but he stared at me intensely. “You and Louise. So what?”

“Which one of us is more delicate, sweet, cute, and irresistible? I mean, I know I’m attractive too.”

“You’re so full of yourself!” I laughed. “Your idea is brilliant, especially when she wears her ballet outfit. She looks like a little doll.”

“That’s easy—she has classes every afternoon.”

“How do we convince Louise to help?”

“How do you win over any woman? Gifts and lots of spoiling!”

“You’re even better than I thought!”

“Get ready to convince Louise without telling Mom. If she rats us out, I’ll say it was all your idea.”

“Leave it to me. What time does she finish ballet?”

“Five o’clock.” Antonio called the server over and ordered an extra-large sundae for dessert.

“You can still eat more?” I asked incredulously.

“I’m a growing boy!” Antonio replied easily.

Dean chuckled in my head. “This kid’s going to make a great Alpha someday.”

“No doubt about it,” I agreed silently. “And he might just help us get our mate back.”

I spent the rest of lunch strategizing with Antonio, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time since everything fell apart.