The next afternoon, Daniel gets ready for the party with me in my room, and we’re alone for the first time since Alessi and Natalia arrived. He stayed up late with Alessi, drinking and laughing, while I begged off to bed by myself to be alone for a minute. Today, Daniel and I had taken our guests
Daniel pulls away from me, turning his back, but I can see the tension in his shoulders. I wait, trying to be patient, but he just stands there – I think wondering himself. I clasp my hands together, considering that…maybe he just doesn’t know. I’m still waiting for Daniel to turn back to me when
The party is already in full swing when we get there, which makes sense. Even though Kent is technically the host, there’s no way he’s not going to make an entrance. I walk in on Daniel’s arm and find my breath almost immediately stolen at the beautiful scene before me – though I’m not sure why I’m
Shocked, I turn to her as she clasps my hand, pulling it closer to her so that she can stare at my ring.“He gave it to you?” she asks, looking up into my face with wide eyes. “This engagement ring?”I hesitate, a little shocked. “Yes?” I reply, hoping it’s the right answer. “Daniel thought it would
Daniel laughs as if he’s said something incredibly funny and my reaction is totally normal, looping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. “Laugh,” he orders in my ear, a little urgent. “They’ll look away.” I do as he says, not nearly as good of an actress as he is, but – then again – he
“Come on, Daniel,” I say, my voice derisive. “Your dad is not that funny.” “No, he’s not,” Daniel murmurs, seeing it himself. “Oh weird,” he adds, turning back to me. “My fiancé and my auntie, both competing for my dad.” He scowls and snatches the drink out of my hand now, draining it. “And no one
The people blocking the door step aside and the new guests begin to fill in – about twenty of them. Some of the people are familiar to me but some are totally new. While everyone else fills in, I’m surprised to see my father standing still, narrowing his eyes at Kent, apparently confused. And then
“It is always good to be amongst our countrymen,” Natalia replies smoothly, not friendly but not cold. The four of them begin to chat lightly, then, and I quietly slip away from my spot beneath my father’s arm, moving to Daniel’s side. I nod back to the little alcove that we left, asking him as su
My dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
He laughs, smiling at me genuinely. “Do I make you nervous?” he asks, blunt. I laugh, unable to help it. “Has no one bothered to tell you, in all these years, that you’re a little terrifying, Don Bianci?” He grins and shakes his head at me. “Well, considering what you accomplished, young lady, I
Two months later, we’re all gathered together again. And it is only with frustration that I see Gio and Janeen standing so close together that their arms nearly brush, even though they’re still not together. I roll my eyes, dismissing the problem for a moment as I move my eyes down to Dominic and
It's an incredible night. Kent didn’t lie, not at all, about the food either. I’m shocked by the mountains of dishes that continue to follow each other, one after another, long into the night. After a few hours of it I just mournfully watch the waiters go by because I couldn’t eat another bite if I