“That took a while.” One corner of his mouth curls up into a knowing smirk. “Just how slow did you drive?”
At seeing his demeanor shift back to playful, I relax. “It’s your fault! You don’t just hand over the keys to a freaking Mazerati and act like it’s no big deal.”
“How slow?” he asks again with a laugh.
“Ten below,” I mumble, narrowing my eyes at him.
His head goes back as he releases a deep belly laugh. “That’s just a waste of a perfectly good car, my bella. You could have at least driven the speed limit.”
“I don’t like you,” I say with a scowl.
Walking into my personal space, he wraps his arms around me and leans in for a kiss. “Yes you do.”
And just like that, there was no denying him.
***
Opening my eyes to the soft glow of sunlight streaming through the windows, it takes a few seconds for my sleep addled brain to recall where I am. Shifting beneath the fluffy down comforter, I feel the weight of Gabriel’s arm wrapped around my waist, causing a smile to form on my lips.
We’d had dinner the night before, laughing and joking around before he’d picked me up and carried me into his bedroom where he proceeded to nearly fuck me into a coma. Wrapped in his strong arms, with his chest pressed against my back, I managed to sleep a full night through without a single nightmare plaguing me.
Not wanting to wake him when he seems so peaceful, I slowly slide from under his arm and shift out of the bed. I grab his button down shirt from the floor and slip it on since my overnight bag is still by the front door. Walking quietly from the room and down the hall, I pick up my stuff and take it into the guest bathroom so as not to wake him.
Once my face is washed and my teeth are brushed, I dress in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and go in search of some much needed coffee. A startled yelp escapes my throat when I push the kitchen door open to kind a woman standing at the stove.
“I’m so sorry, my dear, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Jane, Mr. Bertozzi’s housekeeper.”
Of course. I recall him talking about her. At this very moment I’m relieved I put on Gabriel’s shirt before leaving the room in search of my bag. That would have been beyond embarrassing. The woman standing before me looks to be in her mid to late fifties, gray sprinkled throughout her hair. She can’t be much taller than five feet, and her round figure and smiling face make her seem very personable.
“I’m Marley,” I say, reaching out to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too. Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d love some, thank you.”
“Have a seat and I’ll get it for you. Cream or sugar?”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I can get my own coffee.”
She waves me away from the counter with a flick of her wrist. “Nonsense. You go relax and I’ll have that coffee for you in just a second. I’m almost done with breakfast too, if you’re hungry.” At the smell of bacon and eggs, my stomach lets out a loud grumble, making both me and Jane laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Walking to the small kitchen table, I take a seat and reach for the newspaper sitting on it. “Still no suspects in local warehouse shooting” the headline reads. Uninterested in the story, I push the paper to the side just as Jane sits a cup of coffee in front of me, along with small pitcher of cream and a bowl of sugar.
“Thank you,” I say with a grin as she steps back to the stove and begins making a plate of food.
“You’re quite welcome. It’s nice to have someone other than Mr. Bertozzi to wait on for a change.”
There’s no denying the small glimmer of satisfaction that works its way though me at what she’s just said. “He doesn’t have guests often?” I ask, fishing around for as much information as I can garner from her.
“Not at all. I’ve worked here for three years and I’ve never seen anyone other than Mr. Bertozzi and Aldo in this apartment.”
I open my mouth to dig some more when the kitchen door swings open, revealing a very sexy yet still sleepy looking Gabriel. “Morning, Jane,” he mutters as he makes his way over to me. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of sweats that hang loose on his waist. I watch as the muscles in his stomach flex with each step he takes. Once in front of me, he bends at the waist and places a sweet kiss on my lips. “Morning, baby,” he says against my lips. “Sleep well?”
“I did,” I say as I begin doctoring up my coffee.
“Good. I’m glad.”
Turning his chair to face me, he reaches down and takes hold of both my ankles, placing them in his lap like it’s an everyday occurrence. He scans the newspaper and takes a sip of the black coffee Jane just put in front of his as I drink from my own cup, studying him in all of his sleep rumpled glory while making a note that he prefers his coffee plan. My belly gives a little flip as he absentmindedly runs his fingers tips along the tops of my feet, still not taking his eyes off of the paper. Everything his doing is so relaxed—so casual, and I’m at risk of swooning if he doesn’t quit being so perfect.
“So what are your plans for today,” he asks when Jane sits a plate of food in front of each of us. I look down and try not to drool. Eggs, bacon, and the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever seen in my life.
Lacking all self control in this moment, I grab my fork and dig in. “Oh, lord. This is so good,” I say through a partially full mouth. Jane looks over her shoulder at me with a pleased grin as Gabriel chuckles from behind his coffee cup.
After swallowing, I turn back to Gabriel. “No plans. I don’t have class this evening so I was just going to relax at home…” I trail off with a shrug.
“Good.” Gabriel takes a bite of his own breakfast. “I’ve got plans for us today,” he states once his mouth isn’t full.
I’m not as well mannered. “What plans?” I mutter through another mouthful.
“You’ll see.” The sly wink he shoots me makes me nervous.
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
“Nope,” he says, popping the ‘p’ for emphasis.
“Well how should I dress?”
He takes another bite and scans the outfit I have on. “What you’re wearing is fine.”
I look down at myself, faded jeans and an old t-shirt. I didn’t exactly scream elegant. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, we aren’t doing anything fancy. It’s just going to be a casual afternoon.”
Giving a small nod, I tuck back in to my meal, praising Jane both inwardly and outwardly.
***
A casual afternoon my ass!
I was blissfully clueless as Gabriel drove us out of the city and thirty minutes to the suburbs of Wilmette. I felt my anxiety begin to creep up when we stopped in front of a large iron gate with massive “B” on it. He pushed a button on his visor and the gates began to open allowing him to drive through, and we traveled up a curved driveway before coming to a stop in front of the biggest house I’ve ever seen.
Now, sitting inside Gabriel’s car, staring up at this colossal house, I’m internally losing my shit. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who this three story, brick Georgian home with a huge “B” on the gate belongs to, but I feel the need to ask anyway.
“Gabriel, where are we?”
Turning to me with a gleaming smile, he says, “My mom’s. We do a family lunch every month. Today just happens to be that day.”
My mouth drops open at the same time my eyes nearly bug out of my head. “Your mom’s? What the fuck, Gabriel!”
For some reason lost on me, Gabriel finds my hysterics to be funny judging by the smile and soft laugh coming from him.
“This isn’t funny! You said we were having a casual afternoon. This,” I say as I wave my hands around me, “isn’t casual. This is sloppy!”
“You look beautiful, baby.”
“I look like a hobo!”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Gabriel, have you seen this house?” I ask stupidl
y, pointing out the passenger window. “You don’t show up to this house in ratty jeans, a t-shirt, and pair of old Converse shoes!”
“You’re being difficult again, my bella. I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt. We’re dressed the exact same.”
“Yeah, but your jeans are t-shirt are probably some fancy designer brand that cost well over a grand. I’m wearing Target.”
“Marley,” Gabriel says, leaning in and cupping my face in his hands. “No one is going to care what you’re wearing. You’re beautiful and intelligent, and you have a knack at calling me on my shit. Trust me, my family is going to love you. Hell, they’ll probably offer to disown me and adopt you.”
Another piece of my defensive wall crumbles and falls to the wayside. “You really think they’ll like me?”
“I’m certain they will.”
I close my eyes and breathe deeply. “How many people are we talking here? Because you said you’re an only child.”
This earns another laugh from Gabriel before he places a quick peck on my lips. “I’m also half Italian. You’re going to be meeting aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins—”
“I get the point,” I interrupt, raising my hand to stop him before I have a panic attack in his car.
“I’m going to be right next to you the whole time. You have nothing to be scared of, I promise. And don’t worry about learning who everyone is. It’ll take at least ten lunches for you to start putting faces to names.”
I smile so wide my cheeks begin to ache. “You’re planning on keeping me around that long?” I ask teasingly, even though I’m giddy with nerves.
“I’m not letting you go, my bella. Now, you ready?”
Another deep breath. “As I’ll ever be.”
Walking into Gabriel’s mother’s house is definitely an experience. A very uncomfortable experience.
The living room is to the right of the entryway, the dining room to the left. Both rooms are filled with people, and the second the door closes behind us a hush falls over both rooms. They all turned to stare, wide eyed and slack jawed. At first, their reactions confuse and worry me, but when Gabriel opens his mouth and speaks, I begin to understand.
“Oh, like none of you have ever brought a date to a family lunch before.”
“We have,” I man a few years younger than Gabriel—but almost as handsome— speaks from the dining room. “But this is most definitely a first for you.”
Pulling my attention from the younger man, I turn back to Gabriel. “You’ve never brought a date home before?” I whisper, although everyone is paying such close attention to us I’m sure they’re able to hear me.
“It’s been a while,” he whispers back, his eyes hold a combination of mischief and amusement.
“How long is a while?” I ask, but he doesn’t get the chance to answer.
Right then, a petite woman wearing a pretty floral dress steps into the dining room. Her dark hair is highlighted with a little bit of gray, and pulled back into a classy, yet casual chignon at the base of her neck. “What’s everyone staring at? It’s just Gabe. You act like the Pope just walked through the do—”
I can see the exact moment her eyes shift from Gabriel to me, causing her to stop talking midsentence. “Mother Mary, my Gabe’s brought a girl home!” For such a tiny woman, I’m surprised by just how loud she can be. Laughter breaks out from the other people standing around at the same time she launches herself at Gabriel, wrapping him in tight hug.
His face lights up in an affectionate smile as he bends down to return her hug. “Hello, mom.”
As soon as they disengage she reaches back and smacks him playfully in the chest. “What’s this? You bring a date to lunch and don’t give me any warning?” Her hand reaches towards her hair, brushing back a few strands that have fallen loose from her bun. “I’m a mess. You could have at least given me the opportunity to make myself presentable.”
“You look beautiful, mom.”
Scrunching her lips and waiving him off, she turns to me. “I’m Annabel Bertozzi, Gabriel’s mother. I assure you, I raised him to have better manners.”
I can’t help but laugh, everything about this woman seems endearing. Her personality is so warm and inviting, it’s difficult not to like her right off the bat. “I’m Marley, it’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Bertozzi,” I say, extending my hand to shake hers.
“Oh none of that, dear.” Bypassing my hand, she wraps me in a hug just as tight as the one she just gave Gabriel. “We’re a hugging family. And please, call me Annabel.”
I release a startled laugh at being caught off guard by her hug and slowly wrap my arms around her in return. When she finally pulls back, she’s smiling up at me, tiny wrinkles creasing around her eyes—I now know where Gabriel gets his eye color from— telling me this happy expression is one she wears often. “Look at you, Marley. You’re just stunning.”
I blush at her attention and look down, tugging on the hem of my t-shirt. “Well, Gabriel didn’t inform me of our plans this afternoon either. I would have preferred meeting his family for the first time is something a little nicer,” I wave to indicate my wardrobe.
“My dear, you could make a potato sack look like haut couture.” She reaches up and cups my cheek. “I’m happy my boy found himself such a beautiful girl.”
While I’m flattered by her compliments, I’m beginning to feel uneasy having everyone’s eyes on me. “Thank you,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say in response.
“If you two ladies are finished taking digs at me, I’d like to take Marley around to meet the rest of the family.”
“Oh, the sarcasm!” says Annabel. “Please tell me you put my boy in his place when it’s called for, Marley.”
Gabriel speaks before I can answer. “On a regular basis, mom. Trust me, Marley’s a hard-ass when she wants to be.”
Mortified that he just made me sound like a bitch in front of his mother, I turn to let him have it, but am cut off by Annabel’s laughter. “Wonderful! I think you and I are going to be the best of friends, Marley.” Her smile is contagious and my heated cheeks turn up in one of my own. “Gabriel, you bring her in the kitchen when you’re finished introducing her.”
“Yes ma’am.” And with that, we’re off.
By the time Gabriel’s introduced me to everyone, I can’t remember what name goes with whom or how they’re related to him. My brain has exceeded capacity and is overflowing as he pulls me into the kitchen.
Annabel is standing at the counter, chopping vegetables as we walk in. My eyes take in the beauty of her kitchen before honing in on the enormous amount of food that lines the countertops and island. She’s certainly cooking to feed an army.
“Overwhelming isn’t it dear?” Annabel asks, wiping her hands on a dishtowel as she takes in my expression. “I had that same deer-in-the-headlights look you’re wearing right now the first time I attended a Bertozzi family lunch.”
“All these people are just from your father’s side?” I turn to ask Gabriel in shock.
“My side of the family was always very small,” Annabel says. “It was just me and my parents, and they both passed away when Gabriel was only a toddler. Needless to say, the Italian blood in this family runs very thick.”
“Obviously,” I say with a laugh.
I take a seat on one of the stools at the island as Gabriel opens the fridge and grabs himself a beer. “Honey, go mingle. Marley and I are going to have a little girl chat. No men allowed.”
Eyes wide, I turn to Gabriel nervously, hoping he can read my desire for him to stay put. “No offense, mom, but I kind of promised Marley I wouldn’t leave her alone today.”
“Nonsense, she’ll be fine. Now get so I can fill her in on all of the embarrassing things you did as a child.”
Holding up his hands in defeat, Gabriel begins to back out of the kitchen slowly, the look on his face saying there’s nothing he can do.
Narrowing my eyes as he leaves, I make sure my displeasure comes across loud a
nd clear.
“No need to be nervous around me, sweetie,” Annabel says once the two of us are alone. “I was once where you are now. And believe me, my husband’s mother was no picnic.”
I release a small laugh. “Did she give you a hard time when you first met?”
She lets out a huff and tells me, “That’s an understatement. I’m just saying, you have nothing to feel uncomfortable about. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my boy smile genuinely. If you’re the reason for that smile then you already have my approval.
A comment like that would be enough to warm anyone’s sole. Unfortunately, I’m not just anyone. And there’s no doubt in my mind that if Annabel knew about how I grew up, she’d be anything but accepting.
Pushing those unsettling thoughts from my mind, I stand and ask if there’s anything I can help with. She puts me to work kneading dough for homemade biscuits, and as we work our conversation turns to lighter topics. She tells me about some of the trouble Gabriel would get into as a child and her relationship with Roberto—Gabriel’s father. I have to admit, I enjoy hearing about how in love the two of them were.
“Hello, hello,” a feminine voice calls from the doorway. I turn from cutting the dough into perfect circles to see one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever laid eyes on standing before me. Her ivory skin is complimented by long shiny red hair. The woman is dressed impeccably in a teal sweater dress that hugs each of her curves like it was tailored specifically for her. Knee high, brown suede boots with a dangerously high heel set the outfit off perfectly. She oozes rich and stylish like no one I’ve ever seen before.
“Ah, Kiersten. So lovely to see you, darling.” Annabel walks over to the statuesque redhead—Kiersten—and embraces her lovingly. “I’m so glad you could make it. Are your parents with you?”
“No, they’re vacationing in France, but they were sure to send their love.”
“Oh how nice. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Annable turns and extends her hand in my direction, and all I can think as Kiersten’s eyes scan me up and down is that I wish I could fade away into the background. “This is Marley, Gabriel’s girlfriend.”
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