“I did not say anything that was not the truth.”
“Agreed, but you have driven our son that much closer to the mortal.” The goddess blinked to force back the pools of unshed tears.
“I only hoped to save him pain.” Thor hung his head.
“He loves her. The only way to save him the pain of her loss would be if she is given eternal life.” Sif placed her hands on the massive shoulders. “Possibly, we should talk to Odin. He may be able to arrange something.”
“The only way my father could grant her life in this realm would be as a Valkyrie.”
“What exactly is required in order for one to become a Valkyrie?” She hoped the deed was something simple, but in her heart knew if that were the case, then becoming one of the formable female warriors would not be such an honor.
“It takes the courage to give up one’s life for another and I do not think Galvin’s mortal woman has the bravery required. Besides, only Odin knows the full requirements, and he’s not bestowed that honor in centuries.” Thor placed his cup on the table and patted the hand on his left shoulder. “Let us go to bed. There is no need to discuss this with Odin or among ourselves. We can only hope the powers intervene and end our son’s foolishness.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Isabella couldn’t stop her heart’s pounding and clutched Galvin’s hand tighter as they walked up the steps to her parents’ house. This would be the first time she’d brought a man home to meet her family since high school. Back then, she followed the rule that any boy she dated needed to come to the door to pick her up and then go through the question and answer session her mother devised.
“Nervous?” She reached out a hand to clasp Galvin’s and prayed he’d attribute her sweaty palm to the heat. Taking a deep breath her other hand reached for the door handle.
“No. Are you?”
“Damn straight and you should be shaking in your shoes. Wait until my mother is finished with the inquisition. You’ll think your father was a pussy cat. Then there’s my grandmother. Nonna doesn’t approve of anything or anyone who isn’t Italian.” Isabella rolled her eyes and chewed on her bottom lip. Gads she dreaded what lay ahead.
Her fingers touched the door knob and the door flew open of its own accord. “Give your mother a hug.” Angela held her arms open in greeting and swooped down on Isabella.
Now I know how terrified the victim of a bird of prey must feel.
“And this must be Galvin.”
Her mother released Isabella faster than she’d grabbed her in a hug. Angela turned her attention to the man who stood quietly behind her just inside the entry.
“And you must be Isabella’s mother. I can see where she gets her beauty.” Galvin flashed the same smile that always took Isabella’s breath away and watched her mother’s similar response.
“Come, come, and meet the rest of the family.” Angela took Galvin’s arm and led him toward the living room.
Rest of the family? What the hell is my mother talking about? The only family that was supposed to be present were her parents and Nonna. They couldn’t very well exclude the old lady since she lived in her little space out back, though Isabella would have loved to have done just that.
Following behind Galvin and her mother, who clutched his arm as if he was her new best friend, Isabella saw several of her uncles and their wives. She swallowed the bile in her mouth and fought the impulse to strangle her mother. Should have known better. Ma will never change. Angela wasn’t able to resist the temptation to show off to her siblings that Isabella actually had a man interested enough to come meet her family.
Thank heavens it was only her mother’s siblings and their spouses, not the army that would be waiting to greet them if her father’s siblings and wives were included, too.
Nonna took her duty as family matriarch seriously and sat waiting for homage to be paid. After the aunts and uncles made themselves known, Angela led Galvin over to her mother. The grasp her mother had on his arm reminded Isabella of a lamb being led to slaughter, but he was a big boy, not to mention a Nordic deity. If he couldn’t handle one scrawny old Italian lady, then he’d better turn in his god like powers.
“Mama, this is Bella’s boyfriend.” Angela’s voice almost trembled with pride at getting to link the boyfriend word to her daughter’s name in the same sentence.
Resigned, Isabella stepped forward, mentally prepared to receive an ass chewing in Italian. She knew her grandmother wouldn’t appreciate the introduction to a blond Viking god. If the relationship went anywhere, their link would pose the probability of diluting the family bloodlines with this new culture.
“Buono sara, Signora Piccoli.” Galvin bent over and took the hand of the old woman in his and kissed the palm.
A slight smile tugged at one corner of the normally down turned mouth and the dark pools in her narrow face sparkled. “You be the smooth one, don’t you.”
“I try.” The Viking dropped to one knee.
The light from the lamp by her grandmother’s chair picked up the red and copper streaks in the gold hair, causing Isabella to catch her breath. She could understand when Nonna’s hand reached out to touch the head of flame with the same reverence she showed her favorite treasures.
Something unspoken pass between the man she loved and the old woman she’d feared most of her life. They each nodded their heads slightly as if to confirm a mutual understanding.
The old woman moved to stand and Galvin did a nimble leap to his feet and helped her from the chair. “You done good, Bella.” Nonna reached out and patted her cheek.
Isabella’s mouth dropped open as she accepted what amounted to her grandmother’s blessing. She couldn’t remember a time when the old woman approved something she did, so easily.
“Bella, you come help me in the kitchen?”
Repressing the urge to groan, Isabella saw the looks that passed between her mother and aunts and followed Angela into her domain, the aunts hot on their heels.
“Your young man, he’s very handsome.” Angela started out with the seal of approval on Galvin’s eye appeal. The aunts bobbed their heads up and down in concurrence.
“So, tell us more about him.” Her mother prodded. “You didn’t say much when you called to let us know the two of you wanted to stop by.”
Obviously enough that you got on the phone to bring in reinforcements. No, probably better not to mention that little detail if she wanted the evening to go smoothly.
“Where is he from? What’s his family like? Have you met them? You need to tell your mother these things.” Leave it to Aunt Rose to cut to the chase.
Isabella didn’t think her family was ready for the full story here and spent the time on the subway deciding how much to reveal for now. If things led to a long term relationship and…she swallowed hard…the ‘M’ word…, she’d worry about it then. Sweat pooled in her armpits even thinking the dreaded word, let alone saying…marriage. The thought caused her heart rate to increase.
“He’s not from around here.” That wasn’t a lie. “He’s from further north.” Okay, now that fell into the tall tale category.
“Canada?” Her mother piped in.
“Yeah, around there.” All right, she’d just moved into complete fabrication.
“Have you met any of his family?” Once again, Aunt Rose stuck her nose into middle of things. If she’d shut up then Isabella would be able to distract her mother from this line of questioning with an abbreviated version without so many lies.
“I’ve met his parents.”
“And?” Angela motioned with a hand for her daughter to continue and not leave the women hanging.
“They’re interesting.” Now that definitely was an understatement if she ever made one. “His mother is blonde, tall and slender and very elegant.” That did cover a fairly accurate description of Sif. “Oh, and she does beautiful needlepoint.”
“Sounds kinda boring and snooty to me.” Aunt Rose, never one to hold back an opinion, even if it
was a wrong one, put in her two cents.
Her mother shot a withering glance directed toward her sister-in-law before she continued the questioning. “What’s the father like?”
“He’s big.” Try mountain size. “Oh, and he has red hair and a full beard.”
“Is the beard red, too?” Angela’s frown was a sure indication she didn’t think too much of the beard idea.
“Yes, the beard is as red as his hair, but it goes well with his blue eyes.” Eyes that flashed with lightning and intimidated the crap out of her.
“Nice.” Angela pasted on her social smile. “When do we get to meet them?”
Okay, enough was enough here. Time to get the record set straight. Things would have to become a lot more serious between her and Galvin before they brought the two families together.
“I admit I’m interested in this man, but listen everyone,” she scanned the faces that watched her in anticipation; “we’re not to the point of bringing the families together. Our relationship’s still very fragile and I don’t think this is the point we should introduce the relatives to each other. That way if things don’t work out there’s fewer complications.”
From the bewildered expression she saw in each pair of eyes staring at her, Isabella decided to change the subject. “Where’s Gino? I expected you would have forced him to come tonight, Ma.”
“He said he was busy and will meet your friend later.” Angela scowled as she ladled meat sauce into a large bowl. “Here Rose, you take the pitcher and go pour the water for the table.” She set the giant spoon down and pulled out a large glass water pitcher and shoved the container at her sister-in-law.
“The rest of you make yourselves useful and take the food in.” The sisters-in-law scurried to do Angela’s bidding, emptying out the kitchen until it was only Isabella and her mother.
“I want to ask you about Gino.” Angela placed a hand on her hip and stared at her daughter.
“What about him?” Uh oh, this line of questioning could spell trouble for both her and her brother.
“Has he got a girlfriend?”
Isabella fought to keep a straight face. “Not that I know of, Ma.”
“Something’s fishy. Every time I call him to come over for dinner, he tells me he can’t. He’s already got other plans.” Angela’s lips puckered in distaste. “You think he’s getting in deeper with that Joey DeBenedetto? Are your father and me going to get a call in the middle of the night to come get him out of jail, or worse yet telling us he’s dead?”
“I don’t think things are to that point, really Ma.”
Damn. Caught in the middle of her brother’s secrets wasn’t a good thing and didn’t make her happy. But, it wasn’t her place to break the news to their mother her baby boy was a cross dresser with a new roommate…his gay lover. Why did Gino have to share the news with me first? No, he didn’t really share the news. I’m the one who went over to his place and barged in. No matter how she discovered her brother’s new living arrangement, Angela was going to have an absolute shit fit when she found out. The meddling match maker would probably have a heart attack once she discovered she was the one who introduced them. “Ma, I think you just need to ask Gino what he’s up to if you want to know so badly.”
“I do, but he doesn’t answer me. Maybe I’ll stop by and see him and we can talk.”
“Ma, I think you should give him a call, not just drop in. You know how much he hates that.” Wouldn’t it be the pits if she stopped in unannounced and received the surprise that greeted Isabella the Sunday she went over without calling first?
“Oh well, I’m not going to worry about your brother tonight. I’m just going to focus on my Bella and her young man.” Angela pinched her daughter’s cheek. “Come on, you’re neglecting him. We’ll feed him good Italian food and he’ll be asking you to marry him before I can get the wedding planned.”
“I don’t think you need to start planning a wedding yet, Ma. I just thought before things went any further Galvin needed to meet the people who are most important to me.” If he could handle her crazy family, then she could come to terms with his mother having spun gold hair and his father whose idea of a good time was to hurl lightning bolts at unsuspecting mortals. Her situation didn’t sound so nuts after all compared to his.
Yes, there were a lot of obstacles for her and Galvin to overcome and she still wasn’t completely convinced once the passion died down, the relationship could survive.
Isabella still couldn’t believe how well Galvin and her grandmother hit it off. Her mother, she fully expected to fall all over him and her father without doubt would accept him with good humor, but Nonna?
By the end of the evening spent with her immediate family, with the exception of Gino, and some of the extended family from her father’s side, it became obvious that Galvin and Nonna were thick as thieves. Galvin spent a lot of time talking with the old lady in her native language.
Okay, she shouldn’t have been surprised that a Nordic deity, who spent time on Mount Olympus with Zeus and the Pantheon of gods that lived there, spoke Italian and any other language he chose to speak. After all, Zeus was his godfather and Galvin had spent time in Greece as well as most of the other countries in the region.
A surge of relief filled her when she reached her desk and put her purse away. She would be forced to think about something other than her personal life.
“Afternoon boss. You look glowing today.” Sandy arrived and handed her one of the iced mocha frappuccinos she juggled. “Have a good weekend?”
Isabella took the beverage and stuck her tongue out at the perky intern. “I had an excellent weekend.” If only Sandy knew how good, she’d never hear the end of how Isabella had turned into a mush-head.
After dinner with her family, she and Galvin spent the rest of the weekend at her place, and most of that time in bed. They were becoming one of those couples she’d always hated. The ones who cooed at each other constantly like a couple of love birds, with their own private jokes the rest of the world wasn’t privy to, and she loved their intimacy.
“Hey Sweet Cheeks,” Kyle came around the corner into the weather pod. “What happened to your Viking stud?”
How she detested the leering smirk on the anchor man’s face and nothing would give her more pleasure than to wipe it off with a fist to his row of perfect pearly whites. Then again, being arrested for assault wouldn’t help her career or personal life and she fought the temptation itching in her fingertips.
“Guess it was time for him to move onto greener pastures, Kyle.”
“Not what I hear. A little bird told me he got canned…by you. Bet that broke your heart when word came down from the powers above, huh?”
Isabella could imagine the little bird who told him. Damn, Joanne. She didn’t have to share information her husband would have told her in confidence. The stupid bitch needed to keep business out of the pillow talk she indulged in with her co-anchor after one of their passionate encounters.
“I don’t have a heart, remember.” If looks could kill, the little worm would be dead and she’d be first in line to dance on his grave.
“Sandy, I’m off to do my spots for the radio stations. You know where to find me if you need anything.” Isabella gathered the maps and forecasts on her desk. “Excuse me.” She none too gently elbowed Kyle out of her path of retreat.
Waiting for the elevator to take her up another floor to the engineering room gave her more opportunity to day dream more about Galvin. A smiled played around her mouth, remembering the confined trip in this very car a few weeks earlier, in which they finally gave into their passion.
Someone slammed into her, waking her from the day dream. “Whoa, Sam. Where are you going in such a rush?”
“Can’t talk right now, Isabella. Have you seen my wife or Kyle?”
“I left Kyle over in the weather pod and I haven’t see Joanne all day.” She looked closer at the station manager. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, gre
at.”
His flushed face didn’t support his affirmation. Isabella started to question him further, then thought it probably best not to dig any deeper. She resented people trying to pry things from her when she didn’t want to discuss them. Probably better to focus on my own situation then stick my nose in where I’m not wanted. She continued her journey up another floor to the engineering room.
“Hi, James, did you find the video I wanted?”
The chief engineer reached for a video tape that lay on top of a stack of magazines. “Sure did. Didn’t you get enough of tornados last week with what you went through?” James handed her the cassette.
“We lucked out. These poor people didn’t and I guess I have survivor’s guilt. Watching this can help me focus on how fortunate we were and how little decimation really occurred with our adventure.” She had caught glimpses of the devastation on the news, but wanted to fully appreciate her own good fortune and figure out some way to help those less fortunate.
“Thanks James, I’ll get this back to you tomorrow.”
“No rush. I got a copy if a need comes up. Let me know if you want anything else.”
A wave to the engineer brought a grin and she made her way back downstairs.
The newsroom seemed quieter than usual. The atmosphere reminded her of an ant hill, each of the worker ants going about their business making sure they didn’t get in each other’s way. No one looked up to check out who entered their space.
“What’s going on?” Isabella tilted her head toward the rest of the room and the people hunkered down over computer screens.
“I’m not really sure,” Sandy said. “I came back from checking out something in the studio and things were like this. Pretty eerie don’t you think?”
She could say that again. Isabella had never heard so much quiet in here, even on weekends there was more activity.
“Isabella.” She jumped at hearing her name shouted and turned to find Sam standing in his office doorway. “In here. I want to talk to you now.”
Nordic Heat Page 16
