“Are we fighting?”
“I don’t know, are we?”
“Not me. I’m fine.” I sit next to him on the couch and we kiss.
His beautiful eyes search my face for something important but what, I have no clue. “You know you can tell me anything, sugar. Right?”
“The same goes for you, too. I love you, tough guy. No matter what.”
“Fine babe, I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
For what?I’m about to ask but my brain cells short circuit as warm lips devour me and the dark centers of his eyes widen.
We’ve been sinning on the couch for a while when I check the time. “We could do noon mass and then go straight to Aunt Miriam’s for Sunday dinner.”
“That works.” His amazing biceps flex as he throws on a t-shirt. “But you owe me.”
“Like what?”
“I’ll let you know.” Smirking, he smacks me on the butt, and dresses.
Things mostly back to normal, we stroll hand in hand to church but before we go in, he stops me on the sidewalk. “Darlin’, I think we ought to get married sooner rather than later. How about we have a small ceremony somewhere upstate and not tell anyone? Then, we can be legal, just in case.”
I put a palm to his unshaven face. “In case the marriage police gives us a ticket?”
“Something like that.” He turns his head into my hand and kisses it.
In truth, a secret wedding sounds romantic. “Sure, I’ll make an honest man out of you.”
His grin goes wider than I’ve seen it since making love last night. He must’ve been planning this and wondering if I’d say no. No wonder he was acting so weird. Thank God that’s over.
By the time we reach my Aunt’s top step, Suds is whistling and smiling from ear to ear.
I try the locked handle and pound on the door. “Yo! It’s us.”
Joey answers with my niece on his hip. “Yo, Sammy. Nice to see youz.”
“You too, fidanzato.” Only my cousin could make the word fiancé sound like an insult.
The baby in his arms reaches her chubby fingers so I take her, jiggling her up and down. “Oh my goodness. Look at you. You got so big.”
Today, my sweetheart sports an embroidered pink bear on a starched white dress with matching tiny sneakers.
My internal clock tic-tocs but I quiet it the fuck down. I’m on schedule… pretty much. I got a job and a boyfriend. Babies come after, stupid timepiece.
Suds kisses her little nose, she giggles, and decides he’s more interesting than me or her father. Charmed, my Navy SEAL lifts her little body into his huge arms. It is so fucking cute, my ovaries explode.
The Hallmark moment evaporates when my cousin Rose screeches from the other room. “It is not.”
“Is too.” Mia responds an octave higher and twice as loud.
“I better go break it up.” I reach for the baby but the little flirt grabs Sebastian’s nose and hangs on for her dear life.
“No worries. I got her.” My partner follows me into the small kitchen while making goo-goo faces at the giggling Kimmy.
My older cousin, a dark-haired version of me, stands at the stove, pointing a lethal wooden utensil at her sister. “Tell her the gravy is fine.”
“It needs heat.” The younger of the two threatens the meal by holding a jar of red pepper hostage over the sauce.
