I was fairly certain that if we were ever on a crashing plane, Brando could distract me with a kiss. I’d burn up one happy woman. No regrets.
At my flush, the ass had the nerve to laugh at me! He picked up his glass, acting nonchalant, though his body couldn’t deny the impactIhad on him.Ha!Who’d be the one acting nonchalant tonight?
My mother shook her head, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of the kiss or the fact that I’d started to dig into the strudel and ice cream with single-minded determination.
Brando squeezed my thigh under the table, whispering, “You have the most beautiful legs,” close to my ear. I tried not to squirm, hitting his hand away, but he kept it up, laughing to himself.
“Ah,” Luca said, watching us. “It pleases my heart to see my son and daughter so in love.” He paused to look around the table, lifting his glass to each of his children, which made them beam.
Brando gave me a curious look but didn’t comment.
“This is why we have a new grandson on the way.”
I’d just taken a sip of water, and at this unexpected announcement, I had to keep my lips tight not to lose it. I gulped it down, almost choking.
“It’s—” I cleared my throat, the sound of it coming out froggy. “I mean—so early. We can’t even confirm…the other night, at the gala…” My voice trailed off, at a loss, not even the ice cream able to cool the flame that had engulfed me.
Brando might as well stick me out in the rain to put me out.
Most of the table erupted into laughter. Romeo doubled over, hardly able to catch his breath. Juliette tried elbowing him, but there was no help for it. She was laughing too.
Brando pulled me closer, proud as a can be, his hand on my stomach.
“Another baby?” my mother asked, setting her drink down.
I nodded. “In August.”
“Irish twins,” Mitch said.
“No,Italianotwins!” Aunt Lola said, raising her glass in glee.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Two sons born on their father’s birthday.”
Brando stared at me, something I couldn’t read in his eyes. He hadn’t even realized.
Once the table had mostly quieted, Rosaria pulled closer to Rocco, smiling. “We have news as well. We are not pregnant, not yet. We have decided to see a doctor. One that can aide us in having a daughter.”
Rocco gave her a slicing look. “Rosaria. This is not the time.”
“It is good news though!”
“Let me understand,” Luca said, meeting my eye before turning to his second son and his wife. “A doctor will interfere with the plans of God to give you a daughter?”
“Ah, well, no,” Rosaria said, her voice shaky. “A daughter will still come at the will of God.”
“Not if a doctor has a hand in it,” Luca said, his voice firm. “This is…sinful. To not accept the plans God has in store, whether we care for them or not. Tell me, son—” he fixed Rocco with a disapproving look “—are you no longer a faithful man?”
“I am, father,” Rocco answered in Italian.
It was clear from his tone that this was something Rosaria had been pushing for, but he had not agreed to, and she’d embarrassed him in front of his entire family.
He flicked his hand for the waiter, requesting another strong drink.
“It is not as if the two of you have a problem conceiving. This is nothing but a modern convenience!Convenience!” Luca scoffed.
“Oh!” Maggie Beautiful intervened, smiling. Her skin glowed, lit by all the candles and flowing drinks. “All these babiesarea blessing though. This is the perfect time to tell them what you have in mind.” She squeezed Luca’s arm in encouragement, turning the smile on him.
“I have decided to hire my son Dario and his beautiful wife—” he lifted his glass to his third son, and then to Carmen, “—to redecorate the villas in Florence. Each one to be designed around the personal needs and tastes of my sons and their beautiful wives.”
