Even though her face was pinched, she didn’t avoid eye contact with him. She huffed in his direction as he passed her. Ermanno was at her side when she almost tripped. He grabbedher arm and steadied her, speaking to her in rapid Italian. She thanked him but took her arm away.
“Huh,” Brando said as he passed us with Scarlett next to him. He was keeping a firm hand on her, even though there was nothing wrong with the way she walked. She was graceful enough that I thought she could ice skate over the snow without an issue or skates.
“Huh,” I repeated, and Mia laughed as she, her husband, and their twins reached Rocco and me. Mac and Mari were not far behind.
I looked at Mia, and she smiled at me. “My dad does that when something perplexes him.Huh.”
“Ahh,” I breathed out. “The doctor and Massimo perplexed him?”
“Probably mamma’s reaction to them. If you’ve noticed,” she whispered from the side of her mouth, “the doctor doesn’t have a healthy relationship with the Fausti family.”
“She’s certainly not hiding it.”
Mia nodded, then snatched her son’s hand before he rolled down the hill—on purpose. Saverio said his name,Vittorio, a sharp command, and the Shorty stood straighter, his shoulders squared, and apologized to his mamma for causing her the slightest bit of concern.
Mia kissed his forehead and then straightened his hat. He smiled up at her, and I saw how she melted…as quickly as the ice if the sun came close to it. She nodded up ahead. Brando was waiting. “You and Brando catch up to NonnoBrando. No rolling down hills, ah?”
“Ah, Mamma!”
The twins took off uphill as only children can do.
“What was I saying?” She shook her head, her attention coming straight back to me once her sons made it to her father. “Oh! Alessandra Ponte, the doctor. She doesn’t have a healthyrelationship with my family. She thinks the men cause too much damage on purpose, and since she’s a doctor…it makes sense. Her job is to heal. I mean, I get it. But years ago, when her family would meet mine for ski trips, I think she fell in love with mycugino.”
“Massimo.”
She nodded. “Massimo.”
“Massimo never noticed her?”
“I don’t think so. She was always shy, more interested in her books, but…I always thought she was stunning. I haven’t seen her in years. Nothing’s changed, except now she doesn’t have braces and she’s filled out.”
I glanced at Rocco to see if I could judge his face, but he only looked at me and shrugged. After that, Mia and Saverio fell behind to keep step with Mac and Mari. Maybe because she sensed her uncle had something on his mind.
“What?” I asked when it didn’t seem like he was going to say anything.
Rocco rolled his shoulders and cleared his throat. His eyes were frozen on Massimo’s back. “My son is testing me.”
“Why?”
“The words he spoke to you.”
“What did he say…specifically?”
“The entire conversation.”
I thought about this as we walked, our hands linked.
“You think he might try to play the part of karma,” I said.
“Sì, although karma has already started her role.”
I stopped walking, and so did he. My face felt a bit stiff and chapped from the cold wind. Soldiers were up ahead already, dotting the area around the cafeteria like ants guarding a sugar cube.
Mia, Saverio, Mac, and Mari passed us.
“That can’t happen, Rocco,” I whispered, not wanting anyone to overhear, though Mac somehow knew everything anyway. Probably because it was his job to be familiar with every aspect of my husband’s life, since Rocco was depending on him for a variety of reasons. “Between you and Massimo, I mean. Things are already strained between you two…”
“Neither of us can direct his behavior. He is a man, my son, and not a child. What will come from him will come. I will answer with my answer.”
