Summer explained, “Heterochromia.” Then she laughed. “That one blue iris is about all she got from me. The rest of her is all Matteo.”
Aurora definitely favored her father, both in her features and in her coloring.
It struck me suddenly that if my little boy took after his daddy, he would look like Gio. The old Gio, not the one who had transformed his entire appearance to masquerade as John. That would be the ultimate mindfuck; raising a miniature version of the man I hated with one who would serve as a permanent reminder of the man I’d fallen in love with, but who’d turned out to be nothing more than a conniving liar.
“Who are you?” A young voice shook me from my thoughts.
Turning around, I found a much older girl who was a dead ringer for Matteo’s first wife, Allegra.
“Bianca, this is your Aunt Rory. She’s married to Uncle Gio, your papa’s brother.” Summer made the introductions.
Her little nose wrinkled. “Papa has a brother?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I smiled at my eldest niece. “I knew you when you were a little baby. You’ve grown so much since then.”
She eyed me with suspicion. “Where have you been all this time?”
The girl was direct; I had to give her that.
“I, uh, went on a long trip, but I’m back now.” It was the most innocuous explanation I could offer. She didn’t need to hear the dirty details of what led to my departure, or the shady circumstances that forced my return.
Seemingly satisfied, Bianca’s gaze dipped to my rounded stomach. “Are you having a baby?”
My free hand fell to my bump. “I am. A boy.”
Summer chimed in, “He’ll be your little cousin. Isn’t that fun?”
“Maybe.” Bianca lifted one shoulder. She didn’t seem too keen on the idea.
A third little girl ran into the kitchen. “I LOVE babies!”
“Serafina is our little mommy.” Summer smoothed a hand over the dark hair of her middle daughter’s head.
“Can I feel?” Though she asked first, Serafina had already placed both of her palms on my belly.
I laughed at her lack of impulse control. She couldn’t have been more than four or five, and at first glance I could have sworn she had a touch of Allegra in her—though not as much as Bianca—but now I saw more Matteo. She was the perfect blend of her older and younger sisters.
She stared up at me with a frown. “Why aren’t they kicking?”
“He’s not big enough to be felt on the outside yet. Maybe soon, and you can try again.”
“Okay,” Serafina chirped, removing her touch.
Summer wiped her hands off on a towel. “Matteo didn’t mention how far along you are.”
Like he knew we were talking about him, there was a flutter from my little guy. “Twenty-three weeks.”
“Right in the sweet spot between morning sickness and debilitating back pain. Bellini men make big babies. The recovery from a C-section sucked, but I was mildly relieved I didn’t have to push out an almost nine-pound baby.”
“I already feel huge, and I swear my belly gets bigger every day.” Tugging at the waistband of my leggings that were cutting into my skin, I grimaced.
Summer tracked the movement. “Are you okay?”
“It’s nothing.” I waved off her concern. “Just haven’t had a chance to shop for proper maternity clothes.”
She fixed me with a sympathetic expression. “You poor thing. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
