“Why is your face bruised?” Nico asks, changing the subject swiftly.
Matteo shrugs, unbothered. “Ran into Lev’s fist.”
Nico’s eyes narrow and he becomes tense. “How’d you manage that?”
“You know me,” my boyfriend says with a chuckle. “So clumsy.”
Nico moves his eyes from the green-ish yellow bruise on his brother’s face to look at the man responsible for it. “I wonder if Lev is clumsy too.”
Before any kind of fight can break out, I speak up with an offer. “You can come to the beach with us. We’re leaving here soon. Oh! And you have to meet Winter when we come back. You’ll love her.”
“Winter?” Nico asks, nose scrunching.
“Her cat,” Nadya pipes up, grinning.
Nico gives my cousin a bland look. “Her cat.”
“Yes,” Nadya tells him, crossing her arms. “What? Are you afraid of a little cat? Are you a baby?”
Matteo bursts out with a surprised laugh, clapping his hands together and ducking his head while his shoulders shake.
“Are you?” Nico challenges back. “You’re like three feet tall.”
“You know many three-foot-tall babies?” Nadya sasses. “I’m 4’11, weirdo.”
“Weirdo,” Matteo repeats, laughing harder.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Aunt Irina says, patting her daughter on the hand while smothering a smile. “Nico is Anya’s good friend,printsessa. And Matteo’s brother. We should be nice to him.”
“Well, he should be happy that Anya wants him to meet Winter,” she harrumphs. “If he’s such a good friend.”
Nico huffs. “I didn’t even know she had a cat.”
“You should have,” Nadya says, almost tsking at him.
“That’s my fault,” I tell her with a guilty smile. “I didn’t tell him yet. I’ve been so busy getting her settled in.”
Nadya looks from Nico to me and eventually decides to let him off the hook. “Fine.”
Matteo seems to have somehow scarfed down the rest of his food and stands up from the table, taking my hand. “Time for the beach, then?”
“Yeah,” I agree happily before turning back to Nico. “Coming with?”
He grunts with a shrug. “I guess.”
The drive there isn’t a long one. We don’t live too far away from the coast, and our preferred beach has private parking and limited access. It’s safe and serene. The smell of salt water and sand filling me with a sense of peace as soon as I step out of the car.
It’s not too cold, but I’m glad that Matteo and I both prepared by wearing cozy clothes. Me with my matching light pink crewneck and sweatpants set, and Matteo in his gray sweats and complementary large T-shirt. Nico isn’t dressed as warmly but he doesn’t seem bothered, either.
He hangs back as I take Matteo’s hand and run closer to the water with him. My hair bounces all over the place, being swept by some light wind, but I don’t care at all. I’m so happy to see the vast, seemingly endless body of water. It’s a deep blue color this time of year, not under such a harsh and hot sun. The soothing sound of the tide makes my heart feel heavy and full.
“Have you been to the ocean before?” I ask, turning to look up at Matteo.
“The Atlantic,” he replies, hooking an arm around my shoulders. “And the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. Sardinia has crystal-clear coves to swim in, but I’m partial to the Amalfi Coast. The water is so warm and calm. You’d love it, I think.”
“Yeah?” I ask, trying to imagine the dreamy picture he paints. “Would you want to take me one day?”
“I’d take you anywhere you want to go,meraviglia.”
