“Forget the notes,” I whisper back. “Just follow my lead.”
“What? No.”
I give a subtle nod toward where my aunt and cousin are behind me, trying to say everything I’m thinking with my eyes.
“What—Christopher?” Matt scoffs. “Who gives a shit about him? He’s a fucking tool.”
I reach for his other hand, fumbling for his ring. He curls his fingers into a fist, closing his hand around mine, and gently but firmly guides me into my pappoús’ empty study, closing the door behind us.
He exhales. “Holy shit, babe. You havegotto calm down.”
Adrenaline surges through me, flooding my chest. I take a deep, shaky breath, trying and failing to calm myself. “I know. But I can’t do this with them here.”
His hands settle on my shoulders, thumbs brushing my collarbone. His gaze locks onto mine, eyes soft and patient. Calm in a way I desperately need right now.
“I know this isn’t going to help,” he says quietly, “but you have to stop caring what other people think. Especially fuckingChristopher.”
He sighs, shoulders sagging, like he knows it’s useless trying to talk sense into this part of me. “They’re going to find out anyway. We just have to rip off the Band-Aid.”
“I know, but if Christopher’s here, then Andrea’s here too.”
“Fuck Andrea.”
Andrea is Christopher’s wife. She might be even more perfect than he is, at least in my yiayiá’s eyes.
“Fuck all of them,” he says. “Babe—look, I’ll do whatever you decide. I’ll be right here. Next to you. The whole time. And I’m not going anywhere.”
I don’t respond. I’m too busy managing the storm raging inside me, twisting tighter as his hand slides up my neck, tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear.
“It’s going to suck,” he adds quietly. “But thiswillblow over.”
His eyes search mine, steady and sure, and for a moment—this moment, at least—I believe him.
So I nod.
“Good,” he says.
He slides the ring back onto my finger, presses a kiss to my forehead, and opens the door.
I sit up straighter,bringing my glass of wine to my lips. Yiayiá hates slouching, and right now I’m trying to go as undetected as possible. I’ve kept my left hand hidden for most of dinner. But Matt keeps glancing at me as the main course is brought out by Yiayiá’s staff.
My mamá was more welcoming of Matt than I expected. She even kissed him on the cheek and told him how handsome he looked.
Probably because Yiayiá wasn’t looking. My mamá fears her just as much as I do.
Still, I didn’t miss the flicker of disappointment she gave me when no one was looking.
And Pappoús, of course, was on his best behavior. He greeted me with the warmest hug, kissed my cheek, and told me it was good to see me with a man. He welcomed Matt, shook his hand, then gave me a quiet look of warning that saidtread lightly while your yiayiá is here.
Tread lightly.
As in,don’t do anything to upset her.
Well…
Shit.
Lucky for me, Christopher’s been droning on about all his success, not just at work, but in life. Andrea nods along beside him, wearing a proud, practiced smile.
