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“Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?” I asked over my shoulder.
“I wasn’t listening to you cry to Sadie when you need to be getting dressed.”
“Yeah, because I can’t wait to go to family dinner.” The smile on my face quickly melted away, revealing my sarcastic intent.
“Get dressed. I’ll check on you later. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Hanging up the phone, I considered Sadie’s advice.
She was right about a lot. Maybe that’s where some of my stress and anxiety originated. Talking about it wouldn’t change anything, so I didn’t see the point. Instead, I wanted to focus on being half as good as the mother I had.
“What’s wrong?” Gi was curious, noticing the expression on my face.
“Nothing.”
“I thought we were past lying to each other.”
“Nothing I want to talk about right now,” I rephrased my response, admiring Gianni's smile. It was boyishly affectionate as he sprayed himself with my favorite cologne.
“You can’t come in here looking and smelling so good when we have somewhere to be.”
“Don’t try to distract me from the fact you’re keeping shit from me, Lo.” His perfect face relaxed, staring at me in the oversized mirror. “I hope you keep this shit up after you pop my baby out. Get dressed and meet me downstairs.” He kissed my cheek before leaving me in the bathroom.
Thankfully it was still warm in DuPont Falls. Dresses were my comfort attire as I neared delivery. After I slipped into the black dress and sandals, I headed downstairs, pausing halfway down.
The foyer was beautifully decorated as Gianni’s broad shoulders confidently stood in the middle of the floor, amused at the tears in my eyes.
“I never thought I would see the day your mouth is lost for words,” Gianni joked as I finally waddled downstairs.
“What is going on?” I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat. I was nervous and couldn’t even pinpoint why. Was it the live harpist playing in the background? Was it all the roses and candles that decorated the foyer? Or maybe I had never had a man go to such lengths for me. It was endearing yet deathly frightening to experience such a high watching him drop to his knee.
I’m dreaming. That’s the only explanation for this insanely gorgeous man kneeling before me.
“Gianni.”
“Come on, you can’t be saying my name like that,” he flirted, and a chuckle stifled out of my lips.
“We’re already married. You can get up now.”
“Play along. For me, Lo,” Gianni winked, and I would’ve given that man an organ if he had asked how he was looking at me right now. “Sol dragging me out that night was a plot twist I never saw coming. From the moment we met, you’ve been able to do the impossible. I couldn’t understand it then and still don’t, but I’m okay with it.”
Despite fear glistening in his eyes, Gi’s voice was firm and final. “I like the idea of us together. We crossed paths like a cosmic collision that only God himself could orchestrate. I fought it at first, and maybe you still are, but we’re right where we’re supposed to be. You and me.”
“I can’t promise it’ll be easy, but I swear we’ll have fun. It’s cool if you don’t feel the same right now, but I’m here, Lo. I’m here with you, and I’m not going anywhere. Wear this ring and be my dawg until you feel the same.” The conviction in his words took my breath away as he pulled out the ring. My ring. I wasn’t sure how many carats, but it was the biggest diamond I’d ever seen with my own eyes.
Gianni was right. Anybody who stayed around him long enough would fall in love with him. Tears streamed down my face realizing that I did feel the same. I had fallen for Gianni Meraux- completely and unintentionally.
“Say something, Lo.”
“Why would you make me ugly cry before we leave the house?” I asked because sarcasm was our love language.
“Say something else.”
“Yes,” I damn near choked, getting the words out. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
It felt redundant to say because we were legally married, but this was more than that.
Suddenly, this arrangement didn’t feel so arranged.
