Page 143 of Falling for Mr. October

“Yes, of course,” I agree thickly. “Of course that’s what we’ll do.”

My nonna slaps me with her good hand, her expression as fierce as it is whenever some fool dares question her cooking. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re going nowhere.”

“What are you talking about?” Enzo asks.

“Giovanni will live here,” she says firmly. “He’s staying.”

My lips part. “But Nonna⁠—”

“But nothing,” she insists. “Rose and I, we were going to tell you what we decided at Thanksgiving, when we were all sitting around the table, but you might as well know now. We’re not leaving each other. We’ve decided to be companions until the end. We’ll spend the fall and winter in North Carolina with Giovanni, Bianca, and the rest of Rose’s grandchildren, and the spring and summer in Maine with all of you. It’s settled.”

“It’s settled?” Enzo protests. “And you didn’t think we should get a say?”

“No, my boy,” she says flatly. “I may be old, but I’m not dead. I’d rather be with Rose than some home helper who’s paid to hold my hand. I’ve felt more alive with her than I have in years.”

“You may both need a home helper,” Enzo says. “You’re not going to be able to lift things yourself for weeks.”

“Giovanni and Bianca will do it. They’re both young.”

I’m staring at my nonna in disbelief. “You really want to stay?”

“I’m done with the winters at home. This is a good plan for us.”

“Nonna,” Aria says, now looking wide awake. “Are you in a relationship with Nonna Rose? Did you get into that apple fight because you were into each other?”

Nonna glowers at her. “Madonn’, what nonsense. Your nonno was my one true love. Rose is like the sister I never had. Both of us are done with love. It’s a young person’s game.”

“And what happens when you get into the next apple fight?” Enzo asks.

“We have this disagreement about Ted, and Ted is dead. Simple. No more argument.”

“You mean their great-uncle Ted?” Nico asks, frowning. “I don’t think I ever heard that man say more than a couple of words.”

“This is Rose’s secret,” Nonna Francesca says staunchly. “I won’t break it. She will tell if she wants to tell.”

“Of course you say the one thing guaranteed to make us all desperate to know,” Aria says, but her humor seems forced. After a second, she adds, “Are you really okay? I can come home. I⁠—”

“You will do no such thing. No one will change their plans for me. I have my own plans, and Giovanni’s girl is a nurse. Bianca will help me.”

“Giovanni’s girl?” Aria says, lighting up. “You been holding out on us, Gio? I knew you liked her, but you like a lot of people. I didn’t know for sure you like-liked her.”

I smile. “I went to a romance book club meeting at a retirement home with her today, so yeah, I guess you can say I like-like her.”

“I’m gonna go to that someday,” Aria says with a sigh. “It sounds perfect.”

Wait until she sees the Dong of Discussion.

“I hope so.” I pause, glancing from one little FaceTime image to another on my phone’s screen. Fuck it. Time to be truthful. “I might as well tell you all…I’m in love with Bianca. I’m going to marry her someday.”

Enzo grins at me as his fiancée, Lucy, hugs him from behind, waving at the camera. “So now you know what it’s like.”

“So now I know.”

“You’re all crazy,” Nico says. “At least Aria and I are sane.”

Aria pulls a face but doesn’t say anything, so I’ll have to interrogate her later about whatever Greek guy she’s obviously seeing. Selfishly, I hope he’s not wonderful enough that she wants to make her move permanent. I might not be going back to Maine to stay, but I’d like my little sister to eventually be in the same country. Ideally, on the same coast.

“All right. All is settled. We’ll make arrangements for Thanksgiving in Apple Ridge,” Nonna Francesca says, an obvious kiss-off.