Page 78 of Marcus

Or that’s what it felt like.

Of course, her family knew she was busy and all the things she had going on. Some of them even knew a few details about her relationship with Marcus, although she didn’t give them much more than hints and vague statements to go on. Not that it mattered, as they all gossiped amongst one another, anyway, and basically put all their information together to draw their own conclusions.

Sure, her parents never said anything about the fact she was coming around even less than she used to. And her siblings, at least the ones who lived in New York, didn’t mind the sporadic phone calls and lack of visits.

She cared, though.

“I promised my parents I would do dinner with them this coming weekend,” she said, knowing that wasn’t the answer Marcus wanted to hear. He was enough of a gentleman, however, that he wouldn’t tell her to cancel those plans with her family for him. She decided, along with all the other reasons he had given her so far, she loved that about him. “And next week, Tiffany has her pre-K graduation, so …”

“Speaking of your parents. Well, her grandparents, I guess.”

“What about them?”

Marcus cleared his throat. “I just realized I hadn’t asked about Tiffany’s father’s parents, or his family. Does she have anyone from his side?”

“An uncle that lives in the UK. He comes to visit once a year. William wasn’t on great terms with his parents while we were together—they flew in for the funeral and didn’t even speak to me. I didn’t know them to begin with, they didn’t attend our wedding, and he made it clear that was for the better.”

“You can tell me to mind my own business, but why?”

Cella laughed under her breath. “He just said they didn’t know how to love their own kids; he wasn’t going to let them try to learn again on his. Given they didn’t seem to care about Tiffany at the funeral, I never bothered. Her uncle checks in occasionally on her when he’s not here for a visit.”

“Ah, I see. Sorry.”

“She has my family.”

“Quite a large family, too.”

“Yeah, but that’s also why I want to keep my promise about this upcoming dinner. I feel like it’s just her and I a lot of the time. She needs them, too. My family, I mean.

“I agree. But next weekend,” he hinted.

She smiled to herself. “I am all yours, and I was coming to finalize those rooms, anyway.”

“I think I can work my plans around that, then.”

Cella’s brow knotted. “What plans?”

“I promised Tiffany something. I have been waiting to make it happen for her.”

“You’re too good to us, Marcus.”

His chuckles rocked through the phone. “Not nearly good enough, actually. Getting there, though.”

Well, they’d see, wouldn’t they?

Cella couldn’t wait.

Noise greeted Cella as she pushed open the front door of the familiar home. She’d barely even taken a step inside when voices filtered down the hall.

“Lucky, you better be sharing with your sister!”

“I am!”

Tiffany had already dropped her bag to the floor as soon as they walked into her parents’ home. The long drive had her ready to play with her cousins, and the flyby of Lucky—the closest of Tiffany’s cousins to her own age—running from the sitting room to the kitchen across the hall sent her daughter running after him.

“Lucky!”

Lucky, or Luciano, as he’d been named at birth was her brother’s oldest son. The kid was all about having a good time, making as much noise as he could while he did it, and making a mess to boot. Cella swore the kid also got away with literally everything because he was his father’s little mini-me, but she knew better than to say that to anyone.