AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We give you a hard time because you can take it.” She draws me out of the fray into a quiet alcove near the back door. “You’ve always been a good sport about the family razzing you. But sometimes I worry that you don’t see the many ways we also respect and admire you.”
This is unprecedented. I have no idea how to respond.
“You’ve grown a successful business from nothing while working a second job until recently to pay the bills. You’ve taken beautiful care of your parents during your mother’s illness, including doing all the yard work for your dad, bringing meals, visiting and doing anything else you could to make life easier for them. You’re a wonderful brother, cousin and friend, and now you’ve decided to be a protector to Sofia and her little boy. I’m not sure what you see when you look in the mirror, but I see a young man anyone would be proud of.”
“Jeez, Nona, you’re gonna make me bawl over here.”
She smiles as she hugs me. “I see a man coming into his own and perhaps having found the love of his life.”
“I think maybe I have.”
“That makes me so, so happy. She’s a lovely young woman, strong and brave and hardworking. And she’s a wonderful mother. I couldn’t love her more if she was actually family.”
“She loves you and Abuela, too. She’s so thankful for everything the family has done for her.”
“She and her little boy are delightful.”
“Yes, they are.”
“Her situation is complicated.”
“In many, many ways.” I step back to look out to the hallway, but I can’t see her, and that makes me anxious.
“You’ve never been serious about a woman.”
“No, not like this.”
“Which is why you need to be careful, Nico. I know the girls have warned her about you, but you need to look out for yourself, too. She’s not officially divorced, her son is facing serious health challenges for years to come, and she doesn’t need any more drama or nonsense in her life.”
“I know that, Nona. I just want to make things better for her.”
“And I applaud you for that, but what I’m saying is she might need more than you have to give.”
The thought of that sends an arrow of fear straight to my gut. “I’d give her anything. Everything. And she knows that.”
“Still… Everything might not be enough. Be careful, my love. Guard your heart even as you give it to her. That’s all I’m saying.”
She’s rocked my world by suggesting that everything I have might not be enough for Sofia. How is that possible?
“I’ve upset you. I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention. I’m just a worried old granny butting into things that’re none of my business.”
“You’re not old, and since when is my business not your business?”
I love her bark of laughter. “True.”
I hug her and kiss her cheek. “I heard what you said, and even if I didn’t like some of it, I appreciate that you care so much about me—and about Sofia and Mateo. In case I haven’t told you lately, you’re the best Nona in the whole world, even when you’re calling me that stupid Button name.”
Her smile is positively wicked. “That’s the best nickname I’ve ever given anyone.”
“If you say so.”
“Oh, I do. I say so.”
I roll my eyes and leave her to go find Sofia. She’s chatting with Abuela and her gentleman friend, Mr. Muñoz. I’m so relieved to see her that I feel light-headed for a second from the rush of air that leaves my lungs. It occurs to me that I’ve never experienced fear this potent, not even when my mom was diagnosed. I’ve believed from the start that she would beat the cancer. But this… This is something else altogether, and the fear is palpable.
“Come have a drink, Nico,” Vin calls from the bar.
I force myself to pull my gaze off Sofia. She has her back to me, so she can’t see me staring at her. I head to the bar and take a seat on one of the barstools.
