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“So, he lost his whole career, everything he cared about, not to mention you wrecked him for other women who could actually make him happy,” Marie piped up. She was more than a little bitter about the last one. Only last year, Matthew had completely thrown over her good friend, Annalisa.
“And every time he thinks he’s rid of you, somehow you come waltzing back to stick your claws into him all over again,” Joni ended, for once on the same page as Marie.
They nodded at each other with satisfaction, as if to dare Matthew to argue.
“I think that covers it, don’t you?” Kate asked.
“I—I—” Nina turned between each of us, landing on Matthew, eyes pleading with desperation. “Matthew, I—”
I wasn’t having it. I’d felt for them in the car, but after having all her sins counted for us, my sympathy had vanished. I was with my sisters on this one.
“It’s not just that,” I pointed out. “He’s been moping around this city for almost a year at this point, pining for a woman he can’t have.”
“No offense, Nina. You’re fabulous and everything. But you shouldn’t be here,” Joni added.
“Ever,” Kate finished.
Nonna, for her part, stood on the outside of our little circle, arms crossed, but watching us like she was our puppet master. Her lack of interference confirmed one thing: that she approved of every word.
Matthew looked helplessly between us, but eventually, my brother’s broad shoulders drooped in defeat.
My fury vanished. And suddenly, I found myself in his place, and what was happening scared the hell out of me. Every fear I’d ever had about introducing Xavier to my family as Sofia’s dad was being confirmed right here, right now. They couldn’t even handle Nina, who, while cold, had been trapped in a legitimately awful marriage for years by no fault of her own. Anyone could see she was crazy about Matthew, and they were doing everything they could to move forward.
If they couldn’t give her a chance, what hope did Xavier have?
“That’s how you feel? Fine, then. We’re going. We don’t need this.”
Matthew grabbed Nina’s hand and shoved past me and Kate, pulling her toward the front of the church.
My sisters and I all watched, somewhat dumbfounded. Matthew was stubborn, yes. And clearly in love. But I don’t think any of us really imagined he would completely abandon his family for…her.
Then again, I realized as he didn’t look back, why wouldn’t he? We were absolutely horrible.
I was about to rush forward to tell him so, and the look on Kate’s face told me she was thinking the same, when I noticed that he and Nina had stopped again at the entrance of the church. My sisters and I crept forward, and eventually, I was able to see who they were speaking to.
Sherry Alvarez. Matthew’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who had cheated on him while he was fighting in Iraq. The woman who had absolutely shattered his young heart.
If there was anyone my sisters and I hated more, I couldn’t say. This one, in particular, had been wished into the bowels of hell on more than one occasion.
Kate and I led the pack, ready to jump in to protect our brother from Sherry’s acrylic-nail-shaped claws. But to my surprise, Nina had beaten us to it.
“I know you’re the kind of woman who cheats on the best possible man there is,” she was saying as we came within earshot. “I know you’re the kind of woman who lets her lover go to war and cheapens his sacrifice by opening your legs to any other man who comes your way.”
“Oh, listen, now,” Kate whispered in my ear.
I nodded.
Lea pushed ahead, as ready as ever to intervene. “Mattie—”
“Hush.” I found myself pulling on her arm.
This was Nina’s fight. I wanted to see how she would fare.
“I also know you’re the kind of woman who regrets it,” Nina continued in a voice as crystal-clear as any of her porcelain features. “So I’ll say this to you nicely the first time, but next, the gloves will really come off. You don’t deserve him. Now, in case you’ve forgotten, he also has an entire family of fierce women who don’t take kindly to people who hurt him.”
“No, we do not,” Joni whispered, though no one paid her any heed.
“Nor do I,” Nina finished. “Like Matthew, I come from a family who will do absolutely anything to protect the people they love. And I do mean anything. I suggest you don’t test me on that point.”
