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We all laugh at Matteo’s advice for Slade. Slade, however, smiles at me and says, “I plan to keep her for as long as she’ll have me.”
I blink heavily, overcome by Slade’s declaration. He doesn’t announce we’ve only known each other for two weeks. I imagine everyone would find that strange. Heck, I find it strange. Our connection is inexplicable. I guess it’s just becausewe click.
“How long you stay?” Matteo asks Slade. He’s calmer and now seems excited about the news of his son with Laurie.
“Two more days. I need to get back to my job.”
“We have time. I show you my beautiful city, yes? Everything. Things tourists not know. Private tour. Me, you, and tuo amore. We go together. Very nice, yes?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Slade says, subdued. He’s quite reserved, but I know inside he’s thrilled.
“First, big dinner tonight. A celebration. You meet family. We are many. You prepare for-ah this?” Matteo laughs and it reminds me of Slade’s laugh.
“I’m ready.” Slade heaves a sigh of relief.
Everything is working out for the best, so much better than we imagined.
chapter twenty-four
MATTEO WASN’T KIDDINGwhen he said his family was many. They all start to arrive home asriposo, Italy’s version of a siesta, begins.
The family gathers at home to cook, eat, and rest a little. They’re not home to necessarily sleep the entire time.
Yesterday, when we were out and about, nothing in the city center, where most of the tourists are located, closed down, so Slade and I didn’t even realizeriposowas a thing. I guess Lauren forgot to mention it. It’s not like we had a lot of time to research Italy before we impulsively hopped on the plane.
I’m glad we did it. This is turning out to be the best thing we could’ve done. Slade’s eyes glint with happiness. As the rest of the family begins to return home, his happiness only increases. At first, I thought incorrectly that we’d met the entirety of the household.
Nope. First, Matteo’s mother, Gabriella, and her older sister, Giana arrive home, their arms filled with the treasures they picked up at the market.
Gabriella doesn’t speak any English. We listen with bated breath as Matteo explains who Slade is. It’s like starting all over again, wondering how Slade will be received. The way Gabriella is responding, it doesn’t look good. She and Matteo go back and forth for at least five minutes. In spite of the tense atmosphere, I fall in love with the musicality of the Italian language.
All at once, Gabriella turns and faces Slade with a stern look. This is Slade’s grandmother. I’m silently praying she’ll accept him.
To my surprise, she bursts into tears, throws out her arms, and embraces Slade in a tight bear hug while she begins to wail dramatically. Slade buries his head on her shoulder. In between her loud sobbing, she spouts off things in Italian. When she releases Slade, she points to herself. “Nonna. Nonna.”
Slade glances at Matteo for help. “She your nonna. Nonna mean grandmother. She want you to call her Nonna. It show she like you.”
“Nonna,” Slade says.
Nonna wails a bit more while rattling off in Italian. Then she pinches both of Slade’s cheeks. He winces, then hides his pain quickly. I think he might have bruises. I hide a smile. After all, I warned him.
“My mamma, she say like seeing me, ah, when I young man. She say God givebambinoback. Ah, Slade has much love, yes?” Matteo wraps his arm around me. “Sorry, beautiful Marin, English not good for me.”
I love the way he rolls the R in my name. I never knew my name could sound so lovely. “Your English is very good. And yes, Slade feels the love from his family. He wasn’t sure how today would go.” I’m wiping at happy tears again. I think my heart might burst.
Matteo nods several times. “Understand. My son with Laurie is brave man. I have much happiness.”
I watch Slade dry his tears. “He’s very happy as well.”
“Beautiful Marin, Slade is lucky man. He has you. Angel by his side.” Matteo releases me and claps his hands. “Okay, lunch now. Our guests must have hunger.”
Gabriella and Giana rush off to put lunch together, as energetic as women half their age, and Aria follows to help. I thought tonight at dinner would be the big family get-together. Looks like it will happen twice.
Aria’s husband arrives home. His name is Lorenzo. Their adorable twin boys, Francesco and Tommaso, come running inside holding a soccer ball, their faces red from exertion. They’re seven years old. She had her babies young.
Mattie’s wife, Emilia, comes downstairs holding her huge bulging belly. She looks like she’s about to have the baby at any moment. It’s their first child.
Giana’s daughter, Amara, arrives home. She was recently widowed. She’s older than Matteo but still loves to work at a flower shop. Then Amara’s daughter, Lia, along with her daughter, Alessia, arrive as well. Lia’s probably ten years older than Slade.
