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She continues to chat about the many moods of Luca when we enter a large formal living room. The outside of the house is full of Greek architecture, but the inside is modern, minimalistic, and stunningly beautiful. “Look, Mom, I didn’t make her up. Luc’s girl is real.”
Deidre De Santos is a petite raven-haired woman in her early sixties. She stands near the bar as a man who could be described as the older version of Luca makes her a drink. “I see, Isa,” his mother calls his sister the same thing Luca had.
His mom is a radiant beauty, and like Luca’s dad is the older version of him, Deidre De Santos is the older version of her daughter.
“Welcome to our home, Anisten. I didn’t think I’d see the day my boy would bring a girl to meet us. And you’re beautiful, so very beautiful. Oh, where are my manners? I’m Deidre. But, please don’t call me ma’am or Mrs. De Santos.” She may look like her daughter but is as articulate as her son.
“It’s nice to meet you, Deidre,” I offer, and like her daughter, Deidre brings me in for a hug. “Lu, come over and meet this beauty our son brought home,” she orders and I wonder if this is where Luca gets his commanding nature from.
“I’m coming, dear.” He rounds the bar, standing next to his wife. “It’s nice to meet you, Anisten. I’m Luigi De Santos. I almost didn’t believe my own ears when Luca told me he had someone for us to meet.”
“Thanks so much for having me, Mr. De Santos.”
He lets out a light chuckle, and I can tell his dad isn’t as serious as Luca. “Lu will do,” he replies.
There is something about the De Santos family. They’re welcoming, warm and full of love for one another. They instantly claim my heart, as Luca already did the first night we met.
* * *
“Are you telling me he aimed for the cat dish, instead of going to the bathroom?” My hand hits the side of the table because I’m about to double over in fits of laughter at Isabel’s story.
“First off, for the record, Isabel Mary, you weren’t even born yet. You tell the story like you were there. And second, I was three, woke up in the middle of the night, and was disoriented.”
Luca’s attempt at distracting from the humor of the story is fruitless. My dominant, controlling man peeing in the poor cat’s water bowl is ridiculously humorous and I’ll be using this against him often.
“It’s a legend, big brother.” Isabel De Santos Marcos isn’t just a knock-out beauty, she’s as funny as they come.
“Watch me share your darkest secrets, Isa, and tell…”
Her laughter stops, and I wonder if Luca hit a sore spot. Looking around the table at Deidre and Lu, their laughter has ended, too.
“You’re unable to tell Luis. He’s never here. He’s stuck with me for life, and it’s not like he’ll ever leave me.”
Her sullen declaration is so very different than the woman a few weeks ago when she hung to her older husband from the stage and shared their own love story.
“Where is Luis tonight, Isa?” Luca’s own jovial tone has sobered up.
“You know Luis, he’s more of a one-on-one sort of guy.”
I move my attention to Deidre as she lets out a long-winded breath, but it’s Lu who has something to say.
“More like monopolizing your time.”
Isabel doesn’t say a word but pushes from her seat without a goodbye leaving the room.
“Lu, honey, you promised,” Deidre speaks straight to her husband.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand them. He’s never with her but somehow keeps her on a tight leash, and then expects us to keep quiet about it when she shows up to our home in tears.”
“I knew she was full of shit.” Luca’s words come out harsh and he looks at the door leading to the other end of the house as if he should go after her.
“No, Luca, baby, you stay with our guest. I’ll go check on her.” Deidre pushes back, and Luca listens to his mother. “Anisten, my sweet dear, you’re forever welcome in our house, especially when you’re the one responsible for the smile on my son’s face. Please come back soon.”
She leaves, but my hand moves to Luca’s knee. “You okay?”
His attention veers to his father. “She doesn’t love him. She can’t.”
His dad nods in agreement. “Her heart has forever belonged to another well before Luis saved her life. She’s never gotten over her first love. Especially when they both still love one another.”
