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“It’s really nice to meet you, Mrs. D’Angelo,” Tori says warmly.
I turn to my mom expectantly, waiting for her kind words and overzealous happiness that she gets to meet my girlfriend. Instead, my mom places her hand on her hips, her cool gaze moving from me to Tori. She doesn’t say anything for several seconds. I arch an eyebrow at her.
“What about Cara?”
My eyes widen. “Mamma!” Is she seriously mentioning Cara now? I’m introducing my girlfriend to her for fuck’s sake.
She shrugs, her expression seemingly innocent. “It’s just she’s the only woman I know you care for. I’m just surprised I’m meeting a new one, is all.”
Tori starts to squirm beside me. She was already nervous enough about coming here and my mom’s behavior is only going to make her feel worse.
“How do you even know about Cara?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“Topher used to tell me all about the two of you. I was waiting for the day you’d let me meet her,” she informs me.
I look at my youngest brother, who seems to be doing his best to sink into his chair and out of sight. I’m sure the expression I shoot his way is nothing short of murderous. He sends me an apologetic look.
“Well, now you’re meeting Astoria. My girlfriend. Be nice,” I say, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.
Her eyes narrow, which means I failed at that. She gives me her best fuck-off expression, but I stand my ground. This is honestly ridiculous. Why the hell is she treating her like this?
I let out a quick breath. “Mom, can I talk to you privately?”
She nods, walking out of the living room. I squeeze Astoria’s arm and offer her what I hope is a reassuring smile, and I give Daniella a look to take care of her while I follow my mom. She’s standing at the foot of the steps.
I’ve never doubted that Martina D’Angelo is a formidable woman, and I’ve often been a little sympathetic towards anyone who would find themselves on the other end of her distrust or anger. I just never thought it would be directed at a woman I care about, for no fucking reason.
“Why don’t you like her?” I ask pointedly.
She looks up at me, “Because I’m not sure this ‘relationship’ of yours is a good idea. It seems very suspicious.”
“What are you even talking about?”
“Topher told me everything. According to him, the two of you started out in a fake relationship in order to fool her parents. And then you started dating for real. How am I to know what’s real or not in this situation? You could very well still be fooling everyone!”
I grit my teeth, running my hand through my hair in agitation. “I’m going to kill him,” I grumble under my breath.
“You will do no such thing.”
Topher’s dead. I swear I’ll kill him. It’s unfortunate that Angel will become fatherless in the process.
I pace in front of my mom, trying to organize my thoughts.
“Why didn’t you ask me about it? You could have talked to me instead of letting Topher blab all about my personal life—which he had no right to do, by the way,” I state.
“If I talked to you about it, would you have opened up? No. You’d have told me it’s nothing and then shut me out. Of all my children, you’re the one who talks to me the least. You seek me out the least. You’ve never seemed to need me, even when you were a child, Carlo.”
“That’s not true. And even if it is, that’s not what’s important here,” I say.
“You’re right. it’s not. Your relationship with that woman is.”
“That woman,” I say, gesturing in the direction we came from, “is my girlfriend, Mom. She’s my girlfriend and I care about her. She’s a woman I want to spend every second of every day with. I think about her all the time, and I’m pretty sure I’m obsessed. I promise, Mom, our relationship is very real.”
She stares at me for an uncomfortably long time before sighing.
“I just want you to be happy,mia cara. You’re my whole entire heart, you and your brothers. After your father died, I felt so empty. But then your brothers met their wives and they gave me my grandbabies, and my heart was so full, damn near bursting. But there’s always been a part of it reserved for you and your happiness.”
“I am happy,Mamma,” I say gruffly. “I’m happy with her.”
