Page 65 of The Great Dating Fake Off
“In law,” Giuseppe hisses. “She will be your daughter-in-law only. But I will always be her father first and foremost, you manipulative—”
“Please!” Ro cries. “Give it a rest!”
The chattering in the room goes quiet at once, all eyes on her.
“I am facing a real crisis here and you aren’t helping in the slightest. I have dreamed about my flowers since I was a little girl. They are ruined. Which means my photos are now ruined. And you two are bickering like you’re two kids on a playground.”
“Rosalina, don’t speak to your father like that.” Pushing up from the ground, Mamma V looks to Giuseppe as though she barely recognizes him, the respect oozing right off her. “He was defending my honor. And don’t you think I’m upset? I paid good money not only for your photographer, but to have your photos featured in The Knot. I wrote the most compelling story about love persevering despite all odds! The odds of course being the groom’s unwelcoming family standing in the way—”
Ro’s mouth falls open in shock. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“Watch your tone, young lady!” Giuseppe insists. “Wedding or not, you will respect your mother.”
I think Ro’s head may roll right off her shoulders. “Oh, now you two are on the same side? Now you respect each other? Where was this energy the last thirty years?”
“Trouble in paradise?” Vinny asks coolly.
Enzo lifts a silencing hand. His face is pale, and he’s holding Ro’s shoulder as if she’s the only thing keeping him upright.
He may or may not puke at any moment. “Dad, stop.”
Vinny whirls on his son. “I’ll say what I want. I don’t care about a frivolous magazine spread, but those flowers cost me thousands of dollars. And negligence has ruined them. I want to know exactly who is at fault for this, and I want it in writing.”
Eloise has backed so far away she’s almost flush with a far wall.
Alessia cracks her neck and strides closer as though prepared for battle. “The florist is at fault for dropping off on the wrong date at an unreasonable hour, Dad. And they will be held accountable. The contract should have had a drop-off window indicated, and the wedding planner should’ve verified that.”
“You did sign a contract, right?” Vinny asks his son.
Enzo swivels to Ro. “We did, right?”
Black mascara streams down Ro’s cheeks. She shakes her head as if too overcome to speak.Veronica descends on her with arms outstretched, knocking Enzo out of the way in her haste to hug her.
For a long moment, Ro’s crying trumps the fighting.
Alessia claps her hands, all business. “We can and will fix this. We’ll raid every florist within driving distance. I’ll talk to the caterer and help them make room for proper storage in the Hickory Hall walk-in fridge so they can stay safe.”
“Okay, but Rosalina and I are supposed to meet with the officiant at one, which was the only time he was able to drive out here prior to the ceremony,” Enzo says. “Sergio, can you take care of this?”
Sergio—who is sitting at a table next to Gia and wearing a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses no doubt to obscure his hangover—sucks air through his teeth. “Sorry. I’ve got virtual clients to train all afternoon.”
“Benji and I will do it!” I blurt. This is a great opportunity to make ourselves useful. “We’ll hit all the stores and bring back as much as we can.”
“Nope, sorry. Not happening.” Benji points at his face. “I can’t even be outside without risking an allergy attack. Those flower stores are murderous.”
“Right, your aching sinuses. Of course.” I want to glare at him—not for his very real concern, but for ruining my plan. “I’ll handle it on my own. No problem.”
“Sebastian, ride with Nora.” Enzo’s no-nonsense look yells not up for debate. “She might need muscle.”
I glance around the room. Surely someone else in this room wants to track down flowers with me. Heck, I’ll even take one of the non-English speaking great aunties if it means not facing Sebastian in the light of day.
Mamma V’s eyes linger on me. “I wonder if it’s too late to rearrange my spa appointments—”
“It’s no problem,” Sebastian cuts in. He peers my way and gives a curt nod. “Right? We can take care of it?”
Rock, meet hard place.
I force myself to perk up. “Yup. We’ve got this. No need to reschedule any appointments, Mamma V.”
