Page 239 of The Angel
My grin made an appearance as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Guess who developed a drug that’s FDA-approved?”
Her sleepy eyes widened. “You heard back already?!”
“We did. Rory got the news a week early!” I hugged her tight, feeling the pressure at her abdomen where our third child lay.
Three years of marriage, that was how long it had taken to get her to Sicily.
After the twins had been born, I’d empathized withMatriandPatrihaving to deal with Rory and Luc at the same time.
Knowing that things would get crazy again when this one showed up, we’d come to Sicily for a breather. The honeymoon I’d wanted for years but that we’d repeatedly put off after Patricia’s health scare andMatri’s stays in rehab.
“I’m so proud of you, Stan,” she whispered, standing on tiptoe so she could press a kiss to my lips. “God, your head’s never going to fit through a door now. It’s already been tough since the first time you found out I was pregnant. We’ll have to get contractors in.”
I snickered. “That bad, am I, dream girl?”
“The worst,” she boasted, eyes filled with pride. “My husband. The biochemist. Ma will be crowing about this to her friends for months. Finally, a legit guy in her family she can brag about.”
I leaned down and rubbed the tip of my nose along hers. “Speaking of your ma crowing, I dealt with Neev’s little problem.”
“Ohhhh, you’re the best husband,” she declared.
But just as my lips were about to brush hers, a croaky growl sounded from inside: “Are we ever going on this damn picnic or what?”
“For goodness’ sake, Currau,”Matrichided as the whirring of Currau’s electric scooter suddenly sounded overloud. “Patience.”
“I could be dead tomorrow! I want my picnic with my boys!”
I heaved a sigh when Kitty cackled as twin voices chimed in with their great-great-uncle.
After the last heart attack, one Victor claimed was a miracle he’d survived, Currau had asked to return to Sicily before he passed. To come back to where the Valentinis had been forged, a road that he’d helped build, so that he could see the future in its rightful place—our boys.
“What’s this about a picnic?”
“It was the only way he agreed to finally give us our wedding gift.”
I arched a brow. “Which is? And why is it so late?”
“Because he’s your relative, Stan.” She hooted at my pout. “And is, generally, a pain in my ass.”
“Well, what’s his idea of a gift?”
“Three nights in the mountains at a five-star hotel. No calls. A private nurse he won’t terrorize into leaving.Matriagreed to take the kids and Ma’s promised to make them cottage pie. It’ll be you and me. No clothes. No co-sleeping…”
I moaned. “Sounds like heaven,àncilu.”
Her smile turned wicked. And all these years later, I still knew to be wary when that glint made an appearance in her eyes...
“I think we can make it a little more interesting than that, don’t you,meu maritu?”
