Page 144 of Secrets of the Brother
He ran his hand through his hair. “Bianca, babygirl, how do I fix this? How do I make you happy?”
I looked at him, then at the dishes, then back at him… and burst into tears.
“Fuck! Baby! Don’t cry!” He threw off his coat. “I’ll do them now. Super quick. I promise we won't be late.”
I waved my hands. “No, that’s not it.” I laughed and cried as I wiped under my eyes, worried I was going to ruin my makeup with my silly tears. “We’re fighting over dirty dishes.”
Enzo shook his head. “No, we’re not, because I’m cleaning them right now.”
I stepped within his arms and placed my hands on his cheeks. “Enzo, we’re fighting over dirty dishes.”
I had a flashback to standing in this exact position just over a month ago, begging him to let me go, pleading with him to give up on us, and him stubbornly refusing.
My eyes filled with tears again as my lower lip trembled. “We did it. We’re a normal couple in love.”
Against fate and all the odds, we'd made it past the little earthquakes.
“I love you, Enzo.”
He wrapped his hand around my neck as he leaned down, breathing against my lips before he claimed my mouth, “I love you,tesoro mio.”
CHAPTER39
BARONE
Iwas in the study with Cesare when Enzo arrived for the party.
I lifted my arm holding the crystal Scotch decanter. He nodded and I poured him a glass.
Once we all had one in hand, Cesare said, “So, let’s see it.”
I smiled and reached into my inside tuxedo jacket pocket. “Sebastian’s courier dropped it off a few hours ago.”
I opened the small, black leather box. Nestled inside the black velvet interior was a five-carat pear-shaped yellow-diamond engagement ring.
Sebastian Diamanti had to secure it in a private auction from deep inside Russia for me. I was determined to get a diamond that captured the sunshine warmth Amara had brought to my life.
Enzo slapped me on the back. “So Amara finally agreed to let you propose to her?”
I snapped the ring box closed and returned it to my pocket. “I may have had to gently persuade her.”
Cesare threw his head back and barked with laughter. “Gently persuade?When he heard Bianca said yes to you, he marched straight into Amara’s office and told her that if she didn’t agree to let him propose at the Christmas party, he would hogtie her, throw her over his shoulder, and carry her through the village to Santa Maria Church where he would bribe Father Luca withtwonew roofs, if he would marry them on the spot.”
I frowned at Cesare as I raised my glass to my lips. “Like I said,gently persuaded.”
Enzo finished his drink and buttoned his tuxedo jacket. “We should join the girls. The guests will be arriving soon, and I can’t leave Bianca alone for too long in the dress she is wearing.”
He gave me a hug as he slapped me on the back. “I’m happy for you, Papà. Amara is a good girl.”
I hugged him in return. “Same, son. I’m happy things worked out between you and Bianca.”
Cesare hugged me as well. “Buon Natale, Papà.”
I clasped him tightly. “Buon Natale, son.”
He stood back and squeezed my upper arm. “I love you, Papà. Thanks for being a randy old goat and going after Amara. If it hadn’t been for you, I might not have convinced Milana to give me a second chance.”
I laughed. “What are fathers for?”
