Believe (11 page)

He hadn’t really answered. “Someday?”

“Yeah. Uncle Enzo and Celeste asked if we want to live here. Do you?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind.” She rubbed her collarbone. Her new necklace tangled against her finger. She patted it back into place. His “yeah” didn’t sound happy.

“We’ll need to update the master suite. I’ll talk to Lee—he and Vincente can get it done while we’re on our honeymoon.”

“Honeymoon?” She’d assumed that would have to wait, since everything was happening so fast.

“We’re going to Italy, to the family villa.”

Lita scooted up. “Seriously?”

Lorenzo’s chuckle reverberated through his chest. “Damn, you’re cute.”

Lita grinned and peppered him with kisses. She poked him in the side. “Cute?” she said in an accusatory tone.

“Yes, kitten.” He kissed her. She didn’t need to hear his happiness. She could feel it.

Chapter Ten

“Is Lee here?” Lita said as Gina helped her with her short veil. Celeste bustled around the room, making sure Lita’s bags were packed and the room was tidy.

“Not last time I checked.” Gina fluffed the veil out. “You and Lee were really close, huh?”

“He was like a father to me when I was little…He and Lorenzo are starting a business together…” But their new business hadn’t brought Lee and Lorenzo closer. Lee was still stand-offish. She and Lee hadn’t been as close while Lita was in Italy, but now the distance between them wasn’t a matter of geography.

Lita studied herself in the mirror. She was okay with the white 1950s-style cocktail dress instead of the princess wedding dress she’d always wanted, she was okay with getting married at home by a judge instead of in the church, she was okay having said goodbye to Jane and the Lawsons…but not Lee.

“He might be here already,” Gina said. “You look beautiful. But you need these. Something borrowed and blue.” Gina handed her a pair of pretty teardrop-style blue topaz earrings.

Lita slid them on. “Thank you.” She smoothed her dress. It was new. Celeste had given her the veil, which had been Celeste’s, so Lita had everything.

Lita smiled and hugged Gina and Celeste. They both smiled, a similar calm expression on their beautiful faces. They looked like a couple of movie stars, especially when they were dressed for a special occasion, which today was. Too bad the rest of her family didn’t see it as a special day. More like a strange one, as Lita’d overheard Carlo say—a strange day, to see Lorenzo get married.

“We’re all happy for you,” Celeste said.

That wasn’t true, but it was kind of Celeste to say it, and at least she and Gina meant it.

But it seemed to be a thing lately for people to say they were happy and not sound it. None of the rest of the family seemed happy for them—accepting, but not happy. And some of the D’Angelos especially didn’t like Lorenzo, or the DeGrazias, though things had improved since Gina and Vincente’s engagement. Maybe Lee would accept her and Lorenzo eventually. She couldn’t lose Lee, and neither could Lorenzo. Lita blew out a breath. What mattered today was she and Lorenzo were happy.

A knock sounded. Gina peeked out.

“Can I come in?” Lee said.

Lita hurried to the door.

“I’ll be back when it’s time.” Gina smoothed her turquoise dress, which seemed to brighten her olive skin. She glowed. Lita didn’t, not according to the reflection in the mirror.

Lita nodded. Celeste patted Lee’s arm as she followed Gina out.

Lita hugged Lee. His body was rigid, not like the usual hang-loose Lee. She stepped back. He shut the door and turned to her. No easy smile lit his face. Lita clasped her hands.

“I’ve been thinking about you,” Lee said. He rubbed a hand through his tight, light brown curls. “You know we’ve been busy setting up the new office space, Janetta and Lorenzo coordinating, getting clients...”

Lita knew all that from Lorenzo. Did Lee think she didn’t talk to her own fiancé? “That’s great,” Lita said. Janetta was an architect like Lee, but she had a minor in business, so she could handle the business side while Lorenzo and Lita were on their honeymoon.

“That’s not why I haven’t been in touch. I was hoping this would blow over. This—you getting married to Lorenzo—isn’t great, Lita.”

“Don’t start again, Lee. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been sure I want to get married and have a family of my own. And now I’m sure I want it with Lorenzo. He’s your best friend. Why can’t you be happy for us?” Lita checked her appearance again in the mirror. Good enough. Soon she’d be Lorenzo’s wife, and that was what mattered. Everything else would float into place. Turning, she stepped toward the door.

“He has a lot of good qualities. But, you’re young. And he’s…very experienced. I don’t believe he can be monogamous.”

Lita stopped and twisted her engagement ring. “I believe in him.”

“He still flirts. It’s like he doesn’t even know he does it. And he’s done some things—there were these twins…and flight attendants in every city—”

Lita turned on him, scowling, hands balled into fists. “This is my wedding day. How can you come in here and try to ruin it, try to turn me against Lorenzo? I know what he did in the past. He’s been honest with me. I don’t want details, and I don’t care about his past.” She did care, and when she heard about Lorenzo with another woman, her stomach clenched and she wanted to lash out. She didn’t like that side of herself—how she could get insecure and mean. She frowned. Sometimes she just didn’t like herself very much. She wanted to always be the woman Lorenzo seemed to see her as: sweet, sexy, silly, caring. Especially today, she wanted to be that woman.

“The flirting isn’t in the past. Him meeting with interior designers and consultants he used to have sex with isn’t in the past. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“This is hurting me, Lee.” Lita grabbed a tissue from the dresser top and dabbed at her eyes. Her throat hurt, tight with tears and her labored breathing. She went back to the mirror, focusing on twirling strands of hair, to make them soft and wavy, the way Lorenzo liked. Maybe she should’ve worn her hair up. She pulled off the veil and ran to the bathroom. Pinning up her hair in a loose chignon, her breathing calmed. Slowly, she walked back into the bedroom.

“It doesn’t matter what I say—you’re going through with it anyway, aren’t you?” Lee said, as if he had a lot worse things he could tell her.

Lita placed the veil back in her hair. “Yes.”

“I’m never going to stop watching out for you. I held you the day you were born, and I promised myself I would always be the best brother anyone could have.”

“And you have been, Lee.” Lita hugged him with a light embrace. “You were only six then. It was always too much for you, to expect yourself to be a father to me.”

Lee shrugged. “I love you. Both of you. This is big for Lorenzo. Maybe too much—he feels responsible. I don’t think either of you is ready. I don’t think Lorenzo will ever be ready.”

“It’s not for you to say.”

Lee shook his head. “I know. But when I see a car wreck about to happen, I try to stop it.”

Lita pinched her lips together. She locked Lee’s words in a closet in her mind.

Gina poked her head in. “Everything’s ready.”

Lita stilled. She tilted her head back and blinked. No tears—not on her wedding day.

Gina entered the room and squeezed her hand—Gina’s hand was so warm. “You okay?” Gina glanced at Lee.

“Lita,” Lee said. “Enjoy your trip. I’ll see you when you get back?” He kissed her cheek.

“Yes.” She shivered. The room had grown somehow colder, though the sun shone in through the curtains.

Lee left, leaving the door open. His footsteps sounded on the stairs. Lita and Gina walked into the hall. Voices echoed up. Then the front door closed. This so wasn’t okay. Not now…she couldn’t think about Lee’s words now. She closed her eyes and willed Lorenzo’s image into her mind. Taking a deep breath, she walked out and down the stairs with Gina.

Uncle Enzo waited at the bottom of the steps.

“This is your happy day,” Gina said. “Don’t let anything get you down.” Gina hurried into the living room.

Lita nodded. Gina didn’t let the fact that her dad didn’t embrace her engagement to Vincente stop her from being happy. Lita could learn to do that too.

Uncle Enzo supported Lita’s arm. They stepped forward.

“I’m glad I don’t really have to give you away,” he whispered.

“Me too.” She patted her hair. She’d always imagined Lee giving her away. Or that he’d be next to Lorenzo as his best man. But he was gone. “Thank you for giving us half the house.”

“It’s what Angela would’ve wanted. We love you.” Uncle Enzo kissed her forehead. His lemon scent joined that of the roses flooding the living room.

Celeste, Sophia, Carlo, and Joey stood on one side of the room. Vincente, Gina, Grandpop, and Paolo faced them. Lita smiled at the gathering of handsome, caring faces. The judge, tall and serious, stood in front of the fireplace. Finally, Lita let herself look at Lorenzo.

She warmed and covered her mouth as a sound between a laugh and a cry escaped her. Lorenzo shifted his broad shoulders, smoothed a hand over his neatly tailored suit. Perfectly groomed and handsome, as usual…yet beneath that exterior was an intense, passionate man. A wave of longing and fear made her hesitate for a second.

Uncle Enzo squeezed her arm. “Are you sure about this?” he whispered.

Lorenzo smiled as he gazed at her. He stepped forward. The judge cleared his throat.

“Yes.”

They walked to Lorenzo. His brows tugged together. It was okay, all she didn’t know about him. They had a lot to discover, but surely it would be…miraculous.

Uncle Enzo handed her to Lorenzo. They faced the judge, who read the vows. Lita’s ears hummed. She whispered her vows while Lorenzo said his with steady gravity. They slid on the rings. Her hands trembled. Lorenzo’s were warm but stiff. Then he kissed her, a quick peck on the lips.

“I present Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Calabra,” Judge Polito said as they turned to the family.

Sophia and Celeste hugged them, then everyone shook hands and exclaimed to each other. Lita couldn’t take it all in. Maybe it was good they hadn’t had a big church wedding if the pit of overwhelming queasiness in her stomach was any indicator.

“You look pale,” Celeste said. “Have you eaten today?”

“I can’t remember,” Lita said.

“I’ll make you a plate.” Celeste walked out.

Lorenzo came to her side. Lita leaned into him. The queasiness washed away, like the tide going out, and a lightness made her smile again. He enfolded her in his arms, bringing her into his solid frame. He kissed her ear. She caressed his forearms.

“You okay?” he said.

“Never better.”

“Wait til later,” he whispered.

Her cheeks heated. Celeste brought her and Lorenzo plates of food. Everyone else had moved into the dining room, where a buffet lunch was laid out.

She and Lorenzo sat together on the oversized arm chair. Enjoying each bite, Lita ate some Aracini, salad, and a mini zucchini frittata. Sophia and Celeste knew their ways around a kitchen. Lita snuggled into Lorenzo, listening to the pleasant chatter of her family. Sophia came and took their plates. Lita watched Uncle Enzo and Celeste together. They appeared so at ease, comfortable, yet interested in each other—absorbed. And Gina and Vincente were even more so—always keeping contact with each other, whispering together, laughing. Maybe someday, she and Lorenzo would be that comfortable together.

Lorenzo kissed Lita’s hand. A spark ignited in her. He twirled her rings, but remained silent.

“Did you talk to Lee?” Lita said.

“Yeah.”

“And?” Sometimes she felt like he didn’t want to talk to her.

“You already know how he feels.”

Lita gritted her teeth and tried to rise. She became upset when Lorenzo didn’t want to discuss something she felt they should address. He held onto her, forcing her to stay snug against him. She pushed out a breath.

“Don’t make me send everyone home,” Lorenzo growled.

Lita scooted to face him. His face was almost expressionless, but serious enough—he meant it. An odd feeling bubbled in her—part anger, part arousal. Neither won out, as her thoughts flashed to the embarrassment of ending their wedding reception early, without even cutting the cake Celeste and Gina had worked so hard to make.

“Fine,” she said. She stayed perched on his lap and focused on their guests.

***

“Thanks for coming,” Lita said for the second time as Sophia, Carlo, and Joey left. They wished her and Lorenzo well and went out.

Only Grandpop, Vincente, Gina, Celeste and Uncle Enzo remained, putting on their coats by the open front door.

“We’ll send Nico by in the morning to take you to the airport,” Grandpop said, shaking Lorenzo’s hand. He kissed Lita’s cheek.

“Enjoy yourselves,” Celeste said. She hugged Lita and Lorenzo.