Becca.
“Sofia’s having dinner with us?” I repeated, watching as Jas tied a very smart tie around his neck.
“Yes. She’s a guest. I thought it would be a good opportunity for her to et and spend ti with the family,” Jas replied, flipping his collar back down and pulling on a jacket.
I’d co into Jas’s room, all ready to tell him off, only to see him putting on one of his sexiest suits. My little green monster began causing to panic. Was he dressing up for her?
“So, is this so kind of formal dinner?” I asked.
Jas glanced over at . “No. You can wear what you like.”
“Then why are you all dressed up?” I demanded.
“We remain in black for a mourning period of one year here, Becca. The funeral hasn’t even happened yet. I’m just showing my respect,” Jas said.
Yeah, right. I stiffened my back and then started for the door. “I’ll go change, then. And I’ll have Giana add more black to my wardrobe. I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner.”
Actually, I was more incensed that Jas hadn’t told sooner.
“No harm done. I should have explained the traditions to you,” Jas replied.
“Yes, you should have,” I said waspishly and stomped out the door, slamming it behind . The nerve of that man! Dressing in his most body-hugging, sexy suit because it was black. He was dressing for Sofia. I just knew it.
Layla was playing with the kids on a blanket in my suite. She saw enter like an oncoming storm and quickly sat up. “Becca?”
“n suck,” I grunted.
“I’ve always thought so,” Layla replied with a little laugh. She sobered when she realized I wasn’t joking, and wasn’t in the mood to, either. “What’s wrong? Did you and Jas have a fight?”
I slamd open the door to my walk-in closet. “Not yet, but we’re going to.”
“What about?” Layla asked.
“You’ll see. She’s coming to dinner,” I seethed.
Layla blinked. “Who’s coming to dinner?”
“Miss Tits-and-Ass.” I read through the clothes, looking for sothing sexy, yet black, yet not quite slutty. Jas’s uncle was dead, after all. I had to show SO respect.
“He’s seeing soone else on the side?” Layla gasped.
I tossed a pair of shoes, a dress, and so hose onto the bed. I doubted he’d get to see them, given how angry I was, but I also chose my most scandalous black-and-red lacy panties and bra.
“You’re going in ready for battle,” Layla observed, watching as I started pulling it all on.
“Damn straight.” I let Layla do up the back of my dress, then sat and watched the kids while she also prepared for dinner.
Once it was ti to go down to dinner, I carried Dahlia, and Layla carried Alessandro. We fixed Alessandro in a Bumbo seat, and I passed Dahlia to Layla. She’d just eaten, so I was rather certain we’d get through dinner without having to excuse myself to feed her.
When I turned back to the table, I heard Layla let out a squeak.
“What?” I asked as my father and stepmother ca in, followed by Jas, who was escorting Sofia.
“Your-your dress!” Layla moaned.
I turned my head, looking my dress over. “What about my dress?”
“Uh-oh!” Sofia said, sliding into a seat next to Jas. “Looks like soone got urpy on mama.”
Urpy? Oh shit, no...
“Did Dahlia throw up on ?” I asked Layla softly.
Layla just nodded her head, horrified.
I closed my eyes and had to count backwards from fifty. Not only had my impressive entrance been ruined, but I was now covered in baby spit-up, and Sofia had seen it—and drawn everyone’s attention to it. I wondered if she’d done it on purpose.
“Here, love,” Jas said softly, going around Sofia and dabbing at the back of my dress with his cloth napkin.
“Thank you,” I replied, red-faced and mortified.
“Children can be so precocious, even when they don’t know what they’re doing yet,” Sofia trilled, and my father and stepmother laughed.
“Reminds of the ti Becca threw up on the priest who was baptizing her. Here’s a could-have-been-worse situation if I’ve ever seen one,” my father chuckled.
I was trying to think of how it could be worse, but it wasn’t coming to .
“Here, why don’t you sit here,” Jas said, escorting to the chair on the other side of him. My father sat to my left.
Layla sat on the other side of Sofia. She not-so-subtly looked Sofia up and down.
I was quiet as they started serving dinner. Jas started speaking to Sofia in Italian again, but she quickly corrected him to English. My father and stepmother paid rapt attention to her hard-won rise through the ranks of fashion and her many travels.
Sofia laughed often and was a perfect guest. She was also effortlessly beautiful in her black, curve-hugging yet tasteful dress. I wanted to stab her with my fork.
“So, what about you, Becca? Jas told you went to Yale.” Sofia turned the conversation my way. “I also heard you lived in New Zealand? You must have had such adventures.”
And here I’d thought the night couldn’t get any more embarrassing. “I’ve been... well, yes, I’ve been to New Zealand. And New York. And Yale, of course. I was just starting an internship when that little peanut ca along.” I gestured to Dahlia. “Then Alessandro ca into my life at about the sa ti.”
“Oh. So you’ve been doing the mama thing,” Sofia said with a nod. “Very important work.”
Jas leaned over and kissed my temple. “Becca is a wonderful mother.”
“And I’m sure your nanny here is a great help,” Sofia continued, turning to Layla. “Layla, right?”
“Yes,” Layla replied. “But Becca would do a great job even without .”
I appreciated the loyalty, but I wasn’t going to let Layla fall on the grenade just to make feel better. “No, Layla, I honestly don’t know how I’d do it all without you.”
Layla blushed. “Thanks.”
“I don’t know how anyone raises children without help,” Sofia said. “I... was never so fortunate as to have any. Eugenio passed before we could start a family, and I’ve never really been interested in anyone else. Then there was my career and all the travel—I just never got around to it, and now it’s too late.”
“You could always adopt,” my father suggested, sounding sad for her.
Sofia smiled sadly at my father. “Oh, I could, I know. But my lifestyle doesn’t really leave room for children. Run, run, run, go, go, go! Jas, you are SO fortunate to have soone who’s willing to slow down for a while and raise children with you.”
My eye ticked. I wasn’t sure if she was complinting or insulting .
“I feel very lucky,” Jas said, placing his hand over mine on the table.
My father looked sour. I rembered that he didn’t like Jas very much. That sentint didn’t seem to have changed over the weeks we’d been in Italy.
“And you both seem very happy together,” Sofia sighed at my father and my stepmother.
“We are,” my father said, perking up and taking his scowl off of Jas. “I never thought I could be this happy again after we lost Becca’s mother.”
“Ah, but fate smiled on you,” Sofia mused. “How wonderful to see. You’re all very lucky people to have each other.”
“Thank you,” my father responded, though he did throw another dark look at Jas.
Jas ignored him and kept hold of my hand. “I’m trying to convince this one to spend the rest of her life with . Negotiations are still pending.”
I blushed, and Sofia giggled.
“You must have lost so of your negotiation skills if it is taking you this long, Jas Valentino!” Sofia said.
“Yes, well, maybe my charm is wearing off in my old age,” Jas chuckled.
My father actually growled.
“Dad,” I said in a low tone. “It’s fine. Don’t get wound up.”
It was so strange. My easygoing father had beco a huge grouch in Jas’s presence many, many tis since we’d been in Italy.
In this instance, he stood back from the table and slamd his silverware down. “I think we’ll skip dessert. Darling, I don’t think I can spend another minute in his presence.”
My stepmother nodded and stood as well, though she looked embarrassed.
“Dad...” I tried again.
Jacob Woods just shook his head and walked out with my stepmother.
Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. “Sorry about that. Jas and my dad...”
“Well, darling, Jas is nearly twice your age and a mafioso, so, I’m not sure if I were your father, I’d be particularly thrilled, either,” Sofia said kindly. “Jas, you haven’t even won over the parents? Sha on you.”
“He’s a tough nut to crack,” Jas grunted.
“That’s no excuse. I’m very disappointed in you, Jas. I thought you had more savvy. Or were at least more suave,” Sofia teased.
Jas grumbled under his breath, and for the first ti, I found myself smiling at Sofia.
“So, you’re saying I’m not getting his A ga?” I feigned being insulted.
“Not if he hasn’t won you over by now,” Sofia sniffed. “Baby trapping. Jas, so low.”
Baby tra-oh. “That was actually my fault.” I winced. “You see, Tally and I—” I rembered Tally and stopped talking, not wanting to upset Jas.
Jas squeezed my hand reassuringly. “No, go ahead.”
“Tally and I,” I began again, “went to the sa clinic and had the sa doctor for our depo shots. I got my ssages mixed up with Tally’s and, well...”
“Oh dear.” Sofia patted my other hand. “Well, you and Tally did make so beautiful babies.” Her eyes sought Jas’s, and hers were a little wet with tears. “I am so sorry for your loss, Jas.”
Jas cleared his throat self-consciously. “Yes, well...”
“Dessert?” a servant holding a tray asked hesitantly as he entered the room.
“Yes, dessert,” Jas said quickly, changing the subject. “I think today is gelato.”
“Yes, Don Valentino. The best,” the servant confird.
Little crystal sorbet dishes were placed in front of Jas, Sofia, Layla, and . The servant frowned at my father’s and my stepmother’s empty seats.
“Stomach issues. Nothing you need to be worried about,” I gave as a la excuse.
“Of course. I will let Giana know she might need to check on them later to see if they need anything for their stomachs,” the servant replied with a nod.
“Thank you,” I said.
Sofia picked up her spoon and daintily scooped up a small sliver of gelato, bringing it gracefully to her mouth. “Mmm, this is good gelato.”
I took a sowhat larger spoonful, but Jas had already dug out a bit of his and held it to my lips.
Closing my mouth around the confection, I let it lt on my tongue and moaned loudly. “This is incredible.”
Jas smiled. “I’m glad you like it. And I promise to work harder with your father. And with you.”
I laughed. “Jas, I was only teasing. I think you’re doing just fine with .”
“Tell that again when we’re shopping for wedding sets,” Jas said with a lopsided grin.
Wedding sets? I looked down at my bare finger. What would it be like to be married to Jas?
Sofia and Jas smiled at one another.
“I think this is a good start,” Sofia bead.
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