Chapter Thirty-Six
Maria
I surveyed my house, taking in everything Marge had done for Isabella’s sixth birthday party. “It’s magnificent. Truly.” Again, she captured everything I was going for. “I don’t know how you do it, but you outdo yourself every year.”
A very pleased-with-herself Marge smiled and adjusted a balloon arch before walking over to give me a hug. “It’s always a pleasure, Maria. I’m going to slip out now, but I hope your daughter and her friends have the best time.”
“Thank you,” I returned, and before I could walk her out, she was gone, and Dom was standing in her place, looking every bit the handsome devil he was.
He wore dark blue jeans and a black shirt. Of course, around his neck was the gold chain that was essentially a Dom staple. “Hey, you,” I said, walking toward him and slipping my arms around his waist. It felt so frigging good to know I could do that freely now without worrying that we’d get caught. Or without having to overanalyze my actions.
In return, Dom held me close and placed a kiss on my lips. “You look gorgeous, as always.”
I looked down at my white sleeveless turtleneck and wide-legged trousers. “Thanks. I just wonder how the birthday girl is coming along and what she looks like in her fancy new pink party dress.”
“With feathers,” Dom added and grinned.
We’d heard Isabella go on about her dress and the faux feather details all week.
Before I could turn around to go upstairs and check on her, the birthday girl came bounding down the stairs holding a shiny silver tiara. “Mommy! Help me put this on, please. Aunt Bibi gave it to me.”
Of course she did.
I took the delicate accessory and bent down to put it on her.
At my side, Dom kept his hand on my shoulder and winked at Isabella when I had it in place. “You look like a princess.”
Beaming, Isabella spun around to give us the full effect. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m ready for my party. Mommy, can it start now?” Then she walked away and ran her hand over what would be the present table, playing with the decorative confetti that was on it.
Standing up, I brushed my hands over my pants. “Soon, sweetie. Everyone will be here soon. But first, we have something special we want to give you. Can we sit down?” I asked and gestured to the couch.
Dom led the way and picked Isabella up, setting her on his lap.
“Is it my present?” Isabella asked, looking intrigued, and it dawned on me how my little girl was no longer a little girl—she was six going on sixteen.
Chuckling, Dom and I exchanged looks. “It is,” I confirmed. But really, it was so much more than that. “First, we have to ask you something very important, and we want you to be honest with us, okay?”
Isabella nodded. “Okay.”
I looked at Dom and gave him the go-ahead to take the lead. He cleared his throat and looked down at my daughter with so much love that my heart sang. “What would you say if I was around more?”
“More?” Isabella asked, her eyes going wide, and I had to laugh. She had a way with words, huh?
“Yes. More ,” Dom answered, a tinge of amusement in his voice.
“Like if your uncle Dom and mommy were,” I paused not sure how to put it other than just saying it, “in love and spent time together like a couple.”
Isabella rolled her lips. “Like my friends at school with a mommy and a daddy?”
Swallowing hard, I looked at Dom. Would he be okay with that analogy? Before I could think about it for another second, he was quick to answer, “Yes, but I’d never replace your real daddy, who watches over you from Heaven—”
“Like Nonna,” Isabella finished for him.
“Exactly,” he said and tapped the tip of her nose. “So would you like that, if I was around more?”
Isabella tapped her chin and looked up, making a real show of it before turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes!” she shouted. “I’d love that.”
It was quite a beautiful thing to witness, the way it was so easy for my daughter to accept how we could go from being like family to being family. If only I could’ve seen the light as fast as she did. But then again, wasn’t that the beauty of youth?
“Now can I have my present?” Isabella asked and looked at me expectantly as if no matter how great our news was, she wasn’t accepting it as a present. She still needed the tangible. Again, youth—you had to love it.
“I think that can be arranged.” I lifted a pillow from the couch and retrieved her real present. You know, the kind she could unwrap. “Here you go,” I said, passing the small, pink box to her. “Happy birthday, my love.”
Isabella didn’t wait but two seconds to tear into it. The satin orange bow fell to the floor first, then the torn pink paper followed, leaving a small black velvet box in her hands. She fussed with getting it to open for a second before stretching her arms out and giving it back to me.
Without a word, I opened it and watched her facial expression closely.
“A necklace!” Isabella shouted and tried to pluck it from the box. “It’s gold. Just like yours, Uncle Dom!” she said and showed him.
“I see.”
I tapped the bottom where the horn hung from the sturdy (kid-friendly) chain. “Do you know how Mommy and all your aunts have one of these?” I asked, looking her in the eyes. “Now you have one, too.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “What does it mean again?” Her fingers kept running over the chain in awe.
I thought about what my mother had told me and all my sisters and tried to say it just the way she had. “It means you’ll have protection, strength, and, most importantly, luck. Evil can’t find you when you wear it.”
“Evil like Maddox? Because he’s coming to my party because you said my teacher made you invite everyone. So, if I wear it, will he not come? He pulls my hair.”
One shared look with Dom, and I had to fight my sudden urge to laugh at the way my daughter was so outspoken. I distracted myself by brushing through her hair with my fingers. “What did we talk about?” I asked, hoping she’d remember. “Maddox isn’t bad, he just isn’t behaving nicely. Remember, be nice, and he’ll have to be nice back. And let’s not call him evil, okay? That’s definitely not nice.”
After a second of what I could only assume was her considering what I’d said, Isabella nodded and pushed her new necklace to Dom. “Can you put it on me?” Good, bypass right past the Maddox topic. Yeah, she was definitely a Morelli—she had our key trait, brushing stuff under the rug.
* * *
Dominic
The Morellis knew how to throw a party—yes, even a kid’s party. Isabella was with her friends, having what I could only assume was too much fun with the photo booth and props. But that was all this day was about for Isabella, after all, so who could blame her?
Meanwhile, I was waiting for Maria to come out from the kitchen where she was talking to the caterers about Isabella’s cake. Her sisters were all busy off to the side, chatting about something or another, and I couldn’t help but smile. I was so happy it should’ve been illegal. But what could I say, I was a fool in love.
“You finally did it,” Angelo said as he came up beside me, his hands in his pockets, smiling, not unlike myself.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and cocked a brow. “Did what?”
“Admitted you love my daughter. Got her to admit it,” he said and shrugged casually. “You pick.”
I pulled at the back of my neck. Maybe it really was only Maria who hadn’t had a clue about my feelings for her. “Did everyone know?” I asked, knowing he’d know what I was talking about.
Angelo raised a brow and let out a deep, throaty laugh. “Pretty much, but I like to think it’s because I’m such an intuitive father.”
I couldn’t argue with that one. “That’s probably true.”
“You know, I’ve always liked you, Dominic Deluca, but there’s no probably about it,” Angelo joked and looked around. “Listen, I’m not going to get all papa bear on you, but I will say this”—he placed his thumb to his forefinger and shook his hand—“my girls are lucky to have you. Maria and Isabella deserve everything good in this world. Especially that little girl. Now, I know that’s you. Don’t screw this up. Capisce ?”
“ Capisce ,” I intoned and saluted him. “I’m not planning on it, by the way.” And I wasn’t. I knew I could be a schmuck, but I liked to think that I wasn’t capable of being that much of a schmuck. To get the girl and screw things up royally? Now that’d be the ultimate schmuck move.
“Just one reason why I like you so much.” Angelo clapped me on the back. “Your father, not so much, but family’s family, so we need to get both sides together real soon.”
I wasn’t even surprised he’d said that about my father. Those two had never seen eye to eye. Although, between you and me, I’d say they didn’t get along because they were ridiculously similar. “I’d like that. . . my parents would like that, too. I’ll let them know.” And by my parents , I really only meant my mother, which I think we both knew.
Angelo nodded. “Good. Just give me a little time to brush up on my chess skills. The last time I played, Santo won. I can’t have that again.”
“Yeah, and we all know how well my father reacts to winning.” Some people were obnoxious losers, but my father was an obnoxious winner. He liked to remind you of his victory. Over and over and over again.
Before Angelo could say another word, Maria finally came out from the kitchen at the same time the DJ called Isabella and her friends over for cake. The birthday song played in the background, and everyone sang along.
The cake was set up in front of a big orange and hot pink backdrop, and Frankie, ever the photographer, ushered Isabella and Maria over to the table for a picture with the cake. Isabella was wearing a big smile that went from ear to ear, and all I could think was that was exactly what I wanted—to make that sweet, little girl smile every single day. I was more than a little curious to see what she’d think of the inside we’d chosen.
“Wait!” Maria and Isabella called at the same time. They exchanged a look, both of their eyes sparking with excitement. Maria nodded at her daughter, making it abundantly clear that the two could read each other’s minds. Not that I was surprised. They were a close mother-daughter duo.
“Uncle Dom!” Isabella shouted, waving me over, the feathers on her sleeves moving with the motion.
I brushed my hand in the air and shook my head. “It’s a family photo,” I insisted. As much as I’d wanted to be part of their family, it felt too soon. We’d only just told Isabella about us. One day, I knew I’d be in the real sense, but that day wasn’t today, and I didn’t want to crash their photo.
Maria clacked her tongue on the roof of her mouth loudly and rolled her eyes, like what she was about to say was a given. “You are family. Now get your butt over here.”
Angelo nodded beside me, and my heart practically swelled in my chest. This, this right here was more than a man could ever ask for.
I didn’t dare to argue any further, merely took the spot next to Isabella and looked at Maria, who winked at me before looking back at her daughter and the cake.
While Isabella blew out her candles with a keen sense of focus, it occurred to me how I didn’t think I’d ever need to make another wish again because every single one I’d ever had finally came true. I wasn’t sure what made me so lucky as to be blessed with these two Morelli girls in my life, but whatever it was, I was eternally grateful.
So maybe I’d broken a rule or two, but I figured that was what I’d have to do to get my queen, and I didn’t think I could be faulted for that because a man had to do what a man had to do.