Chapter 10
I spent the following morning practicing the violin. I managed to get six hours in before following navigation to Neto’s family’s house. He’d offered to pick me up, but I didn’t want my mother questioning how much time I was spending with him.
I pulled into the driveway and took a few bracing breaths.
I wanted to try not to dampen my power if I could help it.
I had successfully left it open the whole time I’d been at the rink with Neto.
His presence had grounded me, focused me, and I hadn’t felt the need to mute it.
Hopefully I could replicate that success, because I didn’t want to miss a second of this.
The house was lovely, sporting gray-blue siding and a cheerful yellow door, which opened before I was even halfway up the walk.
A teenage girl with eyes just like Neto’s and a mischievous smile took one look at me, squealed, and yelled into the house, “Neto’s girl is here!” That must be Ximena, the youngest.
Seconds later, a mob crowded into the entry, comprised of Neto’s sisters and an older gentleman with a gray mustache and wide smile. This must be Neto’s abuelo.
“Buenas tardes, Don Garcia,” I said with a smile.
He wrapped me in a huge hug. “I’m very pleased to meet you.” He pressed light kisses on both of my cheeks, and the second he pulled away, one sister after another was embracing me. My cheeks received kiss after kiss after kiss.
Neto appeared a moment later, his expression slightly panic-stricken. “Okay, okay, clear the way, people. No need to overwhelm her.”
The tallest sister, Carmen, if I remembered his descriptions right, scoffed. “If you didn’t want her to be overwhelmed, you should have taken her to your place.”
Neto’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, cause there’s nothing overwhelming about George Wickham or any of the other guys who are always hanging around there,” another sister teased. Judging by the curly-haired baby on her hip, I’d guess she was Vanessa, the oldest.
Another sister tossed her bouncy curls. “I’d be happy to be overwhelmed by him any day.”
Neto frowned. “Absolutely not. You know you’re all supposed to stay away from George.”
“I think you’re just afraid to take Anne there in case Wickham turns on the charm and she leaves you for him.” She smirked at him and turned to me. “I’m Soveida, closest to Neto in age and also his favorite sibling.”
The four of them started talking all at once, and though it was a little overwhelming, it wasn’t too much to handle, and the grin on my face was sincere.
After a few minutes, Neto grabbed my elbow and led me away from the chattering sisters, past a den where a handsome man I assumed was his father looked up from the piano he was tuning to wave at me.
“I’d better take you to my mom and abuela next or I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Bring it on,” I said, and Neto responded with a heart-stopping grin.
He led me to the kitchen where two women stood over a stove.
When they saw us, they immediately stopped what they were doing.
Neto’s mom gave me a bone-crushing hug and kissed each cheek not once, but twice.
“I’ve been praying for Neto to meet a nice girl for so long,” she said, pulling back to look at my face.
“Tell me he is good to you.” She brandished a wooden spoon at Neto, and he raised his hands in surrender.
“Mom, you’re killing me, Anne and I have only known each other a few days. You’ll scare her off.”
Neto’s abuela kissed my cheeks and gave me a searching look. “You don’t scare easily, do you?”
I smiled, cheeks reddening. “No, I don’t scare easily.”
But I was lying through my teeth. I wasn’t afraid of this incredible, vibrant family, but at how charmed I already was by them, how comfortable I felt amidst them. I’d been bracing myself for Neto to move on, but I hadn’t realized I’d have to guard my heart from his family, too.
Neto took my hand and pulled me from the kitchen before Las matriarcas García could ask any more questions. As he led me away, his mother said in Spanish, “And the best part is, she’s rich enough that we don’t have to worry about her being after his money.”
Neto choked and hurriedly led me to the den. It was empty, his father having finished tuning the piano and moved on to another task. Neto shut the door behind us with a sigh. “Sorry, I know they can be a lot.”
“They’re wonderful,” I said and meant it. “I always wished for siblings.”
“Yeah, they’re a blessing and a curse.” But his eyes lit up like they did when he’d talked about his family last night.
Both of our phones dinged in unison. It was a group text to all the members of the orchestra, sent by Walter.
The board has temporarily appointed me to be the conductor.
Rehearsal tomorrow at 5:00 for soloists
I let out a low whistle. “Walter has been after that position for a while, but honestly, he isn’t qualified for it.”
Neto frowned. “Do you think he wanted it badly enough to kill Paolo and frame Fred?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. But we need to find out what he’s hiding.”
We ran through our song a few more times, but not because it needed work. We sounded amazing together and we had our parts down pat.
Soveida peeked her head in the door. “Mom says dinner is ready and you don’t have to come unless you want to.”
Neto gave her a thumbs-up. “Tell her we’ll be there in a few minutes.”
I crossed my arms. “Absolutely not. I happen to want your mother to like me,” I said before turning to his sister and adding, “We’ll come now.”
Soveida cast a sidelong glance at her brother. “Thank goodness you found a girl who is smarter than you.”
I smiled but my insides did a little flip. The longer we spent with his family, the more an insane hope crept into my heart. What if I was wrong, and Neto didn’t think of me as a fun diversion while we sang together? Could he actually be interested in me beyond just as a fling?
Ximena took my hand when we entered the dining room, pulling me to the seat next to her. She was seven years old, the caboose of the family by quite a few years. Neto tried to sit to my right, but Soveida flashed him a wicked grin and slid into the chair before he could.
Dinner was delightful, each dish perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented.
Though Neto’s family were all unmarked, they’d set the table with enchanted dishware that kept all the food hot throughout the meal.
When I bit into a particularly spicy chile relleno, I noticed all eyes were on me.
A test? I smiled and ate everything but the stem, noting the approval in everyone’s eyes.
Neto’s gaze found mine throughout the meal.
At first there was a slight tightness around his eyes as he made sure I was okay, but as the meal progressed and I was able to show him that I was enjoying myself, he relaxed.
I even caught him looking at me with admiration a few times, such as when his abuelo asked me a question in Spanish and I responded fluently.
After a tres leches that was to die for, Neto’s mom packed up a to-go box for each of us and I received another round of kisses from everyone.
This family was so comfortable and warm with each other, a huge contrast to the ambitious, high-strung members of the orchestra or the smarmy, scheming socialites that frequented Rosings Park.
If I had met Neto’s family first and didn’t know him at all, I’d want them to introduce me to their son just so I could spend more time with them.
The night was dark and clear, and the snow on the ground glistened in the porch light as Neto walked me out to my car.
“You were wonderful with my family tonight,” he said softly.
“That’s because your family is wonderful.”
“Was it a terrible barrage on your senses?”
“No. Your family is a lot, but they weren’t too much for me. I didn’t put the stopper on my ability at all.”
Delight crept over his face. “Really?”
“Honestly.”
“Even the spicy food?”
“Even then. My heightened senses just let me enjoy it more.”
He opened the door for me and I leaned against the frame for a moment, giving him time to kiss me, if he wanted to.
I definitely wanted him to.
His gaze flitted between my eyes and my lips.
I wasn’t going to make the first move again, this time it was absolutely up to him.
He seemed to realize the same thing because a bit of resolve flashed across his face.
I felt every ridge of his fingertip as he brushed his thumb over my bottom lip and across my cheek before leaving it to rest in the hollow behind my ear.
Warmth flooded my body as we took a breath in unison and he slowly leaned closer.
Just before his lips reached mine, a light shone through a window as a curtain was drawn back.
The light was quickly extinguished, but I didn’t need my enhanced senses to know the faces of multiple sisters were pressed against the glass.
“My family is something, all right,” he said, his voice low and throaty. “Goodnight, Anne.”
“Goodnight.”
Almost every house I passed on my drive home was lit up with Christmas lights. The night had gone well. Really well, though the promise of an almost kiss hung over me like an unresolved chord. At what point would I introduce him to my mother?
There was no way she would approve of him.
I shoved that thought away. I was restless, so after I parked the car I headed to the moon garden and plopped down on a bench, replaying the Almost Kiss over and over in my mind until my phone buzzed. A jolt of electricity shot through my veins as I read his message.
I’m an idiot for not kissing you.
My fingers moved faster than my brain and I typed out
That’s what I was just thinking.
Allow me to rectify my terrible lapse in judgement?
My only response was to send him my location.
It only took him ten minutes to find me, though it should have taken fifteen for the drive alone. Had he already been on his way when he’d texted me?