Chapter 29
Carina
I’ve been at it since seven this morning. Even though this is my day off, and I don’t have to show up at Happy Belly, I’ll still end up working until Rhett gets here at four.
So much to do. So little time.
I taste the sauce. “Hmmm, something is missing.” I walk to the fridge to grab more fresh thyme. “I might also need a little more red wine.” As I head to the pantry, my phone rings.
I drop the thyme on the counter and run to the kitchen table where I left my phone. I wipe my hands on my apron before grabbing it.
I freeze.
My stomach drops.
The phone rings again.
I hesitate for a few strained breaths.
With my heart still galloping, I answer. “Mom?”
“Of course, it’s me.”
She says that like she forgot how things ended between us the last time we saw each other.
She lets out an audible breath. “I know. It’s been a while.”
“It has.”
My heart is still beating so fast as I process things in my head.
“Am I catching you at a bad time, cupcake?”
“Give me a sec.”
“I’ll wait.”
I run to the stove and turn off the heat and rush back to the phone. “Okay, I can talk now.”
“How are you?”
“Good.”
“Good.”
Another moment of deafening silence falls between us, the tension as thick as chili.
“I’m surprised you still remember my phone number.” That came out a little snarkier than I planned.
A sigh. “I guess I deserved that.”
I can’t believe she conceded so easily.
I haven’t spoken to my parents since I left New York a month and a half ago, so this call is unexpected. “How are you, Mom?”
“Other than being ripped apart because I drove a wedge between my only daughter and me, I’m holding up. Barely.”
She’s full of surprises today.
“How’s Daddy? How’s his knee?”
“He’s doing much better. The doctor put him on a new exercise regime. And the weekly massage sessions have helped tremendously.”
“New exercise regime? But Daddy keeps fit.”
“Between being an avid runner and standing all day, his knees are feeling it. Upon the doctor’s recommendation, Daddy has been taking swimming classes. It’s much less strain on his joints.”
“I see. How are the nonnas?”
“You know those women are so feisty, they’ll outlive us all.”
“Are the grandfathers able to keep up?”
“Those two couldn’t even keep up when their wives were much younger. Imagine now? As Mamma loves to say, Italian women are like wine. They get bolder as they age.”
“They do.” I nod.
I chew the inside of my cheek, debating.
Should I?
Shouldn’t I?
“You’re still there or did I lose you, Carina?”
“Even though my brothers are dead set on ignoring me, I assume they’re doing okay. Same for their wives, girlfriends, and the nieces and nephews?”
“That’s my fault,” Mom says. “I asked them not to meddle and allow us time to work it out. You know how it gets when there are too many hands stirring the pot.”
“Do I ever? The gift and the curse of la famiglia.”
“To put your mind at ease, everyone’s doing well. The grandkids are growing too fast. You’ll never guess who’s pregnant?”
I open my mouth to play along, but decide against it.
Enough of ignoring the elephant in the room.
“Mom, we can keep running around in circles or we can take the bull by the horns.”
There’s a long awkward silence on the other end.
“You’re right. I miss hearing your voice, cupcake. I also miss our daily texting sessions. I feel completely disconnected from your life. I guess that’s why I’m so obsessed with catching every glimpse of what’s happening to you online. I follow you on all your social media platforms.”
She does?
“I’m so proud of you, Carina.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re a big deal now,” she says. “I mean, you always were a big deal to us, but now, the whole world knows.”
“The last month and a half has been quite a thrilling ride. I still have to pinch myself because I can’t believe all the blessings.”
“Do you still work at Happy Belly?”
“I do,” I say. “The first few weeks after the media explosion were insane. People would organize bus trips to come down just to take a peek at me. I felt like a caged animal in a zoo. The frenzy has died down a little, but I still run into people who frantically pull out their phones to snap pictures. It’s weird. ”
“You deserve the attention.”
“I’m still not used to it.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
Huh? “What do you mean?”
“You look like a natural on your popular YouTube channel,” she says. “I particularly like the gardening segments. Summerville looks beautiful.”
“It is, Mom. And speaking of which, I was working on a few recipes with herbs from my garden when you called.”
“Which ones?” The eagerness in her voice warms my heart.
“Slow-cooked short ribs with garlicky mash. I’m working on two recipes at a time. The roasted chicken with forty cloves of garlic has another thirty minutes to go.”
“Look at you,” she says. “By the way, I love your home, cupcake. It’s not as rustic as I thought it would be.”
“Jake and Hunter call their style country chic.”
“Daddy and I have to come and visit to see it in person.”
“The door is always open, Mom.” I choke back tears.
She always assumed my stay down here was temporary. With a busy and chaotic life in New York and our recent tiff, she has yet to visit me in Summerville. It’s the first time she even hints at a trip. This is progress.
“Maybe I should come down with the nonnas. We should do a generational cookout for your followers. That would be fun.”
“I love the idea. My fans would gobble it up. It’s not just talk, right?”
“Not at all,” she says. “We’ve been at odds and it’s—” Her breath hitches. “I want to be part of your life again.”
“You always were, Mom. We just needed to hash things out.”
“Thank you for saying that, cupcake.”
Hearing the hurt in her voice is unbearable.
“My baby is on top of the world,” she says, changing the subject. “An upcoming cookbook?” Mom sniffles on the other end. “And a dessert book? With a big publisher? My God, Carina—” She’s crying now.
“Mom, please stop.” I wipe away a tear.
“I’m sorry.” More sniffling. “I’m such a terrible mother.”
“You aren’t.”
“Yes, I am. I’m responsible for missing out on these past six weeks.”
“But we’re talking now.”
“We are. About Rhett…”
I tense.
This conversation was going so well.
“Mom—”
“I was wrong.”
Holy Jesus.
“I shouldn’t have said those nasty things without knowing him.
” I open my mouth to answer, but she doesn’t give me a chance.
“Stefano was repugnant. So was his family. And so was that Cardi slut. I allowed my agenda to cloud my judgment. I knew your relationship with him was different from the one I share with Daddy, but I stuck my head in the sand, refusing to see the writing on the wall.”
Wow.
“You’re right, we almost forced Stefano down your throat.
I guess I should say, I did. Daddy always felt we should take a step back.
I was a bit too involved… too obsessed. I shouldn’t have been that persistent because after all, it’s your life.
Your happiness.” She lets out a small laugh.
“I had big dreams for you since you’re my baby and my only daughter.
And that’s normal. Closing the door in your face because you found someone who doesn’t fit the image of who I think is right for you, isn’t.
” She pauses. “I’m so, so sorry, Carina. ”
“You have no idea what it means to hear you say that.”
“My stubbornness cost us precious weeks. Instead of hearing about your amazing journey, I had to read about it online and in the papers like everyone else. I’m so stupid.”
“Don’t say that. I’m so happy you kept track of my career. There’s so much I wanted to share with you.”
“You’re everywhere. You’re nearly at Riley’s celebrity status.”
“Let’s not exaggerate. I still have a few more months to go before we stand shoulder to shoulder.”
We both laugh.
“Rhett seems like a good man,” she says.
I exhale in relief.
“He’s amazing, Mom.”
“I had to learn about him through the internet. That should’ve happened over a string of hearty meals and a lot of good wine.”
You’ll never take the Italian out of her.
“It isn’t too late,” I say.
“You’re right.”
“He has several photo shoots in New York soon, and I’m working with Riley to see if I can come up with him. We can drop by.”
“Absolutely.”
“We’re still waiting for a few confirmations, but the second I have them, I’ll text you.”
“Rhett’s career is on fire,” Mom says.
“So much so, he had to reduce his hours at the ranch to a bare minimum. Jake and Hunter had already hired more ranch hands who were able to pick up my Rhett’s extra hours.”
“Great timing.”
“These days, Rhett’s calendar is packed with photo shoot engagements, interviews and appearances on TV shows. It’s gotten so out of hand, he had to hire a publicist.”
“That sounds quite VIP.”
“It kind of is.” I’m so proud of my man. “Thanks to Riley, he found a professional to manage his burgeoning stardom. The last month and a half has been insane.”
“By the way, your ranch hand is pretty good-looking.” I like the cheekiness in her voice.
“I won’t argue with you.”
“I think Daddy has the most beautiful eyes in the world, but your man… wow. I’ve never seen green eyes like Rhett’s.”
“Everyone says that. I was hooked the minute we locked eyes.”
“Oof. I don’t blame you.” She giggles. “No wonder he’s dubbed THE SEXIEST COWBOY ALIVE and no wonder his face is all over the place.”
“I almost have to walk around with a baseball bat to ward off women.”
“Back off, he already has a sexy girlfriend.”
“Thank you.”
Rhett is the most coveted guy in the country right now. The shit these desperate women—from around the country—have pulled to catch his attention makes my head spin.
Even stubborn Mr. Devon was pushing hard for his grandbaby. He even took it upon himself to text Rhett inappropriate boudoir photos.
Rhett blocked his pimping ass.
“Is it my imagination or was I on the other day and saw Rhett’s face and…”—Mom clears her throat—”torso gracing the covers of a string of romance novels?”
“Rhett is hot commodity.” I laugh. “I can’t tell you how many photographers flocked to Summerville to shoot photos for their portfolio. People are eating up this whole sexy-cowboys-do-it-better-concept by the shovel load.”
“I can understand. The photo shoot you did together is absolutely amazing. You look so adorable together. And you, my dear, looked like a country queen.”
“Thank you. I had a lot of help. The stylist, makeup artist, and hairstylist were so talented.”
“Wash your mouth out with soap. They had a lot to work with.” The tinge of pride in her voice is unmistakable. “There’s something else about those photos that jumped out at me.”
“What?”
“The way Rhett looks at you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even from the photos, you can see it.”
“See what?”
“The deep affection he has for you.”
I blush.
“He looks at you the way Daddy used to look at me and still does… even after all these years and all those pregnancies. It’s like he’s oblivious to how my body has changed. From day one, it’s been love with a capital L.”
“Every woman on this planet aspires to have what you have, Mom.”
“You found it, cupcake. You found him… the one.”