Chapter Twenty-Five #2
“The staff on board the ship was concerned that Rosa’s illness was contagious, so she isolated in our room. James had a suite with a separate bedroom and volunteered his space.”
“I’m sure he did.”
Mari made a slapping motion against Brooke’s thigh as she laughed. “It wasn’t like that.”
Brooke questioned her with a raise of an eyebrow. “It was a little like that.”
Mari covered her face with both hands and spoke into them. “Oh, Brooke. I didn’t see him coming. I didn’t think I wanted a man in my life.”
The feel of Brooke’s hands on hers, pulling them away from her face, had Mari looking up. “I think it’s wonderful. You’re too young to hang up the towel on romance.”
“I had my romance.”
“Is there a rule you can only have one? Aren’t you enjoying the company? Because from what I’m seeing, you’re happy.”
“I was happy before.”
“Yeah, but now . . .” Brooke screwed up her face. “Now it’s deeper. Just talking about him lights up your face.”
Mari placed her hands over Brooke’s. “What if the boys don’t accept him?”
“They will. If James is as good as you believe him to be, they have to. It’s just going to take a little time. And you have us girls pushing them to get there faster.”
Leo had pulled himself up on his feet, balancing beside the coffee table. He slapped his palm on the furniture. “Mama. No, no.”
“Nonna,” Mari corrected.
Leo kept repeating “No, no.”
Nonno was Italian for grandfather. A thought that wasn’t lost on Mari.
Mondays never ceased to be hectic.
The twins had been at their mother’s for the weekend, with strict rules due to the fact that they were both grounded until they were twenty-five. No unsupervised time in James’s home for the immediate future. Especially since Trevor “might be the one.”
Even with a good night’s sleep on Sunday, James met Monday feeling exhausted. It probably had to do with the late-night conversation with Mari after her weekly family dinner.
She spun her experience with dinner as her children having questions, but nothing she didn’t expect.
That’s what she said.
Her tone and enthusiasm said differently.
This was new for both of them. Mari had never dated since her husband’s death. And the last time James tried to date someone, the girls were young, and so was the woman he’d seen a few times. As were that woman’s children.
Adult children should be easier.
Shouldn’t they?
Adults understood the desire for connection. So why did it feel like James would be battling Mari’s children for space in her life?
These thoughts kept interrupting his morning as he worked his way through his schedule.
Just before noon, AJ knocked on his office door and let himself in.
“There’s a Mr. D’Angelo here to see you. He doesn’t have an appointment—”
James put his hand in the air and pushed his chair away from his desk. “He doesn’t need one.”
James followed AJ out to greet Luca . . . only it wasn’t Luca.
Extending his hand, James said, “You must be Giovanni.”
Giovanni shook his hand, his eyes locked, his grip firm. “Mr. Russell.”
So that’s how this was going to go.
James glanced at AJ. “Hold my calls.”
James let Giovanni into his office and closed the door behind him. “I thought I’d have to wait until Sunday to meet you. This is a surprise.”
Mari’s youngest son studied James’s office. “A complete surprise. For all of us.”
“Is everything okay? Mari?”
“My mother is fine. I’m not here for her. I’m here for me.”
James indicated the table that sat on one end of his office and went ahead and took a seat.
A couple of seconds passed before Giovanni followed his lead.
“All right, then. What can I do for you, Giovanni?”
“Gio, or Mr. D’Angelo.”
James nearly laughed. “Is that really what you want me to call you?”
Gio didn’t answer. Instead, he asked his own question. “My mother said you’re divorced.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why are you divorced?”
James narrowed his gaze. “I’m not sure how that is any of your business.”
“You’re dating my mother. I can learn about your business, your education level, get a general idea of net worth from online sources, but I can’t do a Google search on your character.
And since we don’t know the same people, I’m going to ask you.
Did you divorce because you married too young? You’re a workaholic? Someone cheated?”
Getting Mari’s boys to accept him was going to be a serious hurdle. “I understand that you want to protect Mari.”
“I will protect her.”
“Not from me. I won’t give you a reason.”
Gio stared, took a breath. “I don’t like that you didn’t insist on meeting us sooner. We’re adults.”
“As is Mari, and she wanted it this way. I’m sure she told you that.”
“If you hurt her . . .”
“That’s not my intention.”
“Intention or not—”
“Gio, I understand what you’re doing here.
I applaud the fact that you and your brother are so fiercely protective of your mother.
She warned me. I suppose I’m grateful that you came here to have this conversation in private instead of on Sunday in front of my daughters.
I would appreciate it if we show each other mutual respect and give each other the benefit of the doubt about each other’s character.
Your mother dating anyone was bound to cause some . . . strife. I care for your mother.”
Gio started to say something.
James cut him off.
“And I don’t scare easy.”
Gio pushed his chair back and stood. Either he had heard enough or realized he wasn’t going to get any more out of James.
“My mother doesn’t need to know I was here.”
That did make James laugh. “Then you shouldn’t have come. I won’t set the foundation of my relationship with your mother on lies.”
James couldn’t tell if that last request was a test or not.
They stepped out of the office, and James walked Gio out.