Chapter 37 – Two Months Later
RAPH
TWO MONTHS LATER
A month ago, we got married. We didn’t tell a soul. Not my brothers. Not Brenda. Not my mom. She was mad most of all. For a minute. But then she got over it. She wanted us to have a big wedding, but in the end all she wanted was for me to be happy.
But my priority is to make my wife happy, and she had already dreamed up our life together long ago and it all began with an elopement. Who was I to ruin a girl’s dream like that?
“They’re all going to be here soon.” She nervously fumbles with the ivory linen napkins, folding them into intricate designs while I lay out the crystal glasses and wine bottles in the center of our table.
We decided to host this week’s family dinner, with the Quinns joining us. Patrick has been more of a father to me than Giancarlo ever was.
He’s offered me a seat at their table as his second-in-command, but I’m happy where I am, supporting Michael. But I will always fight with the Irish if they need me. They’re family too.
“Why are you so nervous?” I ask her, appearing behind her and curling my arms around her middle.
My lips coast down the curve of her neck, my cock already growing hard from the mere feel of her in my hands. That’s what she does to me: makes me feel more alive, more loved, than I have ever been.
“It’s the first time we’ve hosted, and I want everything to be perfect. Elsie always does such a great job. I don’t want to look like the one who doesn’t have her crap together.”
“Babe,” I laugh against her ear. “They don’t care how pretty the table looks.”
She scoffs, dramatically, pivoting to me. “Women do. They pay attention to detail.”
I chuckle with a shake of my head. “If you say so, tesoro mio. But the table looks beautiful.”
And it does. She added some fancy crap with hanging candles and stuff I don’t know names for, but it’s nice.
I decided to keep my house by the woods. It’s big enough for the family I wish to have one day. And most importantly, she loves it. If she didn’t, I’d burn it to the ground. The hour-plus commute into the city for work is a pain, but it’s worth it knowing she’s happy.
The doorbell rings.
“Oh my God. They’re here!” Her eyes grow, and she pushes off me. “Can you go grab the rice balls and the clams?” she flusters.
“Of course. Anything you want.” I clutch her face in my palms and press a kiss to her forehead, breathing her in, my heart unable to contain how much I feel for this woman. “You’re the love of my life. You know that, right?”
Affection dots her gaze. “And you are mine. Forever and ever and ever.”
The doorbell rings again.
“Uncle Raph, hellllo?” Sophia bangs.
“I think I’d better go and get the appetizers,” I chuckle, walking into the kitchen while I hear her head for the door, her high heels clicking along until voices fill the house.
Carrying over the two platters of food, with many more to go, I carefully move into the dining room, seeing Michael and Elsie, Mom and Patrick, Gio with Sophia, and most of the Quinns too.
“There’s my boy,” Patrick greets with a grin as I place the hot platters on the table.
“Hey, Dad.”
He throws his arms around me and clasps me on the back. The other Quinn men all greet us too. The idea of having me as a brother seemed to bother Tynan most of all, but he’s slowly accepting it.
“Tynan.” I reach out a hand for his, and he looks at it and reluctantly shakes it.
“Raph. Smells good,” Fionn remarks.
“Wasn’t me,” I say, looking over at my Nicolette. “It was all my wife.”
She gazes at me shyly, and I know she isn’t used to compliments. She missed out on so many of them, so I give them to her freely, every moment that I can.
“My God,” Elsie gushes as she comes to hug Nicolette. “Everything looks so beautiful. And where did you get that vase?”
Nicolette gives me one of those I told you so faces while following Elsie closer to the table.
Women.
I chuckle to myself. Gotta love ’em.
Minutes later, everyone is seated, digging into the food. Nicolette refused to accept my help. She wanted to prove to herself that she can cook everything on her own from scratch. And fuck, am I proud of her.
“Everything is delicious,” my mother offers, and everyone agrees.
Nicolette feigns a smile beside me, then clasps a hand over her mouth, her face going white.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper. “Are you feeling okay?”
She shakes her head before she says, “Not really.”
I instantly tense.
“What’s wrong?” My voice booms, and everyone stops talking, eyes on us.
“Are you okay, honey?” Mom questions next, concern in her voice.
“Uh…” Nicolette pants. “Yes and no.”
She grimaces, avoiding my gaze, then hurriedly releases a huge breath, getting to her feet.
I immediately follow, my heart pounding.
If she’s sick, really sick… I can’t even think about that without wanting to die.
“Tell me what’s wrong, baby.” I try to keep it together, but all I can see is her giving me bad news.
“Just a little nauseous all of a sudden.”
“Should we go to the doctor?”
“No. I…oh, God…I’m terrible at this.” She runs a hand down her face while I grasp her other one.
“At what?”
“I wanted to plan this amazing surprise and put the surprise into a cake, but then I burned the cake, and so I had no idea how to tell you…” She goes on and on, not giving herself a moment to breathe.
Mom gasps while I stare at my beautiful wife with a heavy tightness in my chest, not understanding what the hell is going on.
“Raph…” She takes my hand in both of hers. “I think you’re the most amazing husband. You’ve loved me like I’ve never been loved by anyone.”
“Of course I do.” My heart races.
“So I know that you’ll be an amazing father too.”
The room spins.
“What?” I pull back, dragging my gaze to her other hand, resting around her stomach. “Are you?”
My pulse skitters, and my throat tightens. How is this possible? I really thought I couldn’t have children.
She nods, tears flooding her eyes. “I am. I found out a few days ago.”
The room goes quiet, other than Mom’s soft cries.
“Are you sure?” I whisper incredulously, my palm gradually cupping her belly.
“Yes,” she sniffles, grasping my forearm. “I confirmed it with my doctor just to be sure before I told you. I hope you’re not upset I went without you.”
“Upset?” I look up at her, my own eyes pounding with emotions. “I never thought I’d be able to… Oh, sweetheart.”
My hands quickly clutch her hips, and I shove my chair to the side and hold her against me by the back of her head. “We’re going to have a baby.”
“Yes,” she sighs softly. “We are.”
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” I breathe. “Thank you for this gift.”
She drags her gaze up to mine and holds my face in her tender hands. “And thank you for loving me when I couldn’t do it myself.”
“I’ll always love you, Nicolette. You’re my home.”
“And you’re mine.” She presses her cheek against my beating heart.
And with her, I no longer have to wonder what love truly feels like, because she’s love.
She always was.
It just took me some time to see it.