Chapter 18
Everything about this morning seems a little more magical than normal. The birds chirp a particularly cheerful song, the light filters in through the windows just a little brighter, and the coffee even smells a little better than usual.
Waltzing into the kitchen to pour myself a mug of coffee, I’m met with something even better than all the caffeine in the world. “Leo! You’re back so soon!” I squeal as I run into his arms, almost tackling him with my hug.
He spins me around, laughing. “Morning, Sis! Yeah, with our season over, I have a lot more time on my hands. Thought we could get caught up on our shows after some practice with Nikki and Gabri. What’s got you in such good spirits today?”
“I’m always in good spirits!”
“Yeah, but not like this and not when you didn’t get in until three in the morning,” he teases, earning him a punch to his rock-solid bicep.
“You’re humming!”
“She’s in love!” Nonna exclaims, walking in from the pantry with her hands full of tomatoes.
“I am not in love!” I scoff, shaking the hand I injured on Leo’s arm.
I’m not in love, am I? Teddy is all I think about lately. Every stolen moment is spent at his condo. I get butterflies whenever I see a text from him…I even dream about him almost every night.
Mama turns from the stove and kisses my cheeks. “Good morning, principessa. And yes, you are very much in love.”
Leo frees Nonna’s hands and starts washing the tomatoes. “I knew it! I knew there was a reason you were down bad last week. So tell us who this lover boy is who’s stolen your heart, and what did he do to make you so sad?”
I open and close my mouth several times, not quite knowing what to say.
We agreed we’d tell everyone after the playoffs, and as much as I want to tell my family, I can’t trust them not to tell my brothers.
Word tends to get around in this family.
They don’t exactly know what it means to keep something a secret.
That is, unless it’s about the business.
Luckily, Nonna speaks up. “Leo, why don’t you go find your brothers? Some conversations are just for us women.”
“Oh thank God, you’re finally going to give Ellie the birds and bees talk. I can actually help explain some things if you nee—”
Mama slaps my brother on the back of the head. “Out, Leo!”
He raises his hands in surrender as he backs out of the kitchen, grabbing a croissant on the way out. “Okay, okay, I’ll go. Hey Sis, just let me know if you have any questions later!”
“I swear that child is going to put Papa and me into an early grave.” Mama shakes her head, but I can tell she’s trying to hide a smile. “Alright, tell us!”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I take a sip of orange juice, hoping to buy myself more time to come up with an answer.
“Elia Giulia Santori, if you don’t tell your mother about you and that hunk of a goalie, I’m going to show him the videos of you when you thought you were a tiger and would sneak up on us all and pounce.”
My drink sprays everywhere as Nonna calls me out, and with wide eyes, I look between Mama and Nonna as they both laugh.
“Oof, when I said spill it, that is not what I meant.” Mama chuckles as she wipes her hands on her apron and leans against the counter to face me.
“How…how do you guys know we’re together?” I ask, still coughing from my regurgitated juice.
Nonna leans against the counter beside Mama. “Honey, when are you going to learn that we know everything? For starters, your security report to me. I’ve known about this dreamboat of yours from your first date.”
“Why do you think we invited him for dinner in the first place?” Mama asks. “And why do you think we went out to the garden after you left the table?”
Nonna fans herself. “You’re welcome, by the way, for what I can only imagine was a fantastic dicking down in your bathroom.”
My face heats, and I can only assume I’m flushed. “Excuse me?”
“Oh stop, we saw him follow you into the bathroom, darling. Don’t worry, I had the cleaners do a double sweep just to make sure they got everything. They were…impressed with the amount of fluids left behind.”
“Ohmygod!” This time, I know I’m as red as one of her tomatoes. “Nonna!”
“Speaking of the birds and bees talk, do we need to go over any safety or prevention lessons since it’s obvious that man wasn’t wearing a condom. Not that your mother and I wouldn’t love a baby in the house again…”
I’m absolutely mortified, but the women in front of me are both laughing like a pair of hyenas. “I’m glad some of us are enjoying this,” I mumble.
Mama is the first one to speak up this time.
“Oh, tesoro, we’re sorry. I know you’re a bit more reserved than your brothers.
Of course we’re just messing with you, but we also want the scoop!
Tell us about Teddy! Your brothers love him, but I have a feeling you know a whole lot more than they ever will. ”
“Alright,” I sigh before telling them about how Teddy and I met and got to know each other. I can see from the gleam in their eyes that they’re already in love with him, and I swear, Mama wipes a tear from her eye when I tell them how I found out he played for the Rising Tide.
“I really like him, Mama. I’m just so scared of what Gabri and Nikki are going to do when they find out. We agreed to wait until after the season so we don’t mess up the chemistry on the team before the playoffs start…”
“Stop right there, Elia. You are more important than any hockey team or playoff or stupid Cup—”
“I know,” I cut Mama off, and I can’t fight the grin as I remember how badly Teddy wanted to go ahead and tell them. “I was the one who wanted to wait. He was ready to break down the door, confessing his love right after we…um…bathroom.”
Nonna nods her head in approval. “I knew I liked that guy.”
“Your brothers are idiots, sweetheart. They’ll come around. They respect him enough to bring him to meet us, which means that after they get over the shock of it all, they’re going to love the two of you being together.”
I look down at my toes, but all I can think is the last skeleton in my closet that Teddy doesn’t know about yet. The Mafia skeleton.
“What is it, baby?” Nonna asks.
“It’s just, if he survives the boys, how is he going to react to the whole…family business? It’s not like he can just walk out of my life. Once he knows about what we do, he’s kinda stuck with me. That’s a lot of pressure for both of us.”
Mama takes my hand in hers. “This isn’t an easy family to marry into, Elia. I know firsthand how difficult it can be. But I also know you’re absolutely worth it. Any man who’s worthy of your love will deal with the family. If he’s not okay with it, then he’s not the man for you.”
“Be happy, my love. If Teddy makes you happy, then be with him, simple as that. Life will always find a way of working everything out. Stop worrying about whether this is the man for you and just enjoy yourself.” Nonna hugs me and kisses my cheeks.
“But just so you know, I have a good feeling about this one, and I’ve never been wrong before. ”
“Thank you,” I say, embracing Mama and Nonna in a hug. “Can you please not say anything to Papa or the boys until Teddy and I are ready to tell them?”
“Of course, darling.”
“Absolutely. Us ladies have to stick together.”
“Oh God. Do you think Leo is going to say something to the boys about me having a boyfriend? Because you know they’ll go all CIA and find out who it is!” I pull back from the hug, ready to sprint to Leo and bribe him with a lifetime of baked goods.
“No principessa, I think Leo is and will always be in your corner. He’s been your biggest cheerleader since he was born, and I think he’s probably just as thrilled about you finding someone who makes you happy as Nonna and I are.”
Mama is right. My family loves me, and I know that at the end of the day, I’ll always have their support. For the first time in a while, I finally feel like I’m about to have everything I’ve always dreamed of. The one addition to my life that will finally complete my heart.