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Her mother shot her a skeptical stare "He hardly looks like the type ould cruain, Maht I feel like an idiot"
"You edy, but you didn’t return to Jason for soation to Mila and the kids"
She hadn’t trusted in what they had, in her appeal and ability to hold him She had been sure that if she presented hi, that he’d get annoyed and leave She’d lacked faith in herself, in hiirl" HerIt blinded ood look at it"
Gia laughed and held out her hand Mama took it and peered down at the jewels
"It’s incredible" Her mother squeezed her hand
"So is he"
"Then just be you and open up Everything ork out"
They shared another hug before Mama disappeared into a stall Gia did the sa to the table Jason was playing peekaboo with Bella and answering her father’s questions about savvy investing while Mila watched with an indulgent so?" Mama asked as she approached the table
"Not quite" Mila grinned, then gestured toward Nick
He ca cake all lit up with candles Their waitress followed, juggling forks, a knife, and another bottle of wine
As Gia took her seat beside her husband and gripped his hand, everyone at the table started singing, Little Tony screeching the words he knew at the top of his lungs She laughed
In this golden little ht with her world Not perfect, but really close She had to work on herself and cut Jason some slack He didn’t understand love…yet But with tiave hi ended, her family clapped Dad even looked a little uy father--as he thanked everyone The group dug into the cake while her father lifted baby Bella above his head for an airplane ride, followed by a kiss The day see Jason beside her
Once the dessert had been devoured, her husband rose and disappeared Frowning, Gia watched What the devil was he up to? He returned asmile Before she could puzzle that out, Nick nearly danced his way to the table with a bearin, then handed Jason his credit card
With an absent scrawl, her husband signed the slip, and she looked down She wasn’t surprised that he’d paid tonight’s bill, but the family could eat at Delvecchio’s every week for a year and probably not spend that ift certificate "Fro Happy birthday"
Daddy looked at the slip of paper and scanned it, then handed it back toward Jason "A thousand dollars? You didn’t have to do that I can’t accept…"
"Now I knohere Gia gets it frohed "Please take it If it hter happy And you know the saying… Happy wife, happy life"
"But it’s too ued
"If you enjoy this place, it’s just right" Jason wrapped an ar so hard to fit into her faone overboard, but she knew Jason esture to please, not bribe No one had ever done so that nice for Daddy, and he deserved it No doubt he would appreciate it
"Thank you," she whispered
"You can thanksoht hi," she scolded
"Then don’t thank led "You’re so bad"
"Oh, just wait I’ll get ht have a new paddle with your nao for a swim in the pool on my deck and I’ll fuck you there"
Out in the open, where anyone could see Well…anyone with a helicopter or binoculars in a nearby building But the ideasuit"
"What a shaht down a shiver and a blush Jason cradled her chin and lifted her face for a kiss as she heard a third ring, then her father answer the phone
"Yes, this is Marco Angelotti" He pressed his finger to his other ear, trying to drown out the background noise in the restaurant
Her athered Bella’s little dish and spoon, then reloith happiness Her fary or disappointed or throwing her out of the family
All that time she’d wasted because she’d been worried about their reaction If she’d taken Jason to , her father would have yelled and refused to let him in the house Her mother would have cried, crossed herself, and asked why her only daughter was trying to kill her Today…a whole different story She’d never ie their outlook about the proper son-in-law
"Can you repeat that?" Her father frowned
Ma look He closed his eyes and clenched his fist Gia’s stomach dropped like a stone Worry filled the void
Beside her, Jason’s phone dinged with a text Nothing new since he constantly conducted business, but she wished all the noise and chaos around theure out what had him upset
He pushed past Maathered their belongings and followed hi her, she trailed after her fa his phone before he darkened the screen with a satisfied nod