Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
John set a bag on the table and looked at Cat. “It’s homemade mac and cheese, my grandma’s recipe, so don’t you dare scream at us.”
“I would never.” Cat smiled, but the blush on her face told me she was guilty. Once John went outside, she looked at me. “Last year, Dom brought apple pie from Trader Joe’s and not to knock them, because it is delicious, but I’d been working in the kitchen all day and someone said his was better than my homemade, so I flipped and banned people from bringing things.”
“Ah.” I nodded. “It makes sense now. He was being weird about the bottles.”
“Oh. Drinks are welcome. I just don’t want to be upstaged by something that comes in a box.”
I laughed. “I see your point.
Dom and I sat in the middle of the massive dining room table. The dining room itself was the size of my apartment. The bed was like two of Dom’s king-sized beds put together. I could see why, though. This was a big family. I thought people were finished arriving, but right after Petra and John got here, some guy named Dean showed up. Now I kept looking at the door, fully expecting someone new to walk in at any moment. The dining room was full of chatter as we ate, commenting on how good the food was every so often. It really was incredible. Sitting here felt like being transported back to Providence. It felt like the next generation of what our parents started, the bond that our mothers had been trying to ensure we had before they were ripped from us. Was it possible for a heart to swell with happiness and break at the same time? That was what I felt like sitting here. They were all so gracious, welcoming with open arms like I belonged here. It felt like I did. It felt like I’d known them my entire life. It felt like the thing I’d been trying to avoid my entire life, because I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go through what happened last time I felt this comfortable with this kind of company. Because despite how nice and funny they were it didn’t take away from the fact that they were involved in it somehow.
Once the food was cleared from the table, Emma and Cat brought dessert out. Cat leaned over between Dom and me, as she set one down in front of us.
“Dominic’s special request,” she said. “I hope my pumpkin pie is better than the ones you buy at the store.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
“I guess we’re about to find out.” She straightened. “You never even eat the pumpkin pie.”
She walked away and Dom reached for a plate and a knife, cutting a piece. He set it down and reached for the vanilla bean ice cream on the table.
“Another special request,” Catalina announced from the other side of the table, using the knife in her hand to point to the ice cream. “I got the one that looked the best.”
“Thanks, Cat.” Dom smiled at her and went about serving a scoop on top of the pie. My mouth was already watering when he set the plate in front of me.
My eyes snapped to his. “For me?”
“I really don’t eat pumpkin pie.” He winked.
“You remember that I like pumpkin pie?” I whispered. An emotion I’d desperately been trying to avoid rushed through me and took hold of my throat.
“With vanilla bean ice cream.”
I glanced down at the plate. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried in public, but in this moment, right now, I just might have. I pushed it down and hoped it would wait until later. I took a couple of deep breaths and once I knew I could speak again without shedding any tears, I looked up at him.
“How could you possibly remember that?”
“I remember everything about you.” He kissed the tip of my nose and went about serving himself apple pie, which had always been his favorite.
His mother used to make it from scratch every year. It was one of her contributions to the table on Friendsgiving. I felt eyes on me, and when I looked up, I found Rocco openly staring at us. I wondered what he had to say about this relationship. Relationship. Damn. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about that. At first, I’d settled for the idea that he was just being nice bringing me, but even if the women hadn’t called me his girlfriend, I knew this meant something to him. He brought me because he was serious about me. In front of them, he bragged about me like he was proud of the woman I’d become, and it made me feel all sorts of things. A slice of pumpkin pie with vanilla bean ice cream made me feel like I was at a crossroads and only had two choices. I could walk away, or stay in it for the long haul, because now I knew that’s what it would be. I knew he was it for me and vice versa. I could feel it in my bones, and yet I wasn’t sure it was the right thing for us.