Mia listened to his words and felt another twinge. Sure, David was doing what they’d talked about, but he also meant every word. He spoke from the heart about the woman he loved.
“She’s going to be a great mom,” he continued. “She loves kids and she’s patient. What?” he asked with a frown.
“I didn’t say anything.”
He touched her cheek. “You’re crying.”
“I’m not.” She felt the dampness. “Okay, maybe, but just because it’s so wonderful. I want you to be happy.”
“I want you to find what I have,” he told her. “Mia, you’re great. You’re smart and beautiful and I want you to find the right guy.”
“I’m sure I will,” she lied. “But until then, I have you two to inspire me.”
“I’ve never been an inspiration before.”
“You were never marrying Amber before.” Mia hesitated. “David, I need you to talk to her for me.”
“About?”
She drew in a breath. “The Grands. They really want to bead something. You know we have the tradition of making the bride’s wedding dress. Obviously Amber has picked out a dress already. The wedding isn’t that far away. The Grands have beaded your vest and they loved it, but it’s not the same. The thing is, it’s about more than just helping. It’s their way of showing Amber they love her and really want her to be in the family. But they’re afraid they’ll say it wrong, or she’ll think they’re weird or pressuring her. They mentioned something about working on her veil, if that would be okay.”
“I’ll talk to her,” he said as he leaned against the hallway wall. “She really likes the family, but sometimes they’re a little much.”
Mia laughed. “Of course we are. I get overwhelmed and I was born into this craziness. I hope you can explain how much we already love her and how happy we are that she’s going to be one of us. Even if that does mean having to marry you.”
“Hey!”
She grinned. “I’ve seen you at your worst.”
“I could say the same.”
“You could, but you’re a gentleman and you won’t.” Her smile faded. “I love you and I’m incredibly glad we’re not the ones getting married.”
“Me too.” His expression turned serious. “We were kids. What did we know about marriage and forever?”
“Plus you probably would have met Amber eventually and left me for her.”
“I would have felt bad about it.”
She laughed. “And that’s supposed to make it all better?”
He shrugged. “What can I say? She’s the love of my life.”
“David?”
They both turned and saw Amber stepping out of the dining room where Grammy M had carefully sent her to polish the silver. The preplanned move had allowed Amber to hear every word while staying out of sight.
“Amber.” David shifted uncomfortably. “We were, uh, just talking. Mia and I. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Amber’s eyes were bright with affection and understanding. “I know.” She turned to Mia. “I’m sorry I’ve been so foolish about so many things. It’s just you’re amazing and I’m just…”
“The woman David loves,” Mia told her.
Amber stepped into his embrace. “I am, aren’t I? Wow. How did I get so lucky?”
David hugged her tight. Over her head, he mouthed, “Thank you.”
Mia nodded, then turned away to give them privacy. Not that they cared. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in the world.
Mia returned to her room, where she could have her breakdown in private. This was the Marcelli family, after all, and if anyone saw her crying they would all want to know what was wrong, then work as a committee to fix it. Right now, she just couldn’t handle that.
She closed the door and then threw herself on the bed. But once there, the tears refused to come. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to think about everything going on, but it was impossible.
She hurt. Every bone, every hair, every inch of skin. She ached with disappointment and a strong sense of having lost something that could have been-should have been-wonderful. For a few days, a couple of weeks even, she’d been in love with a caring, smart, funny guy who’d pretended to love her back. She’d allowed herself to believe. To have hope. It had been a long time since she’d had hope in the romance department.
So many pretty words, she thought. So many lies and she’d fallen for them all. Apparently she only looked smart.
Now everything felt broken. She knew Rafael was trying, but so what? How could she ever believe him again? How could she trust him? Or was that not her problem? Did she have to trust him? If he changed the law, then they would have to negotiate some kind of visitation for Danny in Calandria.
She rolled onto her back. If…There was no if. Rafael was nothing if not determined. He wanted his son to grow up knowing about his people and his duty. He wanted Danny to understand that being the heir meant more than waving a scepter and making pronouncements. Rafael would get the law changed and then she would lose Danny.
Her eyes burned as the tears came at last. Perhaps it was dramatic to think she would lose her son, but everything would be different. He would probably summer with his father and go to school in Los Angeles with her. He would have major life experiences without her, learn things, be independent. She’d expected that when he was a teenager, but not before he was eight.
She wanted to hate Rafael for all this. She wanted to blame him for everything, but she couldn’t. In truth, Danny was his son and he had as much right to the boy as she.
She closed her eyes and felt the trickle of moisture run down her temples and into her hair. Her chest ached. How would she survive without Danny around? The summer would be too long. She could-
Eventually he would have to go to school in Europe.
Mia sat up. He would need exposure to a larger world. An international one. She had the sudden hope that he’d inherited her ability to learn languages. It would certainly make his life easier.
But what about her? Should she move to Europe? Would that help Danny? There had to be law firms that would want to hire her. And then what? Make a life for herself living quietly somewhere while her son trained to be king and Rafael married someone appropriate?
She picked up a pillow and threw it across the room. “Damn you, Rafael,” she cried as more tears poured down her cheeks.
“Mommy.”
Mia froze and looked at the now open door. She’d been so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn’t heard it open.
Danny stood there, his eyes wide as he stared at her. “Mommy?”
She quickly wiped her face. “Hi, sweetie. I’m okay. What’s going on?”
“I want to do a puzzle.”
He still wasn’t very good at them. Even the ones with the really big pieces.
“Sure. I can help. Let me go wash my face and we’ll head downstairs.”
He crossed the room and climbed up on the bed. “Are you mad at Daddy?” he asked.
Her first instinct was to deny that she was, but based on what Danny had just seen and heard, that seemed kind of stupid.
“I am, right now, but that’s okay. Grown-ups get mad at each other and then we talk and make up.”
“Does Daddy have to ’pologize?”
“He has.”
“But you’re still mad?”
She sighed. “I’m mad about a lot of things.”
“You could make a list.”
She laughed, then put her arms around him. He hugged her back, his body small and sturdy.
“I love you, big guy,” she whispered. “So much. You’re my whole world and the best thing in it.”
“I love you, too, Mommy.”
She couldn’t let him go, she thought as she continued to hold on to him. Not even for a summer. She couldn’t survive. Which meant she and Rafael had a whole lot of stuff to work out.