Page 58 of Fix You

Trying to diffuse the situation, I replied, “Maybe next year I can teach you how to make them, Gianni.”

Chuckling, Leo said, “Dolcezza, he might be a computer genius, but he would burn down your kitchen.”

As Gianni scowled at Leo, Rafe muttered, “Don’t call her that.”

I jerked my surprised gaze from Leandro over to Rafe’s. But he continued staring at his plate.

Leo’s amusement didn’t falter. “What’s wrong with calling her sweetness? She is sweet to be offering to do that for our culinary- challenged brother.”

Rafe glanced up to cut his eyes over to Leo. “I doubt her brothers would appreciate you calling her that.”

With a grin, Dare remarked, “I can’t speak for the others, but I think you’d cross the line at calling her sweet cheeks.”

“Absolutely,” Quinn replied.

After glaring at her brothers, Caterina huffed, “Would you guys stop arguing?”

“We’re just teasing each other, Kitty Cat,” Leandro protested.

With a playful roll of her eyes, she said, “I was just sitting here thinking how thankful I am to be spending Christmas with my brothers again for the first time in years, and you have to go and ruin the moment.”

“Then let’s remedy that.” Leo raised his glass. “A toast to family–new and old.”

Caterina grinned as she grabbed her glass. “I’ll toast to that.”

We all raised our glasses. After downing a sip, Caterina said, “I also think extra thanks should go to Callum for agreeing to the madness of all of us Nerettis crashing his home on Christmas Day.”

Callum laughed. “How could I say no? Especially since this is probably the last Christmas Day Rafe willget to spend with you guys as a family. I’m sure he’ll be expected to spend it with his fiancee next year.”

Every molecule in my body shuddered to a stop. For a moment, I couldn’t even process the conversions and clattering silverware around me. And then before I could stop myself, I blurted, “You’re engaged?”

A myriad of emotions appeared in Rafe’s eyes. Each one of them felt like a knife in my chest. Recovering quickly from over-showing my emotions, I forced a beaming smile to my face. “What wonderful news! We should include that in our toasting.”

Rafe gave me a tight smile. “Thank you. It’s very new considering we just signed the contract a few months ago.”

A few months ago.

It had been a few months ago when he’d blatantly flirted with me at the wedding reception. When he’d kissed me at the wedding reception. Had he been engaged then?

At the clenching of my chest, I lay my fork down on my plate. While my gaze was trained on the intricate design of the placemat, I pictured the ocean waves crashing around me. I counted my breaths as I twisted my napkin in my lap while bits of conversation floated around me.

Andrea Caruso.

An October wedding after her twenty-first birthday.

A necessary alliance for the Neretti family.

It would bring even more stability to the Kavanaughs.

“Maeve?”

I raised my head to see Caterina standing before me. With a comforting expression, she asked, “Would you like to help me bring in some of the desserts?”

“Um, yes, of course.”

Without another look at Rafe, I shot out of my chair and hurried into the kitchen. I went over to the counter. With more force than necessary, I started slicing through one of the sugary concoctions.

Caterina appeared at my side with the china dessert plates in her hands. They’d been a wedding gift from me to the new couple. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like that. I was trying to tell you earlier when we were interrupted.”

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