Page 10 of Say It Isn't So

I looked down in my lap for a split second, praying time would actually start to move forward and the Morellis would kick us out of their house due to the late hour or something. Making us leave for any reason at all would do.

I was about to crack my knuckles for the hundredth time when a distinct new voice rang in my ears. “Are you regaling them with stories about how you’ve gotten to where you are today?”

There was amusement in the girl’s voice. It was bright and enticing with a confident edge to it and I felt like a siren was calling to me because there was nothing—and I mean nothing—that could have stopped me from looking up at the girl with that voice.

Now I knew how that prince felt when the mermaid sang to him and it played in his ears long after (what, she was Rina’s favorite princess). Something told me anything that came out of this woman’s mouth would captivate me. It couldn’t be helped, it was just her voice.

The question was, who was this woman?

Her brown hair was as dark as dark chocolate, but with a hint of red in there, like if the light hit it at just the right angle it would shine through.

She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but it didn’t look like she needed to. She had this clean look about her that made me want to touch her face, to feel her smooth, olive-complexion skin.

Could this be Bianca?

“My daughter,” Regina noted for my benefit, then looked at Rina expectantly.

“Bianca! It’s so good to see you,” Rina exclaimed, standing and walking over to give her a hug.So I was right.“Thank you so much for introducing me to your parents. Your mother is everything you said and more.”

I watched, still not having been properly introduced, as Rina and Bianca acted as if they’d known each other for years. Hello, what was I chopped liver over here? I would’ve liked to be introduced to the siren herself.

“Join us for dessert, my love?” Regina asked while Angelo moved to set a place for Bianca without her answering.

How hard was it?Bianca, you know Rina and everyone else at this damn table, but here is someone you don’t know—Knox. Knox meet Bianca.

Bianca placed a hand on Angelo’s arm. “It’s okay, I’d love to, but I can’t.” Then she sat down anyway. “But I will sit down for a drink.”

Angelo poured her a glass of wine while she tucked her loose brown hair behind her ear. “I’m knee-deep in boring demographics and circulation numbers, but this isn’t about me and I think we’re being rude.”Finally someone with some manners.She stood up again and started walking around the ornate dining room table.

Rina looked over at me for the first time since we sat down for dinner and her eyes got wide like saucers, realization slamming her. “Oh, I almost forgot!” She gestured to me.Geez, I’m touched.“Bianca, this is my boyfriend I was talking to you about, Knox. Knox, this is Bianca.”

Do I stand up?

Do I stay seated and just shake her hand?

Do I bow? In a house this big with Long Island royalty I felt like bowing made sense.

Damn, why did I care so much what these people thought? Oh, right, for Rina. That was why I was sitting here in a shirt and tie, acting like I dined like royalty every night.

I decided standing was best, and I extended a hand, smiling. “Nice to meet you, Bianca.”

Smiling back, she shook my hand. And that was when something about her caught my attention. Not just any something, either—her bare feet with wiggling pink-painted toes.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Knox.” She released my hand, and looked over at Rina and gave her a wink. “He’s such a gentleman.”

I dropped my hand and pulled on the back of my neck, taking my seat again. She should have only known my silent plea just moments earlier for this evening to be cut short. That wasn’t so gentlemanly. “Just so you know, I don’t think what you’re doing with circulation numbers sounds boring. It sounds interesting, actually.”

Rina rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him.”

“No, I’m serious,” I said, staring only at Bianca now.

Mr. Morelli cleared his throat and leaned forward. “Bianca, shouldn’t you be going? All that work isn’t going to complete itself.”

“Actually, Daddy,” Bianca said, “I think I’ll stay for dessert.” She bounced around the table and took the seat she’d claimed before.

If I was moderately bored before, I was all out enthralled now. Bianca was so exciting, it was like watching a show with neon-colored lights. And it wasn’t just one thing, it was everything about her. The way she moved, the way she spoke.

Not that I’d forgotten about my girlfriend, because I hadn’t. I just. . . didn’t think I’d ever met anyone like Bianca Morelli before.

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