Page 48 of Head Over Heels

"I want to know," Hettie says, pausing dramatically, "about Florence's new girlfriend."

Way to lighten the mood, little sister.

All eyes turn toward me.

"I have a date for the charity gala on Friday. It's not a big deal." I glare at Hettie.

"Insta says you're engaged to her," my oldest niece Paola says.

"Who is this Insta?" asks Nonna, absently rubbing her thumb against the inside of her ring finger, "and why does she know about this before I do?"

Paola laughs. "It's the internet, Grandma. Someone saw them together at a restaurant last week, and then at the fundraiser for the Cultural Center."

"Why does my granddaughter get to be on the internet just by going out to dinner?"

"She's famous around here." Paola rolls her eyes. "She's a very successful lesbian. That's important."

"That's pretty damn sexist," Mom mutters. "A man can love a woman and be successful, and no one thinks twice about it. Why can't a woman do the same thing? I thought women could do anything a man can do these days." She huffs. "It's a brand new century. Hell, it's a new millennium."

"Actually, I can do it better than a man." I purse my lips together to keep from laughing. "My job, I mean."

Hettie kicks me under the table.

"Grandma, it's not a new millennium anymore. It's been the two-thousands for almost twenty-five years," Paola says, deadpan.

Rosie looks at Paola. "Close your mouth and eat."

Lena looks at her mom. "That doesn't make sense. How is she supposed to eat if her mouth is closed?"

Hettie gives me a dangerously dirty look. "Tell us about Dr. Mueller, Florence."

"Her name is Josie." I give her a death glare. "She's a neurologist at the medical school. I like her." I shrug my shoulders.

Rosie looks at me. "I don't think I've heard you say that about anyone—not since Katie."

Katie was a casualty of my ambition. She needed more than I could give her. "Josie can handle me. She accepts me for who I am, and respects me for the position I hold."

"Marin says she's melting your edges," Hettie says, grinning. "I've seen how you are in a professional setting. You're the ice queen incarnate."

"What's an ice queen?" Lena pipes in.

"It's a boss lady who acts like no one is ever good enough for her, but then a pretty lady comes along and melts her ice coldheart so she can fall in love." This comes from Paola, and leaves everyone in a stunned silence for a long minute.

I see Joe reach over and put a hand over Rosie's. He used to do the same to me when we were kids. It was a warning not to overreact.

"That's exactly what an ice queen is." I wink at Paola and see Joe let out a long breath. "Only I'm not an ice queen. I have lots of people who work for me who are very good at their jobs. I only keep people who are good at their jobs and respectful of other people."

"When do I get to meet this woman of yours?" Nonna asks.

20

Florence

I glance up at the Vanderveen Lux Hotel as the valet opens Josie's door. He helps her out, then she waves him away, insisting on helping me out herself. She looks stunning in her custom tux, and I'm tickled at the idea of my fiancée announcing herself to the public like this.

Photographers snap photos left and right. I'd forgotten the multitude of celebrities attending tonight. Frany Lopez, one of the biggest Latina singers in the world, is here to support us. Her youngest sister suffers from childhood muscular dystrophy, a cluster of diseases the new research lab will study. There are other big names as well. I have to hand it to Woodhouse and his EA Aimee. I'm proud she gets the opportunity to be here in his stead.

Josie takes my hand and helps me from the car. "Stop thinking," she whispers into my ear, "and smile for the cameras. You look beautiful." She puts her hands on my waist and twirls me around, her face still against mine.

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