Page 100 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

“No, but I knew he was going to.” She told her what he’d said after the live streaming on the Fourth and why the date was special to them.

“When you saw him at Last Call, you didn’t go to him, did you?”

“No.” She swiped at her eyes. “And letting him walk away was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“Why did you?”

“Because he wants to marry me, and I can’t marry him. I know you girls don’t believe in the Rosetti curse. At least you and Sage. But when I was a little girl, I’d hear your nonna and your bisnonna and the aunties talking. I’d hear them cry. I’d hear how much they suffered. And then I went through it with my own sister when her husband ran off with—” She caught herself before she shared their family secret, the one that had the potential to tear their family apart.

“But Mom, even if you married Dad and you couldn’t make it work, I don’t think you’d be suffering any more than you are now. At least you would’ve given it a chance. Isn’t that what life’s about? Taking chances? And for what it’s worth, I believe you and Dad would make your marriage work.” She stood up. “Would you at least think about it, for me?”

“Yes.” Eva nodded.

“Cross your heart and hope to die?” Lila said, daring her with her eyes.

She knew Eva was too superstitious not to keep her promise. “Cross my heart and hope to die,” she said, making the sign of the cross over her heart.

“Thank you, and now I have to tell Dad the wedding’s off,” she said, walking from Eva’s bedroom. “David and Jennifer are coming at ten. I thought we’d tell everyone else at the same time.”

“Poor Jennifer, she’ll be so disappointed. But at least she’ll be living here, and she can visit with you and the baby.”

“And that’s another reason you need to marry Dad. If you’re not living together, the two of you will be fighting over who gets to spend time with the baby.” Lila grinned. “I’m teasing. Sort of.”

Eva angled her head to study her daughter. “I didn’t notice until now. But you look better. You look happy.”

“I am, and you could be too. All you have to do is get past your fears and take a leap of faith. But, Mom, whatever you decide, I love and support you.”

“Thank you, darling. I love you too.”

Four hours later, Eva carried another pot of coffee to the family table. Everyone who mattered to her was there: her nieces, her mother and sister, Bruno, Jennifer and David—whom she now considered part of their family—and the two people she loved the most in the world, her daughter and James. Eva avoided Lila’s gaze. She saw the hope in her daughter’s eyes, eyes just like her father’s, every time Eva came close to James, every time she looked at him, and then the disappointment that quickly followed. But as much as Lila wanted them together, Eva knew she wouldn’t hold it against her if she couldn’t bring herself to face her fears and take a leap of faith.

Willow said something, and everyone laughed. But it was James who drew Eva’s gaze, every time he laughed, every time he smiled, every time he spoke. She couldn’t stop looking at him. He was beautiful, and she’d loved him for what felt like a lifetime, and still, whenever their eyes met, she’d open her mouth, and no words would come out.

He pushed back his chair and stood up, bending down to hug Lila and kiss her goodbye. Eva knew he was talking, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying, the buzzing in her head was too loud. He shook David’s hand and then moved to say goodbye to Jennifer.

He was leaving now. She couldn’t let him go. If she did, she knew he would be lost to her for good.

She squeezed the words past the lump of emotion stuck in her throat and blurted, “Marry me.”

Everyone turned to look at her. Jennifer touched her chest. “You want me to marry you?”

She shook her head, pointing the coffeepot at James.

“You want me to marry you?” he asked as he straightened, his gaze intent and unwavering.

She shook her head, then nodded. “Yes.”

“Are you asking me to marry you because you don’t want me to leave?” he asked as he walked around the table, coming toward her.

She nodded and then shook her head. “No. I’m asking you to marry me because I love you, and I don’t want to live without you anymore.”

He took the coffeepot from her, handing it to her sister. Then he framed Eva’s face with his hands. “Yes. I’ll marry you because I adore you, and I don’t want to go another hour, another minute, without you in my life.”

Their daughter cheered, jumping to her feet and running around the table to throw her arms around them. “I’m so proud of you, Mom. I knew you could—”

Lila broke off at Carmen crying, “Call Father Patrick. It’s my heart. I’m dying.”

Eva sighed. “I should’ve known this would happen,” she said, and began to go to her mother.

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