Page 96 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

“What do you mean? I’m getting married.”

“I’m not trying to sabotage your wedding or disparage David,” Sage said. “But would you be marrying him if you weren’t having his baby? You don’t even have to answer me. I just want you to think about it.”

“It’s a moot point,” Lila said, unable to keep the defensive note from her voice.

“So, reading between the lines, you wouldn’t.”

Lila buried her face in her knees.

Sage rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. But as much as you’re worried about your parents and Bruno and Nonna, we’re worried about you.”

“Sage is right, babe. You look like you haven’t slept in a week, and you’re losing weight. I know weddings can be stressful, especially in our family, but to be honest, Jennifer and your mom and dad have basically taken care of everything, so I wonder why—”

“I didn’t want a big wedding. It’s not important to me. I just want to give my baby, our baby, a happy life.”

“But you’re not happy, Lila,” Sage said. “How can your baby be happy if you’re not?”

“I’m not happy because I’ve spent the last week watching my parents…” She trailed off and bowed her head. She’d just made Sage’s point. And in that moment, Lila knew that it wasn’t just her parents, her grandmother and Bruno, or even David’s issues with his father and brother that were responsible for her queasy stomach, for her not being able to sleep or for her not feeling like eating. It had been the same when David had asked her to set a wedding date—she knew she was making a mistake.

“Look, we know now how hard it was for you growing up and trying to keep the peace between your parents,” Sage said, “but it doesn’t mean that you and David would do the same to your child. I can almost guarantee that you wouldn’t, given your experience. Besides, David lives in Sunshine Bay. It’s completely different than if he lived in London like Zio James.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s too late. I’m getting married in less than forty-eight hours. I couldn’t do that to David.”

Her cousins shared a glance, and then Willow put an arm around her. “You’re going to be an amazing mom, whether you’re married or not. And you have us. We’ll always have your back.”

“What are you three plotting out here?” her mother asked as she came to join them.

Lila froze, terrified that her cousins would tell her mother that she was having doubts. She should’ve known better.

“We were just telling Lila what a wonderful mother she’ll be,” Willow said.

Eva smiled. “Of course she will. She’s a Rosetti. We do mothering really well.”

They did. It was just too bad they weren’t as good at facing their fears and taking risks. Lila briefly closed her eyes. She had no business criticizing them when she was exactly the same way.

Her aunt and grandmother joined them, carrying glasses, a bottle of wine, and a bottle of water. Carmen nudged Willow aside to take her place beside Lila, handing her the bottle of water while her aunt poured everyone else a glass of wine.

Her grandmother raised her glass. “A toast to La Dolce Vita. It has given us a good life, and may it continue to do so.”

They all turned to look back at the restaurant that had been in their family for generations, standing solid and proud behind them despite the many storms it had weathered, and clinked glasses. “La Dolce Vita!”

Her grandmother lifted her glass again. “To you, to all of you. You are the biggest blessings, the greatest joys of my life. You are my heart.”

Lila’s mother and her aunt wiped their eyes, lifting their glasses to Carmen. “You’re the heart of this family, Ma.”

Lila and her cousins agreed, leaning in to hug their grandmother and tell her how much they loved her.

But Carmen wasn’t finished with her toasts. “And to David, the poor, brave boy. May God rest his soul.”

“Nonna!” “Ma!”

“What? My Romeo died two days before the wedding, and your great-aunt Sophia’s fiancé dropped dead at the altar.”

“That’s one way your problem gets solved,” Sage murmured behind Lila.

“Really, Sage?” Lila muttered at her cousin.

Willow stood up. “Okay, we’re a couple weeks late, but it’s time to welcome summer to Sunshine Bay the Rosetti way,” she said, and then ran to the deck. “I’ll get the towels.”

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