Page 25 of Love or Leave

"So," he said, trying to break the million-year-long silence even though he didn't have a follow-up.

He let out a breath and glanced around the room. Every pair of eyes was staring at him. He rolled his eyes, hoping they would all fuck off and stop staring.

No one did.

Just when he couldn't imagine it could get any worse, his mother broke away from the group she was with and started toward them.

"Incoming," Maria said under her breath.

Fran turned and saw his mother, then turned back toward them and dropped her head.

"Tonio," his mom said. "You made it."

She came in close, and he bent to kiss her cheeks.

"And you brought someone with you?"

"This is Cara. Cara, this is my mom."

Cara smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Happy anniversary."

His mother tipped her chin up and gave a cold, "Thank you," as she turned her gaze away from Cara and on his soon-to-be ex-wife. "Fran," she said. "I'm surprised you came."

Fran's eyes widened. "Well, you sent an invitation."

"Yes, but," she said, looking over at Antonio before continuing. "I didn't think you'd bring someone."

Maria glared at their mother while Fran dipped her head and Blake's eyebrows shot up.

Jesus Christ.It was too fucking much.

Antonio wanted to pick up a chair and throw it through a fucking window.

He knew that seeing Fran with someone new for the first time would be difficult, not just for him, but for his entire family. What he hadn't imagined was how confused and angry he'd feel. He honestly couldn’t even pinpoint his feelings in that moment. He was just overwhelmed.

He looked around the room at all the familiar faces, the same faces that had watched them dance their first dance together, and he just couldn't take it anymore. Sending that invitation had been a big mistake.

He had to get the fuck out of there.

He opened his mouth, closed it, then dropped his gaze and shook his head. "Freezing."

The dead silence that suffocated them stretched for a few more seconds while everyone tried to figure out what he'd said.

"What?" Maria asked.

Before he could respond, Cara clutched her stomach and moaned.

Thank fuck.

"Ooh… I don't feel very good," she said.

He turned toward her, happy to have a set of eyes to focus on that weren't judgmental. "You don't?"

She dropped her delicate chin and shook her pretty head, making her earrings dance. "No, it's my… head," she said, moving her hands from her stomach to her temples. "I think I'm getting a migraine."

Antonio put a fake worried look on his face and placed his hands over hers, dipping his knees to look squarely in her eyes, as if evaluating her.

"Doesn't look good," he said, brushing his thumb over her temple. "I better get you home."

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