Page 190 of With Us

I shook my head. “No. I just invited them to brunch.”

“You’re very confident. And efficient.”

“So you’ve said.”

She murmured something I couldn’t catch.

“Think about it,” I said, pulling her close. “If we’re in public, they won’t make a scene… Well, they’ll make a smaller one.”

Smiling, Dahlia shrugged. “I’m excited to tell them. Just surprised. I would’ve showered first. Or worn something nicer.”

“You look perfect.” I kissed the side of her head before lowering my voice. “And if you’d have showered it off, I’d have had to put it right back.”

“Now Ireallywish I’d have showered,” she whispered.

“You going to stand there whispering or come eat?” Dad shouted, half the restaurant turning to look at him.

“Lou, cut it out,” Mom chastised. “You can’t just shout across the place like we’re at home.”

Tina, miraculously struck silent, whacked at Mom’s arm as she stared at Dahlia’s hand.

“What?” Mom asked, turning to her.

“Dahlia’s hand,” Tina said, her stunned voice getting louder as she smiled.

“What?” Mom turned and looked, her eyes going wide as she saw the ring on Dahlia’s finger.

“Uh, hey,” Dahlia said, somewhere between awkward and ecstatic as she tried to sit.

Knowing what was about to happen, I curled her body closer to mine, leaving her no choice but to put her ringed hand on my stomach.

“Does this mean what I think it does?” Mom’s voice was tight as she tried to keep a blank face.

Surprisingly, Dahlia answered. “Theo asked me this morning, and I said yes. We’re getting married.”

The entire restaurant was staring as everyone got up to offer their congratulations, cheering and talking at once.

“Okay, okay!” Dad shouted through the noise. “One at a time. Starting with me.” Everyone moved back as he approached. He kissed our cheeks, grinning wide as he looked between Dahlia and I. “Tanti tanti auguri per una vita felice insieme.” Releasing his hold, he added, “Get started on all those bambinis, huh?” He turned around, spotting our server before ordering some pitchers of mimosas. “Let’s celebrate!”

I pulled out Dahlia’s chair, and she turned to me, whispering, “What’d your dad say?”

“He congratulated us and said he hopes we have a happy life together.”

“And ‘bambinis’ means?”

“Babies, my gattina.”

Her slightly panicked expression was back. “That’s what I thought…”

After she sat, I took a seat next to her and draped my arm around the back of her chair. My fingers played in her hair, and I regretted leaving the house. I’d figured it’d be easier to get the announcement over in public, and I was fucking ecstatic to share the news.

I’d been waiting long enough.

As Dahlia talked with Mom, Rosa, Julie, and Tina, her excitement was clear, too. She grinned, playing with her ring.

“You know my ma’s gonna be on my back now, right?” Luc said, glaring at me. “Once she finds out, it’ll be blind date hell. I hope you’re happy.”

“I am,” I said.

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