Page 12 of Big Merry Miner

“Mama, be nice,” my mother scolds. She gestures at Matt. “You like this one, don’t you?”

Suddenly, they’re bickering in Italian. The most I catch is that they like who I’ve brought home, but I can’t make too much else out. They’re talking way too fast and I’m a little rusty. I take the chance to sneak Matt away while they’re distracted, leading him out through the dining room and into a sitting area where it’s a little quieter. As soon as it’s just us, I set my coffee down and turn to him.

“You donothave to do this.”

He shrugs and takes a sip from his mug. “It sounds fun, and I want to make a good impression with your folks.”

It’d certainly do that. It seems like they love him already, but seeing him interact with all the family babies will make them swoon. I might swoon too.

“But this Isabella, have I met her or Tony yet?” he asks, cutting through my thoughts.

I shake my head. “No, they’ve got a longer drive than most so they’re usually along a day or two later than the rest. They’ll probably get in tonight.”

“I take it you don’t like her.”

My head shoots up to look at the big man I’ve brought to fool my family into thinking I have a real boyfriend. His eyes are filled with something dark and heated, his mouth set into a tense line, even though he’s still gently holding my hand.

“No,” I finally say. “She’s always been a bit mean to me.”

It’s an understatement, but it’s as close to the truth as I’m willing to give him. Something about Isabella trying to embarrass me in front of him makes my stomach feel sour and unsettled.

“Sweetheart, you have nothing to worry about now,” he says as he pulls me into his chest. His arms wrap around me, holding me close as he runs a hand through my hair comfortingly. “I’m with you every step of the way. She wants to be mean to you? She has to get through me first.”

Thank goodness my face is pressed into his chest. I can feel tears prickling in my eyes. I’ve never had someone stand up for me like this before.

I have to face it. I’m falling in love with my pretend boyfriend.

Chapter 6

Matt

Growing up, I came from a small family. My dad left my mom when I was in elementary school, breaking her heart and leaving me to pick up the pieces. I was just a kid, and I definitely didn’t know what I was doing, but I got through it. But it was always just my mother and I at holidays, never anyone else. She got remarried a few years ago, and while I like her new husband, I haven’t taken the time to make it to her new home for Christmas at all. I’m used to spending the holidays alone after getting home from an overtime shift.

I’m underprepared for the sheer number of people Lucia calls family. I knew she had a big family, and I had that confirmed for me last night when we first arrived, but it’s like they’re coming out of the woodwork. Every time I turn around, there’s someone new I haven’t met yet. Hell, I don’t think she even remembers who half these people are.

But without fail, she puts on the same strained smile when they congratulate her on finally finding a man. It’s the same for her oldest great uncles and her same-aged cousins. When I ask her if she needs a break, she waves me off and says she can handle it. I can tell all of the attention is wearing her out, but there’s not much I can do besides be there for her as she grins and bears it. Outside of asking us how we met or what our New Year’s plans are (“At a coffee shop, he helped me clean up coffee I spilled on my textbook!” and “Just a quiet evening at home with a bottle of bubbly and some movies,” respectively), we’ve mostly been left to ourselves. I don’t mind it too much, but I can tell something’s making Lucia nervous.

Little kids keep whizzing through the house while the grown-ups laugh and shout over glasses of wine. Apparently we’re waiting for a few stragglers to show up before we have a big Christmas Eve meal. Something about seven fish? I’m not sure.

“Are you alright, baby?” I finally ask Lucia, making her look me in the eyes as I speak to her. I can feel her trying to put some sort of wall up, but I don’t want that for her. I want her to feel like she can be open with me and lean on me to get through something that’s clearly stressing her out.

“I’m fine,” she murmurs, eyes downcast. “Just tired.”

“Tired? Or nervous to see your cousin?” I say. She always seems to think her feelings don’t matter. Maybe everyone else can buy her lie, but I’m having none of it. When her gaze meets mine, I can tell I’ve gotten right to the heart of the problem.

Before she can say anything, I hear a chorus of welcoming shouts coming from elsewhere in the huge cabin. Lucia’s eyes widen as her gaze darts to the noise.

Suddenly, a couple struts into the room, taking off their coats as people hug and kiss them in greeting. They’re dressed expensively, if not tastefully. Lucia pales as she steps a little closer to me, her hand coming up to take a fistful of my flannel shirt, as if to make sure I don’t wander off without her. Something about the gesture sparks a fierce fire in me.

Whoever these new people are, they’ve made her feel this way. That shit stops now.

“Sorry we’re late,” the newly arrived woman says. This is Isabella, I’m certain of it. “Traffic out of town was a nightmare and it was snowing so much I thought we would have to turn around.”

There’s a lot of cooing and encouragement. People are glad she and her husband managed to get here, it seems, but it doesn’t really look like he is. He actually looks like he’d rather be anywhere else, and he makes himself scarce after pecking his wife on the cheek, leaving her to socialize.

“Well, we couldn’t not be here, you know? Tony loves being Santa, it’s his favorite part of the holiday.” It’s like this woman likes talking just to hear herself talk. Something tells me that Tony may not like it as much as she likes him doing it.

“Such a shame,” someone says just loudly enough for Isabella to hear. Heads in the room turn to see Lucia’s grandmother sitting down on the couch, still in her apron but with a glass of wine in her hand. She must have gotten a chance to finally sit down after being in the kitchen all day. Grandma Giovanni nods at me as she takes a sip of her wine. “Lucia’sbel ragazzohas been asked to be Santa this year.”

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