“Dad’s pissed at me.”
“I would bet he’s not pissed, so much as worried.”
“Well, then he should have let me leave when I told him I wanted to.”
Marley steps in, “I’d like both of you to take a moment to look at each other quietly and breathe.”
“Looking at him hurts. I’m a fuck-up, and he deserves to be happy. I’ll ruin it. I ruin—”
“Tris, tell me what happened.”
“I was born.” She crosses her arms and gives me a stern look. “You should really reconsider making the biggest mistake of your life. I’m a bad person. I invite—”
“The woman who makes my soul sing isn’t a bad person; she’s the love of my life. And in an effort to be fair, if you’re a bad person, so am I. I invited my brothers. They’ll be here tomorrow.”
“God, what are we doing?” She sniffs.
I smile at the reality of what it is. “Failing at being apart.”
“We are positioning ourselves for the worst sort of pain possible, Matteo.”
I feel as if the wind has been knocked out of me, and it hurts. In fact, it’s hell.
“Okay, time for me to intervene. This, right here, is perfectly normal for all couples. The sense of urgency, the bond you have formed, and the fact that I, a woman of science, believes in your love and will be your biggest cheerleader. Hell, I’ll even grab some pom-poms for our next session. That’s how much I believe in you both. It’s typical pre-wedding jitters.”
“Can I ask exactly where you attended University?” I ask shortly and wish I hadn’t.
“Berkley.” She rolls her eyes. A professional woman rolls her eyes.
I lean in and look at her. “Tris, one kiss gave us answers to questions we never knew we deserved answers too.
She wipes her sleeve under her nose. “And what’s that?”
“A million times we both wondered that same thing: why me?”
She hugs her knees and buries her face in them.
“When you get back here, you’ll never have to ask it again.”
~~~
I spent two days with my nieces, the absolute best days with them to date. I will admit that it is partially due to the fact they think I’m “awesome” because I am marrying their idol, and I will further admit that I will use that to its full advantage. I want them happy. Happier than anyone who was ever cursed by that home ever was.
Sending them back to the house that I rented for my side of the family with Samuel, their niñero, was difficult, but I needed to rest as Tris and the Steel family were traveling across the Atlantic now and would be getting in after midnight Italian time, so a nap is necessary so that I can remind her who she is and fix whatever it is that happened when she was home.
In two days, she will be Tris Arias, and I will be hers for the rest of my time.
~~~
I wake to an alarm that I set and hear the echoes of whispers in the halls.
I get up and hurry to the bathroom in the suite and clean up quickly.
Making my way down the stairs, I scan the room full of people, all her family members, yet I can’t seem to find her. But I do see two sets of eyes narrowed at me. It’s obvious they are her uncles, Cyrus and Jase. Even if I hadn’t looked into them on her cousin’s social media pages, it’s more than obvious.
I decide to introduce myself and welcome Cyrus and Jase. I hold out my hand in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Matteo Arias.”
The bulkier of the two, Cyrus, rolls his eyes. “Talk to me when she’s eighteen.”
From out of nowhere, someone smacks him in the back of the head. “Enough. Say hello and be polite.”
Jase starts laughing, and Cyrus swings around. “Momma Joe, what in the hell are you thinking?”
“That I raised you better.”
“I’m a grown-ass man.”
“I’m your mother, a job that is never done. I’m righting whatever wrong I made while you were growing up that makes you think being rude to family is ever okay.”
He throws his thumb over his shoulder. “This dude’s not family. Tris won’t even get out of the damn car. Clearly, there’s a problem.”
“Perdóname.” I walk past him, kiss Momma Joe on one cheek then the next, and hurry toward the entry door. Once outside on the wide stone steps, I see a shadow of a man leaning against the car, arms crossed, clearly annoyed. I assume it’s one of the men who Tris told me that Ranger had employed for the event and pay him no mind.
Inside the car, the light is on, and I see Bekah and Zandor leaning in, talking to someone between them. I know that someone is Tris.
“Might want to give her a minute, or just go to bed and deal with it tomorrow.” Amias pushes off the side of the building and steps out into the light.
“Perdóname.”
I make my way down the stairs and open the car door. “Tris.”
“I just need a minute,” she says, hugging her knees.
“May I?” I ask Zandor.
He slides out of the car, walks around, and opens the door for Bekah. “Let’s head in.”
Bekah kisses Tris and hugs her before sliding out.
I look at the man leaning against the car and ask, “Do you know the area well?”
“Yeah.” He stands. “Where do you want to go?”
“Just drive around, please.” I slide into the car.
As soon as I wrap my arms around her, she whispers, “I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I’ve made a mess.” She sniffs as she curls up against me. “No matter what, please don’t stop being my friend.”
“Tris,” I whisper as the car pulls away, and I hold her head against my chest. “Rest.”
When she’s calmed down, she looks up at me. “I love you, I really do.”
“I know this. And you know I love you.”
I lean forward. “Could you turn on some classical music and just keep driving?”
“I just took my meds. When I even out, I need to talk with you.”
“I’m here for that.”
Within an hour, she’s asleep. “Could you get us back now, please?”
The driver nods. “Of course.”
On our way back, I pull her into my lap and hold her head to my shoulder. For the first time, I worry that, when I am gone, she may be worse instead of better.
Was it wrong for me to think love could heal her? Was it selfish to believe in the magnetic draw, my two negatives making a positive theory? Was I simply trying to manifest it because I need her?
Yes, need.
God help us both.
~~~
I carry her inside, past the room full of people, and up the stairs to her room across the hall from mine, but only for two nights, and then I nudge the door with my shoulder and look around. The same flowers that I had placed about the hotel suite the day that I proposed—white lilies and roses, pure, clean, an empty canvas.
I climb on the bed, kicking back the duvet and the rose petals, and hold her for a bit, hoping she wakes up.
She’s sleeping, sound asleep.
“Te he echado de menos, mi corazón.” I brush my lips across hers as I lay her down.