“It’s okay, Mom. It’s not your fault.”
“Your dad is an ass.”
Gio couldn’t agree more.
“I know,” Emma said.
Beth let her daughter go and walked into the house. She hugged him.
“Hi, Mama B.”
She smiled. “I like that title.”
“Can I get you some coffee?” Gio asked.
“I would love that.”
Gio went to work to fill her request as she and Emma sat at the kitchen island.
“You don’t have a suitcase with you . . . does that mean you’re not moving out?” Emma asked her.
Beth’s nervous laugh suggested she’d packed one.
“Your father left this morning to return to Napa. I have no idea where Richard went.”
“He’s with Ryan. Nursing a hangover, I’m sure.”
Beth looked relieved. “That’s good. Your brothers could use some bonding time.”
Gio placed coffee in front of Beth and set the cream and sugar to the side. “Amore?”
Emma smiled. “Please.”
Gio poured her a cup.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you kids earlier. I’m sorry for not standing up to him before now.”
“Mom . . . it’s okay.”
“It’s not, honey. When all of you left last night your father and I fought for hours. Before he left, we made some decisions. I know you don’t believe this, but he does love you.”
Emma huffed.
“His love language is providing,” her mom said.
“Controlling,” Emma corrected.
“Maybe. Your father is signing everything on this property over to you.”
Emma paused. “I won’t take more from him.”
Gio placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’d rather do it ourselves.”
“Then don’t take it from him. Take it from me.” Beth fixed Gio with a stare. “Both of you.”
“Your money is his money,” Emma said.
“Yes! It is. Believe me, I reminded Robert last night of that very fact. Just because I don’t go into the office doesn’t mean half of our worth isn’t mine. Your father didn’t want my assistance in the office any more than he wanted yours. That was his choice. I was more than willing to help. Then when you kids came around, I had my hands full and didn’t offer again. Marriage is a partnership and your father agreed to that. I will see that the deed is solely in your name, and a fund is set aside to get you started on the right foot. That’s what your father told me he was doing, and that is what is going to happen. No argument.”
Gio could see Emma wanted to argue. “That’s a lot of money, Beth.”
Beth fixed him with a stare. “Giovanni, I take you as a family man. Am I right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Would give all he had if he needed to for that family.”
“Without question,” Gio replied.
“Am I not allowed to do the same?”
She had a point.
Gio glanced at Emma. “How do you argue with that?”
Emma relented. “Okay, Mom. For you . . . not for him.”
“Good.” Beth sipped her coffee. “When will you know about your liver?”
“Monday afternoon.”
Beth looked like she wanted to cry. “Can I go with you for your test?”
Emma seemed surprised. “Sure.”
“I can’t lose you.” Beth choked with her words.
Emma moved into her mother’s arms and held her. “I’m not dying, Mom.”
“But if your liver is—”
“Then we’ll deal with it.”
Gio watched mother and daughter and had to turn around to stop from choking up. His biggest fear was losing Emma and here her mother voiced that out loud.
He grabbed a cold water bottle from the refrigerator and placed it on his neck.
The temperature helped him get control of his emotions.
“I have a really personal question to ask you. Please don’t be offended.”
“Go ahead, honey.”
Emma sat down, hesitated . . . and then asked, “Did you have an affair?”
Gio’s back stiffened as he listened for Beth’s answer.
Beth almost smiled. “That would have been so much easier. But no. Your father has trampled many of my nerves, but I’ve always been faithful.”
“If you picked similar profiles for Richard, Ryan, and I . . .” Emma picked up the end of her hair. “Where did this come from?”
Beth’s nervous laugh had Gio listening closer.
“Truth is, by the third time we went through this process, your father wasn’t with me. We’d picked from a few profiles, but on the day of the treatment, the person we chose hadn’t wanted to . . .”
Gio pictured a college-aged kid walking into a bathroom with a cup to pick up a few hundred dollars for beer money.
“. . . so I made a decision. I saw Irish ancestry and thought . . . well, I liked Jamie from Outlander.”
Emma started laughing, slowly at first and then so hard her body shook.
Beth joined her until they were both nearly in tears. She brushed aside Emma’s hair. “Look at you. My beautiful girl. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Gio looked at Beth with an entirely new level of respect.
The intercom to the gate buzzed again.
“Are you expecting company?” Beth asked.
“Giovanni’s family is coming over.”
Gio answered the gate, heard Luca’s voice.
Beth jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry. I should have called first.”
“Mama B. You never need to call.”
“I’ll leave you to your guests.” She moved to grab her purse.
“Mom. Stay, please.”
“I’m a mess.”
Gio touched her shoulder. “Your daughter has been through a lot these past couple of weeks. No one will judge you on the beautiful mess you think you are.”
Beth sighed and glanced at Emma. “My God, where did you find him?”
Emma laughed. “Italy.”
The front door burst open, and Franny ran in. “Zio Gio!”
“Francesca! You don’t barge into someone else’s home!” Brooke yelled from outside.
Gio scooped up his niece and hugged her hard. “My family is loud. Loveable, but loud.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The D’Angelos swooped into their home with hugs, kisses, and bags and bags of food.
Gio’s mom took over her kitchen like she’d been there before.
Emma watched in fascination as Luca took Beth under his culinary wing and helped her make ravioli . . . from scratch.
“I didn’t know you could cook,” Emma teased her mom.
“I can’t.”
“If my daughter can make this . . . so can you,” Luca told Beth.
Franny ran up to Emma’s side and tapped her arm. “Can we go swimming?”
“Of course,” she said.
Mari made a sweeping motion with her hands. “Please. There are too many people in the kitchen.”
Gio picked Franny up and tossed her over his shoulder. “Who needs a swimsuit when I can toss you in like this.”