Chapter 40: Chapter 40

C H A P T E R - S E V E N T E E N

I focused on my reflection in the mirror.

Even if I hadn't snatched my clothing in a flurry, I was unprepared.

Any meeting with the parents would often need a well planned trip to the mall, a manicure, pedicure, facial, hair cut, and at least a week of mental preparation.

At least.

I didn’t have that.

Instead, I reached for a pair of mocha roll top yoga pants, a cream camisole in an ultra slim cut, and my lightweight zip up sweatshirt with amazing embroidery in what I thought at the time was the mega-great shade of a pastel, bright orangey peach.

I now thought it seemed silly.

I didn't wear makeup because it was Sunday morning and most people didn't get dressed to the nines and wear full makeup for a surprise family brunch visit. I did, however, spray some perfume.

I took a breath in. I couldn't stay up there for a long time and still be unable to get down.

Welp! What is to be is to be.

As I left the restroom and made my way up the stairs, I could hear kids yelling over the faint murmur of adult conversations.

As I descended the steps, I looked to my right and noticed a stunning older woman cooking with bacon in a skillet and turning her head to face me. Two tall, slim males with Falcone-like good looks who are likewise handsome are seated side by side on stools with their feet on the rung and their heads turned toward me. Standing at the opposite end of the counter, another tall, slim, older man with a Falcone-like good looks was staring at me. Falcone turned to face me and leaned his hip on the horseshoe's end, twisting his neck to stare at me. Finally, I noticed two black-haired children running over the large expanse without noticing me. I estimated their ages to be between two and six.

"Hey," I said from five stairs down (yes, I was counting, I had five steps to go without falling on my face).

"Hey," one of the men on the stool said, beaming but without dimples, although his brother on the other stool was also grinning and had dimples. So did the elder gentleman.

I traveled across the area, which was a considerable distance under normal circumstances, an epic journey with Falcone's family's gaze following me.

I didn't know where to go, so my feet guided me to Falcone. I came to a halt by his side, and no one had turned away. Not a single one of them.

Yikes.

Falcone's arm slipped down my shoulders, he curled me as he rotated me so my front was crushed into his side, near, too close, and I looked up, ready to gain distance, only to see his eyes heated on me.

“You okay? " He inquired quietly.

No. Nobody could claim I was good or even okay. I was probably stressing out.

I lied and nodded.

"Would you like coffee?"

"Coffee would be nice," I said as I began to draw away, but Falcone's arm stiffened and he lifted his head and glanced toward his mother.

"Could you fetch Gia a coffee, Ma?"

My body jerked and my eyes darted toward her. "I'll fetch it."

Then I froze.

Something wasn't right. Not only incorrect, but extremely wrong. And it was Falcone's mother's expression that was off. I didn't know her, and I'd only been in her company for a minute, yet her anguish struck my heart.

"Amelia, honey, Yago's girl needs coffee," the elder man said gently. Falcone's mother jerked, and then she wiped the grief aside.

Um. What in the world was that?

"Of course you are, Gia."

"My name is Amelia," she stated as she rushed over to me. "Mother of Yago."

She offered her hand, and I grasped it despite Falcone's refusal to let me go so I could do this. Her fingers wrapped around mine as she peered up at me from her diminutive height, and I smiled down at her, thinking, no wonder Falcone was hot, she wasn't a spring chicken but she was still a total stunner.

Her hand clasped mine, she gave a little grin, let go, and stepped away.

Hmm. I'm not sure how that turned out.

"My name is Paz," one of the men at the stools said, and I turned to face him. He was the one with the dimples.

"Hello," I said. "I'm Gia."

He was already smiling, and his grin widened when he whispered, "I know."

That's all right.

"Lucia, Paz's wife, is a nurse, darling, and she has a shift at Asian this morning." "The hellions who will ultimately graduate to ripping up my home are his," Falcone said, and I agreed.

"Lur," the other man on a stool remarked, and my gaze was drawn to him.

"Hey," I said.

"Does your laptop function smoothly?" he inquired, and I guessed Lur was the fireman, and I also suspected he was on the cover of the Manila Firefighters calendar, the photo used for the month of July, since he was so hot.

If the firefighters and police officers joined forces and took a group photo that included Magtanggol and Lur, the paper may suddenly explode.

"Thank you for obtaining that for me," I told him.

"No issue," he said as he stared at me. Except for Amelia, who was pouring coffee, they were all still gazing at me.

"Lorenzo," Falcone's Dad bellowed, rushing in my way, a large smile on his face, his looks so similar to Falcone's it was uncanny and boded well for Falcone's future. Falcone's Mom was a knockout, his Dad, like my Dad, had managed to age without losing but a smidgen of hotness.

"Renz," I said as I shook his hand, "Gia."

He let go of my hand but retained a large smile on his face before shifting his gaze to Falcone.

"You have good taste, Yago." Beautiful eyes. Beautiful hair. "Fantastic ass," he said, and I froze in surprise.

“Renz!

" Amelia exclaimed, whirling around while the male Cabrera brood laughed.

Renz looked at his wife. "That's correct."

"Madre de Dios!" she yelled. "Perhaps, but you don't say that in front of her!" ”

Renz sat back on his heels, his arms folded across his chest. "What's the harm?"

"Renz," I said as I shook his hand, "Gia."

He let go of my hand but retained a large smile on his face before shifting his gaze to Falcone.

"You have good taste, Yago." Beautiful eyes. Beautiful hair. "Fantastic ass," he said, and I froze in surprise.

“Renz!

" Amelia exclaimed, whirling around while the male Cabrera brood laughed.

Renz looked at his wife. "That's correct."

"Madre de Dios!" she yelled. "Perhaps, but you don't say that in front of her!" ”

Renz sat back on his heels, his arms folded across his chest. "What's the harm?"

"Woman, you don't have attorneys," Renz said in a professional tone.

Hmm. Amelia and Renz fought. This seemed rather familiar.

"Well, I'm going to locate some!"

" Amelia snapped, then turned to face me, "How do you take your coffee?"

"Milk and half a sugar," I instantly answered.

"Half a sugar won't help that ass," Renz pointed out, and Falcone's body began to shake, and I knew he was chuckling quietly.

But Amelia quickly turned, reached up, grabbed a cup, and flung it at Renz.

She did, in fact, throw a cup at Renz.

Renz, clearly skilled at evasive movement, dodged, and the cup smacked into the counter and bounced off, falling to the floor uninjured because, truly, Falcone's mugs were badass.

I just stood there staring.

“Woman!" Renz screamed, straightening up and placing his fists on his hips. "Are you insane? Gia is now terrified of you! ”

Amelia's eyes were drawn to me, and she cautioned me, pointing a finger at me and leaning forward. "Every one of them is like this. Allow them to get away with it. Do you hear me, Gia? Put your foot down right away. ”

"I hear you," I said quietly.

"I didn't put my foot down immediately enough," she explained, "I was dazzled by his nice looks.  Gia, don't be taken in by Yago's pretty features; instead, learn from my mistakes. He's only a guy. He may do things to make you think differently, but he's only a man."

"I'm not sure that's correct," I admitted. "I haven't seen it myself, but I believe he can walk through walls."

More masculine laughter and shaking of Falcone's body against me, but nothing amused Amelia. "He can't do it.  I see you're dazzled now. Shake it off, my dear. The sooner you start, the better."

"Uh... alright," I said, as she seemed serious.

Renz got a jerk from her finger. “Behave! " she said as she returned her attention to my coffee.

Falcone's head sank, his mouth pressed against my ear. "Dazzled, Sweet Pea?" ”

I twisted my neck in an attempt to capture his attention. "Behave," I said quietly.

He grinned at me, and my body shook not from surprise, but from the impact of a young person.

As he shifted to the front of me and smacked my leg, I peered down into the dark eyes and gorgeous face of a Falcone-like small child.

"Well, hello there, little man," I said.

"Sandro," Paz cautioned as he whacked my thigh again.

“Orange! " the youngster said, slapping my leg again and pointing at my hoodie.

"Yep, orange," I said, pointing to my yoga pants.

"What color is this?"

“Brown! " he exclaimed, clapping his hands.

I looked down at him and smiled. “Excellent. What color is this now? " I raised my hand and yanked on my hair.

“Pretty!" he yelled, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing and stooped down so I was practically eye to eye with him.

"My name is Gia; who are you?"

“Sandro! " he cried, clapping once more.

"Santo," I heard from my side, and I turned to see the elder lad standing there, detached and attentive, his gaze fixed on me.

“Santo?

" I inquired, and he nodded. "Good day, Santo."

He didn't respond, his body swayed, but his gaze never left mine.

"You're quite attractive," I told him.

He continued swaying and looking at me.

"Do you enjoy your Uncle's large lair?" I inquired.

His head sagged to one side. “Lair? " he said again.

I extended my arm to show the available space. "It's his house."

"We can't run at home," he said.

I gave him a kind grin. "You enjoy it."

He took a stride toward me and then came to a halt.

"Sunny," he said.

I returned my gaze to Santo after looking out the windows. "Yeah, honey, it's bright out."

"We can run and climb," he said further.

"But you're careful, right?" So your grandmother won't be concerned? " I inquired.

"Be careful," he said, nodding.

I kept grinning. "What age are you? " I inquired.

"Five," Santo said, taking another step toward me and extending five fingers up to my face.

“Three! " Sandro shouted, and I noticed he was struggling to manage his small hand to show me three, so I leaned out and carefully slipped two fingers into his palm.

"Three," I quietly whispered.

“Three!

" Sandro agreed, smiling excitedly at his hand.

"Can you keep it?" I inquired, and his eyes shifted to his hand, his mouth twisted, and he nodded.

I slowly retracted my hand, and he raised his three fingers.

I let go of my fingers and touched his still-plump, smooth cheek with my fingertips. "Perfect," I replied.

He glanced back at me before clapping once again and lunging for me. The youngster was so strong, I braced myself at the last second to keep from falling on my ass. He encircled me in his arms, gave me a slobbery three-year-old kiss on the neck, and then yanked my hair.

He let me go and ran off as soon as he could after that.

All the way for Cabrera.

Santo went after him.

I couldn't read his gaze and lost the ability to try as his hand came up, knuckles stroking my face, then down, coiled around my neck.

When I re-focused, I forgot we had an audience, and the look he gave me triggered something off inside of me.