Then, the three of them came into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
Ana was passed out on his shoulder as he sat down in a seat. I fought between waking her up to eat and letting her sleep peacefully and I realized Camillo wouldn’t be able to eat like that. I walked over to him and tried to take Ana from him, but he simply shook his head.
“I can eat with one arm. It’s okay.”
I was enamored with the attention he was paying Kevin. I was overwhelmed by the way he cradled our daughter while he dressed his salad. I was impressed with the way he didn’t flinch at the fact that he was eating microwaved grilled chicken and, all the while, my hands were shaking in my lap.
I was enjoying this too much and it scared me.
“Why were you gone so long?” Kevin asked.
“Kevin,” I said, scolding him.
“No, it’s all right,” Camillo said. “My work took me away for quite some time. Things got very busy, and I didn’t want to bring that stress into your sister’s life.”
“But you’re here now,” Kevin said. “Are you staying?”
“That’s enough,” Cassie said.
“I promise, his questions are fine,” Camillo said.
“So, are you?” Kevin asked.
I sighed and allowed my gaze to fall to my lap. I knew the dinner was going to be awkward, but I didn’t realize Kevin was going to take so well to Camillo.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“Well, I do live in the area and I’d like to be a part of Ana’s life now. But that mean’s I’ll also be a part of yours somewhat. Are you okay with that?”
“Maybe you should pose that question to Rose first,” Cassie said.
I snapped my gaze up at her before my eyes drifted toward Camillo. I shot him a silent apology as Cassie rolled her shoulders back. She braced for a fight every single time a guy came into our lives. Though I loved that she was protective of me, it sometimes annoyed me to no end.
“How about we talk about that later?” Camillo asked.
“Okay,” Kevin said, defeated. “What questions are okay to ask?”
“You could ask me about where I grew up,” Camillo said. “Or what I like to do for fun.”
“What do you like to do for fun?” Kevin asked.
“Sleep,” Camillo said, grinning.
I couldn’t help but giggle at his answer while Kevin’s eyes lit up.
“Hey, me too!” Kevin said. “What else?”
“I do a lot of manual labor. It helps to calm my mind. You know, chopping wood, gardening, hunting, building furniture. That sort of thing.”
“What sorts of furniture? Like could you make us a bigger table?” Kevin asked and I flashed him a look.
“I haven’t tried making a table yet, but I’ve made bookcases and chairs,” Camillo said.
“You work with wood?” I asked.
The grin he threw me across the table shivered me to my toes.
“I work with wood a great deal, when I can,” he said.
I felt the heat creep up my neck and color stain my cheeks. I knew his innuendo was intended for me and it left me a little flustered.
“You okay?” Cassie asked.
“Just fine,” I said breathlessly.
I felt Camillo’s eyes on me as I got up from the table. I needed to start doing something constructive or I was going to jump him at my table in front of my family. I started clearing dishes and took them over to the sink while Kevin put the dressings back into the refrigerator.
I heard everyone get up from the table while I began rinsing the dishes. Cassie took Ana so she could put her down and Kevin was quickly on her heels. My hands were trembling even as the hot water rushed over them, but I was ripped from my trance when the dishwasher beside me opened.
I looked over and saw Camillo staring down at me before he reached for the plates and started stacking them in.
Silently, the two of us cleaned the kitchen. We got everything put away and the table wiped down. He helped me pick up the shreds of the dictionary Ana had left behind on the floor. He even took out the overflowing trash I kept forgetting to deal with before I went to bed.
And by the time he came back in, I was ready to ask the looming question.
“So,” I said breathlessly. “What happens now?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – CAMILLO
I looked into the eyes of my little songbird when she asked me that question, and I found myself lost. This woman was like none other. The strength she possessed and the love she carried for her family rivaled my own. I’d walked into her life after three years of absence between us and she welcomed me to her dinner table like I was an old friend. She had served me the best of the food she had to offer in her home and she had allowed me to bond a little bit with someone who was important to her in her life.