Chapter One
Gia
I swing my feet back and forth, keeping my eyes on my textbook. Normally the room is loud but it’s quiet today. I don’t know where everyone is, but I swear it’s like they know I have something to tell them and they’re making it drag out.
It’s Sunday and in the Fisher family you never miss family dinner. Ever.
I read the page in the book over again as I wait for everyone to get here. The quiet of the family home is messing with my nerves. The only thing I can hear are the quiet sounds my mom makes as she cooks, but my dad hasn’t even made an appearance yet.
I glance up, feeling my mom’s eyes on me. “Do you need help?” I ask for the fifth time. I tried to help when I got here, but when she saw I had my backpack with me she told me to sit and work.
“Nope.” She cocks her head to the side, trying to read my mood, which she knows is off.
Everything about me is off right now. At least it feels like it because I’m in love—head over heels in love. It’s different than anything I’ve felt before and I know what love is. My family is a close bunch and there’s so much love between us. Even though at times we can fight hard, too.
It’s why I’m so edgy today. I’m not sure how this is going to go down. I need to tell my parents that not only am I seeing someone, but he’s the one. I can feel it in my soul.
She keeps on staring at me, so I look back down at the textbook so I don’t blurt it out. I’m going to tell them when everyone is here. I didn’t want to repeat myself and get the same questions asked on a loop. I’m going to do it over the dinner table. That way all my brothers will be there to start their interrogation.
Somehow I’ve been the first to find someone, which is crazy because they’re all older than me. Not one of them has brought someone home and I swear they’ve done this on purpose. Maybe they thought it would keep me from ever doing it. They’d be happy if I lived out my life like Aunt June who we all speculate is still a virgin. They even try to play up how great her life looks. She can do whatever she wants and doesn’t have someone else to worry about! I’m not that wet behind the ears and I’m on to them. I love Aunt June, but I’m pretty sure she’s crazy.
Maybe I should have warned Marco I’m going to tell them first. Last night I started to tell him that I loved him and that I was ready to take us to the next level. My best friend Caroline told me I’m running scared and she was right.
I wondered why he hadn’t said it first, but I know Marco grew up without a family. Caroline reminded me that some people aren’t used to saying I love you like I am and that maybe he’s never had those words spoken to him before. That’s when I knew I was being a jerk and needed to tell him the next time I saw him and stop avoiding him.
Then everything in Caroline’s life exploded and distracted me from telling him how I feel. I know Marco loves me because I don’t see how he couldn’t, not with how he treats me. I’ve never met a man like him before and maybe that’s why he’s the first and only to have ever caught my eye. It doesn’t hurt that I’m not living at home anymore. My big brothers tend to scare away everyone with a dick. They mean well, but they’ve made dating impossible.
“How’s Caroline?” Mom asks, because she’s probably wondering where she is.
She fit right back into our family since moving home. She usually comes to family dinners with me most Sundays. It’s on the tip of my tongue to say that she’s banging a married man, but then my mom would lose her mind. I also know I’d only be shifting attention off myself and Caroline doesn’t need that crap.
“I’m so happy she met someone.” I glance back up at my mom, who doesn’t look surprised at what I told her.
“Good for her.” She nods as she stirs the red sauce on the stove.
My mom is being evasive and I wonder if she’s on to me about seeing someone. She could be pretending it’s A-OK for Caroline to date someone and not give me the third degree about it so that I’ll admit to seeing Marco.
Again I bite my tongue because I’m pretty sure she’s baiting me. My mom and I are way too much alike and it’s annoying, even though it can be useful. Right now I’m really not sure what her reaction is going to be, but we’re both pretty blunt.