“Donte,” I said before anyone could make a move, “where are they, and I’ll grab them.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Nonsense.” I tossed an unimpressed look at Mariano. He barely noticed and caught sight of the wine glasses on the counter behind him. Plucking two from the lineup, I set them in front of Mariano.
“Who are you?” Anna addressed me after a fit of giggles from something funny Mariano said. “And why are you wearing that?”
“This little ace…” Mariano wrapped an arm around me, and I gave a strange look at his nickname for me. I was no ace; luck was never on my side. “…is Sienna. She’s a journalist.”
“Oh.” She scrunched her nose, unimpressed. “What are you doing here?”
“She’s a guest.” Elio spoke up next to me as he knocked Mariano’s arm off my shoulders. “Show a little respect to the lady.”
“Are you here for long?” Anna ignored Elio and gauged my involvement with the men.
“No.” I wanted her claws to retract. I had no interest in being in someone’s firing line.
“I’m hoping to change that.” Mariano boldly kissed my cheek, wrapping his arm around me again with a laugh as he looked directly at Elio. I felt the tension and didn’t like the idea that came to me that I was a pawn in some twisted game of power and sexual tension. That was just another red flag for me. The moment his arm moved, I shifted to the far side of my chair, wanting to create some distance between us.
“Mariano,” Piero came in the kitchen looking just as handsome as his son, “your parents just arrived.”
“Great, where’s the bourbon?” He laughed in a poor attempt to be funny.
“Shall we go greet them?” Anna pushed her wine glass away. “And get something stronger to drink on the way?”
“Excellent idea.” He smirked at me like he thought I would enjoy his silly college banter. “I’ll be back.” He made a show of giving me a wink and a light pat on the bottom.
My face heated.
I watched them leave and tapped my fingers on the island, unsure how I was supposed to act around anyone anymore. Tugging the tie loose from around my back, I slowly removed the apron.
“Hello, my sweet girl.” Piero smiled.
“Good evening, Piero.”
“You look lovely tonight.”
“Yes, she does.” Elio nodded.
“Thank you.” I draped the apron on the back of the bar stool as I looked at Piero.
“I don’t like the way things ended so suddenly at the market.” Piero leaned down to see me better.
“Funny how things end like that around your family.” I hated how much my pain ran out of my mouth.
Piero pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head.
“I know, and it pains me.”
Once he let me go, I knew I needed to get out of the kitchen. It had become suffocating. A flash of green caught my attention, and I spotted her in the doorway. My hands flew to my mouth.
My heart squeezed. There was no pain or betrayal when I saw her wonderful face. There was just uncontrollable love.
“Hi, there.” Andrea’s hands were on her cheeks, and tears filled her eyes. “Look at you, all grown up.”
I flew into her arms like a child.
“Oh, Sienna,” she cooed and squeezed me tight. “I missed you so much!”
“I missed you, too.”
We cried and let all the hurtful feelings wash away because we both needed one another. I needed a mother, and she needed a daughter. I knew the hurt would return, but in that very moment at the house on the hill, in the middle of this crazy life, I felt free for half a moment.