Chapter 100: Letters
- RAYA -
As soon as Dex introduces me, I get swept into a hug from his aunt Gemma and guided through the house with Dex following. I can hear him chuckling behind as Gemma shows me through the rooms we pass.
Every part of the house is gorgeous, and I can’t imagine ever just relaxing and feeling at home here. There are more men in suits visiting in the luxurious living room who glance as we walk by, a few of them doing a double take when they see me. Maybe it’s because I’m the only one who looks like I don’t belong with my blonde hair. Everyone else has dark hair and those romantic Italian features. It feels like I’ve stepped into another culture.
"You better stay close to your girl," Luciano jokes behind me. "She’s already getting looks."
"Lucio, behave," Gemma scolds him. "Dex has nothing to worry about, and you know it."
"Yes, Ma," Luciano says without any bit of irony or sarcasm. It sounds respectful.
We come to a beautiful modern gourmet kitchen that looks like it’s been remodeled compared to all the original details in the rest of the house with stainless steel appliances and marble countertops. The smells make my mouth water. There are several women visiting around the center island and preparing food.
"Look who is here," Gemma says, letting me out of her one-armed embrace and stepping to the side to present her nephew.
Dex always affects me, but seeing him in this setting with his family does something extra to my heart. He is a strong, handsome, incredibly successful man, but watching the expression on his face when he greets all of his family members reveals something of the child that is still inside. And those two aspects of him together is so touching.
"Alexander?" One of the young women smiles and rushes to give him a hug.
"Vanessa?" He chuckles.
"God, look at you! You got so big. What’s with all these muscles, tough guy?" She laughs.
"And you," he smiles. "You have grown up."
"All of you children have grown," Gemma sighs and shakes her head, returning to the food. "Come in and eat, Dex. Introduce your girlfriend to the family."
Dex spends the next hour being approached by his family members in the kitchen and in the backyard—although it looks more like a carefully manicured park or botanical gardens than any backyard I’ve seen—and I get to watch the spectrum of emotions that they all share. I smile politely, shaking hands and accepting hugs but otherwise staying by his side and beaming when his arm is around me, when his hand is at my back, when his fingers are threaded through mine—all of these little nonverbal signals that he’s mine and all of these little comforts and reassurances he offers me when we are in the presence of others I’m unfamiliar with.
The food is amazing. Somehow I keep getting things added to the little plate I’m carrying around, and I could just gush over the flavors without even being distracted by all of the emotions of the night. There is some kind of fried ball with creamy risotto in the middle that’s my favorite. Maybe it’s the American in me who loves fried food, because I could seriously eat those risotto balls all night.
The risotto balls are safer than the raw red prawns I notice a few people savoring like they’re a delicacy—only dressing them with lemon juice and olive oil. I’m sure it’s delicious, but I’m not going to try something that risky tonight when I’m meeting what feels like his entire mother’s side of the family for the first time. I don’t want to humiliate Dex by getting sick in front of everyone or having to rush off to the bathroom.
The one person I haven’t met is Dex’s uncle, which is curious since he is the family member Dex spoke of coming here specifically to see. I hear others mention him, but he never actually appears. It reminds me of the elusive Jay Gatsby at one of his own lavish parties. Everyone is aware of him, but he is rarely seen—almost of mythical status.
"Will you be okay if I go see my uncle?" Dex asks once the attention of his family has lessened and we are seated alone at a small table in the yard. His question is merely a whisper in the shell of my ear that makes the small hairs on my neck rise, reaching for him.
"Oh, is he here?" I look around to see if I can spot him, as if I would know when my eyes fell on him even though I have never met him before.
"He is inside. He will be out to visit, but probably not until later." Dex kisses the bare skin of my shoulder—a gesture that sinks into my bones and makes my cheeks that are already warm from the small amount of wine I’ve had heat more.
"Of course I will be okay," I smile.
The sun has started to sink toward the horizon, and small white lights strung across the backyard come on, giving the vast gardens and olympic size pool a glittering, romantic glow. It almost feels cozy, despite the grand size of the space. The warmth of family, the welcoming of everyone around, the delicious food that is made with love—all of those things makes the mansion and its grounds more intimate, more familiar. It’s not as intimidating as I thought it would be.
"Are you sure?" Dex’s eyebrows angle upward, honey brown eyes looking back and forth between mine—adoring me. Why? I don’t know. But I’m so profoundly grateful to be the object of his affection.
"Yes, I’m sure," I giggle, reaching to caress the bristly hairs of his beard. "You know, we forgot your grandmother’s letters in the truck."
"That’s true, we did. Would you like to go get them?" He fishes the truck keys out of his pocket and offers them to me.
"I can probably manage that," I smile, taking the keys and tucking them into my hand.
"Raya, will you do me a favor?" He leans in close enough that I can feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.
"What?" I whisper back.
"Don’t take anymore wine. They don’t know about your accident." He kisses me on the neck just below my ear, making my lashes flutter closed before he pushes out of his chair, winking at me and walking toward the back of the house.
Is it too early to think that I love this man? Thankfully no one in his family has asked how long we have known each other yet. I’m not sure how they would react if they knew it was such a short time. They would probably think I was rather suspicious... maybe even that I was after Dex for his money. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Once Dex disappears into the golden glow of the lights inside, I find my way back as well, taking my plate and glass to the kitchen. Gemma is alone, cleaning up it appears. There is still a large variety of food on the counter in beautiful arrays of colors, but some things are now being wrapped and placed in the fridge.
"Raya, how is everything? Would you like more wine?" Gemma asks, gesturing toward the several varieties open on the island. Some of them are chilled on ice and others are simply sitting on the counter. I wonder if they have a wine cellar. They must in this house.
"Oh, no thank you. Everything is delicious," I smile politely.
"Are the boys behaving out there?" She chuckles, wiping down the counter and placing dishes into the sink.
"Yes," I laugh softly. "Everyone is so nice. Thank you for the hospitality."
"It’s not hospitality when it’s family," she smiles. "If Dex brought you here, you are family."
"Thank you," I say shyly, not exactly knowing how to receive such an immediate acceptance like hers. I suppose she is just so happy to have her nephew here that she would accept anyone he brought.
"Dex and I actually brought some letters we found of his grandmother’s, but we forgot them in the truck. They are in Italian, and he was hoping someone in the family could translate them."
Gemma’s expression changes. She looks almost startled. "In the guest house?" She asks, sliding across the island toward me.
"Yes," I nod.
Her big brown eyes blink a few times, becoming distant. "Luna and Saul’s mother had secret letters?" She mutters to herself.
"Oh, I don’t know if they were secret," I rush to clarify. But her expression doesn’t change.
"Auraya, will you keep those letters in the truck for now?" She asks, covering my hands in hers.
Gemma’s voice has become almost a whisper, and I nod without even having to think more of it. Dex’s aunt is looking at me with such immense concern that it makes my heart start to race... a warning of some kind that I don’t understand.
"I will talk to Dex about it," she says with a small, polite smile and pats my hands. "Would you like a cannoli?"
