Mia groaned, but the smile on her face was thoroughly entertained even as she rolled her eyes at her mother's antics.
"This would probably be part of what Enzo means about scaring her off," Elisa said, glancing down at her cell phone to type out a message furiously.
"Put your phone away," Bianca scolded. "We are at your brother's home and meeting his girlfriend. How rude are you? She'll think I raised the lot of you in a barn."
"I'm pretty sure people who live in barns can't afford cell phones, Mom," Elisa laughed, but she tucked the phone into her back pocket as Enzo moved in for a hug.
"How's school?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.
"Calculus is kicking my ass. Why did I let you talk me into taking it again?"
"Language!" Bianca gasped, turning her attention back to me. "She was switched at birth. I swear it." I laughed, the statement so similar to something my Mama would say about me that I felt an instant kinship with Enzo’s youngest sister.
"Like Enzo doesn't swear!" the teenager yelled. "He's a grown man, Mom. Stop acting like we're in Church."
"Your brother is grown, yes. But you are not, my sweet, exasperating child. When you live on your own, then you may swear like a sailor if you so wish. For now, you follow my rules." The girl rolled her eyes, sinking further into Enzo's side.
"She had the same rules for me when I was young," Enzo reassured her, moving away slowly and coming back to my side. He wrapped himself around my back, comforting me through the contact that set me on edge. I didn't have much experience with a boyfriend's family. Patrick was the extent of my serious relationships, but he'd always kept me at a respectable distance in front of them. Enzo didn't seem to give a shit if his mother watched on with her eyes gleaming about the possibility of more grandchildren. Like the three racing around weren't enough to handle. "Food should be here soon. I ordered a delivery from Angel's."
"I could have cooked!" Bianca scolded. "You shouldn't spend so much money to feed us."
"Mamma, I have enough money to feed my family when they come over. I would have cooked something, but I didn't want Sadie to have to worry about any of that tonight. You're all terrifying enough, without having to worry about feeding you. I don't even like to cook for you."
"Having money is no reason to waste it, Lorenzo," she said, shaking her head as she moved to look at the dining room table. Immaculate as Enzo always kept it, she nodded approvingly and grabbed plates from the cupboard to set the table.
Enzo left her to it, grabbing his nephews by the shirts as they zoomed past. "Say hello to Sadie." He grinned, holding them still as the young boys tugged against his grip for freedom.
"Uncle Enzo!" Lakely groaned.
"Hi, Sadie!" Barrow said, bolting forward as Enzo released him.
Lakely leveled his uncle with a glare, squirming harder against his captivity. "Say hello, little demon," Enzo laughed. "Then you can race off and terrorize my house again."
"Hello!" Lakely finally said, stumbling over his feet when Enzo finally let him go. Rebel jumped up onto the couch, eager to be out of the path of the three terrors racing around.
"Is she yours?" Elisa asked, dropping onto the couch next to Rebel. My girl dropped her head into the teenager's lap, accepting the soothing scratches to counteract the insanity of the kids.
“She’s ours,” Enzo replied, making me swallow my instinctive response that Rebel was mine. Crap. Didn’t people get a dog together as a trial run for a child? My gaze drifted over to the kids zooming around the room, reminded of myself and the terror I’d been when I was younger.
Luna seemed so calm in comparison. Would Luna and Levi be that way when they got older, or were Enzo’s niece and nephews hyperactive like me?
Ugh.
My frenetic energy was enough for me. Trying to picture a kid with my energy just horrified me.
The doorbell rang and Enzo moved to the door to let in the delivery driver. Carrying entire bagfuls in, he set them on the potholders and cutting boards Bianca had laid out on the table for the food. It seemed that Enzo's family gave mine a run for their money when it came to having entirely too much to eat when they got together.
Once everything was set up, everyone gathered around the table. Bianca took