all, Marie, I’m so proud of you.” It was true, she had charmed them all. He’d seen on that first meeting, all those weeks ago at Christmas, that most of his family were prepared to absolutely hate her. They’d been polite to her, as they would be, but they didn’t want to like her.
Marie, with her quiet ways and quick smile, her need to put people at ease, had charmed her way through the aunts and cousins, and now she was meeting with some of them for breakfast, on her own, without him. It was progress.
“I also looked at taking some business classes at one of the local universities. One offers a degree online, so I wouldn’t even have to leave the house.”
“Would you want that?” he asked as the waiter brought a bottle of red wine to the table and opened it for them. Matteo ignored the man and watched his wife.
She gave him a look that said she’d continue after the waiter left.
“Your meals will be ready in another five minutes, sir, madam.” The waiter nodded politely then and left them in peace.
“It would be safer if I stayed at home, wouldn’t it?” It nearly broke his heart when she asked him that.
“It, well, yes, it would be safer.” He wasn’t aware that she was worried about safety. He’d taken her to a shooting range to teach her how to use the gun, on more than one occasion, but he hadn’t realized fear had made its way into her heart. “But, are you that afraid, Marie?”
“I’m not, not really. But it’s not just, ahem, you know, the family business, that bothers me. The world just isn’t a safe place anymore. And I’m happiest when I’m at home with you.”
“I thought, after so many years of being hidden away, that you’d want to explore the world.” He leaned closer across the table to her.
“I do when you’re with me, or I have someone else in the family with me, but on my own? I’ve spent enough time alone that I long for some company more than anything. And going to museums and shops is more fun when you have someone with you. I’m happy enough on my own, at home, but when I go out, I’d rather not be alone.” She looked a little embarrassed by her admission and looked away.
“It’s to be expected, I guess. Are you sure you want to join me at work, Marie?” He took a breath before he continued. “It would be alright if you didn’t, you know? Aunt Celeste wants a man to take over, even though you’re entitled to it, but if you want me to push I can. Or if you don’t want to take part in it at all, that’s fine too.”
“No, I don’t want to take it all from you, Matteo, and I’m not so afraid that I’d be chased away. I would like to join you though, be a part of it. Do something besides sit around all day shopping online or having lunch with the other ladies. I’m not the kind to sit around doing nothing, not for long anyway.”
Their food arrived then and they both dropped the matter as they focused on the delights that earned the restaurant its reputation. Matteo watched Marie, worried about her. She seemed to be doing alright, adjusting to life in a world that was completely different from her old one, in a new place with people she didn’t know. She had a slightly tired look around her eyes, a shadow beneath the lower lids that she hadn’t learned to hide with makeup yet.
He decided to let her rest tonight and not keep her up until the early hours. He delighted in her, in the sounds she made as he explored her body, but she needed some sleep. He barely tasted the food, he was so caught up in watching her, but she seemed to enjoy it. She smiled happily as she put her fork down a short while later, and sighed.
“That was incredible.” She wiped at her mouth with a napkin and put it down.
“It always is here.” He put his own fork down, done with the meal. He’d finished it all but had no memory of eating it. All he could remember was her, the way she ate so delicately. Her mother had taught her table manners, at least. She’d even been able to pick out the correct fork at his aunt’s at Christmas when the table had been