Page 51 of Nico

They both nodded eagerly, jumping around us. I raised back up to my full height, watching both women.

“Um, Nico,” Bianca shifted nervously on her feet, glancing between Mary and I. “This is Mary, my mother-in-law.” I turned to Mary who was watching me with pensive eyes. “Mary, this is my...ummmm-” She cleared her through then tried again, “... my… ummm…”

Poor Bianca, she was really struggling. She cleared her throat uncomfortably, several times, but she just couldn’t seem to continue. Deciding I’d help her out and ensure she didn’t think about bailing out at the last minute, I extended my hand to Mary.

“I’m Bianca’s fiancé.” Mary’s shocked expression darted between Bianca and me. She probably didn’t even realize she took my hand in a handshake. It was an auto response. “Nice to meet you, Mary.”

Bianca gave me a little glare but to her credit remained quiet.

“W-what?” Mary stuttered. “How?”

“It happened fast,” Bianca quickly justified herself.

Mary tried to get herself together but failed, her throat moving but no words coming out.

“Mommy, is Grandma sad?” Arianna asked, her brows furrowed.

Bianca kneeled down and spoke softly to her daughters. “Girls, go get the toys off the beach, so they don’t wash away.”

The girls glanced between the three adults, clearly sensing something was happening but not understanding what.

Bianca gently nudged them. “Go ahead. I’ll come up and help you too.”

Both of them nodded and took off without a backward glance.

The moment they were out of earshot, Mary turned her eyes to Bianca. “You are getting married?”

Bianca flinched at the accusation in Mary’s voice.

“Bianca has been a widow for over a year,” I stood at my full height, wrapping my arm around her waist. “You can’t fault her for moving on.”

Tension seeped out of Bianca, her eyes locked on Mary.

“How long have you been dating?” Mary questioned her daughter-in-law. “Marriage is not something to be decided in a rush, for either one of you.” Agitation rose within me at her insolence. It wasn’t for her to preach to Bianca and certainly not me. “And what is your last name?”

“It is Nico Morrelli,” I told her in a cold voice. “And you will speak to Bianca with respect. She knows what’s best for her and her girls.”

Mary’s eyes got big. She knew my reputation. Good! If it put her in her place and stopped her from speaking to Bianca like that, my last name was well worth it.

Thick silence lingered, and I had no intention of breaking it. Mary Carter would not get in my way. Her son abandoned Bianca even before his death. She had no right to demand Bianca to remain faithful to her son’s memory.

ChapterEighteen

BIANCA

The situation was uncomfortable, and that was putting it mildly. Mary had known me since I was a kid. I knew she’d be upset, but I didn’t expect her to sound accusing. It hurt a bit, but I shoved it deep down. There was no possible way I could tell her why the marriage was happening, though it was on the tip of my tongue to start justifying myself. Even with lies, and I was horrible at lying.

But I stopped myself. I watched my mother-in-law carefully, her eyes glistening with tears and an enormous feeling of guilt hit me. The three of us stood there, the silence after Nico’s words thick, choking the air around us.

“Nico, can I have two minutes alone please?” I asked him and he nodded.

“Of course, take your time.” Surprisingly, his voice sounded soft, but his eyes watched Mary with a guarded, slight warning in his gaze. As stupid as it was, it made me feel somehow protected.

I nodded and turned to Mary who was still watching Nico. “Mary?”

I couldn’t imagine what she was thinking or feeling right now. A mother should never bury her child. I had my own range of guilty feelings about doing this with Nico. For Mary, it was seeing a man in front of her where her son should stand.

I took her hand gently into mine, and we slowly started walking away from Nico.