Mr Destiny (14 page)

Mama Gina patted her hand. “Don't worry. If Nonna doesn't make the connection, I won't say another word.”

“You're my witness, Kate,” Tony said, frowning at his mother. “When my grandmother doesn't have a clue who you are, my mother
isn't
going to say another word.”

“But,” Mama Gina added, because there was always an exception where his mother was concerned. “But if Nonna
does
make the connection, then I'm hoping Kate will consider that your nonna has never been wrong about one of her marriage predictions
yet.”

Tony looked at Kate. “What my mother isn't telling you, Kate, is that Nonna's previous predictions weren't all that hard to
predict.”

“Anthony!” Mama Gina scolded.

He looked back at Kate. “My grandmother predicted my uncle Vinny would marry my aunt Annette. They'd only been boyfriend and
girlfriend since the second grade. No big surprise there.”

“And what about your uncle Ralphie?” Mama Gina asked.

Tony looked back at Kate. “Nonna predicted my uncle Ralph would meet his bride on the ferry. Not hard to predict, since he
was already working on the ferry by the time he turned sixteen. He still drives the ferry from St. George's landing every
day of the week.”

Mama Gina said, “And I guess you think your father meeting me on the subway is a big coincidence, too. Just like your uncle
Dominic becoming a priest is a coincidence, even though Nonna predicted he would do just that.”

“Everyone knew Uncle Dom had the calling by the time he was twelve years old,” Tony said. “Nonna's big prediction for Uncle
Dom was that his love would always be the Church.”

Mama Gina waved away his comment. “My son has an answer for everything,” she said to Kate. She looked back at Tony. “So let's
hear your explanation for why you found Kate in Central Park standing beside the Blessed Virgin, just like Nonna predicted.”

The question caught Tony off guard.

Kate was even looking at him for an answer.

When he didn't have one, Mama Gina motioned for Kate to get up. “Come, Kate,” she said, taking Kate by the hand again. “It's
time to settle how well my mother-in-law can predict the future, once and for all.”

Kate's mind was still reeling from the candid conversation she'd just witnessed between Tony and his mother. The Petrocellis
were definitely open, honest, in-life's-face kind of people.

So different from her.

She had opinions, sure, but by the time she finished picking and choosing her don't-make-waves words carefully, the chance
to state her opinions had usually passed. Which only reinforced her push-me-right-over personality. That's what had given
Harold the upper hand—her inability to blurt out exactly what she was really thinking without weighing and balancing the risks.

Tony was like Alex. You always knew exactly where you stood with both of them. He'd been bold enough to ask if she really
loved Harold, hadn't he? He'd just blurted the question right out there. Even said he could tell she wasn't your typical happy
bride.

He knew I was lying about the ring, too.

Maybe she
would
tell him she had called off her wedding. After she finished her audition with the grandmother, of course. Admit that most
of her life she'd been nothing more than a clueless guppy swimming around and around and around in the big bowl of life.

Not!

That would send him running in the opposite direction for sure. No straightforward guy like him would ever be interested in
a ditzy chick who had accepted a marriage proposal from a guy because she didn't have the guts to make waves.

No.

She wasn't going to tell Tony anything.

Not tonight.

After she got her act together—maybe then.

When they reached the back of the restaurant, Kate found a table of smiling faces waiting to greet her. Mama Gina pointed
down the table, spouting out names Kate knew she'd never be able to remember.

But the names didn't matter.

The energy in the room was warm and friendly.

Kate knew at a glance everyone was devoted to each other. It was the type of family anyone would want, and most people would
never have.

“Kate, this is my husband, Mario,” Mama Gina said, when they came to a stop at the head of the table.

Kate nodded politely, realizing she'd just caught a glimpse of what Tony himself would look like at his father's age. The
resemblance was remarkable. Mario smiled, the same familiar laugh lines crinkling as he took her hand in his.

“Welcome to Mama Gina's,” he said.

But the look in his eyes said more.

As if he knew some secret Kate didn't.

This really is creeping me out.

She couldn't help it. She was getting more nervous by the minute. She even felt a little light-headed when Mama Gina led her
around the table to where the obvious matriarch was sitting.

The grandmother looked nothing like Kate had imagined, either. She'd imagined the grandmother rather Gypsy-like, shoulders
stooped, dressed all in black, lace veil draped over her head and shoulders—your typical tea-leaf-reading icon. This woman
was impeccably dressed, not a hair out of place on her snow-white head, and sitting as dignified as any queen holding court.

Had it not been for the slightly vacant look in her eyes, Kate never would have suspected she was blind. The old woman turned
her head at the sound of their approach. That's when Kate realized whether she was blind or not, Tony's nonna didn't miss
much.

By then, Tony was following so closely behind her, Kate could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck.

She shivered.

Oh, God,
she kept thinking.

What if his grandmother did make some kind of connection? What if the old woman grabbed her in an embrace the way Mama Gina
had done, and announced to the entire family that she really was the woman Tony was destined to marry?

Oh, God.

What will I do if that happens?

What will Tony do if that happens?

Kate glanced at the front door, fighting the urge to bolt. She was one second away from sprinting for the door when Mama Gina
bent down to speak directly to the old woman.

“Nonna,” Mama Gina said. “I have someone I want you to meet. This is Kate Anderson.”

When the old woman held out her hand, Mama Gina said, “Kate, this is my mother-in-law, Rosa Petrocelli.”

Kate sent a nervous look back over her shoulder at Tony when his mother took her hand and placed it into the outstretched
hands of his grandmother.

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Kate said on cue.

She sent Tony a terrified what-do-I-do-now look when his grandmother kept holding on to her hand much longer than necessary.

The chatter at the table stopped completely.

Everyone held their breath.

The tension kept mounting.

Everyone kept waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

“Welcome,” Nonna finally said. She released Kate's hand and promptly went back to eating her salad.

Welcome?

That was it?

Kate looked at Tony.

Tony looked at Kate.

And everyone started talking at once.

Tony had no intention of losing control of the situation again. He bent down and kissed his grandmother on the cheek, told
her he would be right back, then began pushing Kate forward, toward the front of the restaurant.

They were close to making their escape.

But his mother caught up with them just as they reached the restaurant's front door.

“Anthony! Where are you going?” she demanded. “No one leaves Mama Gina's with an empty stomach. I want Kate to stay for dinner.”

God, it's tempting.

He'd like nothing better than for Kate to stay for dinner. The minute she walked out the door, he would lose her forever.

Staying for dinner isn't part of the deal.

Staying for dinner would mean that Kate would be subjected to Mama and more of her pranks.

It wasn't fair to Kate.

He had to let her go.

Tony shook his head. “No way, Mama. You'd be dropping hints to Nonna all night, and you know it. I think we've already put
Kate through enough.”

Mama Gina swatted Tony on the arm. “I wouldn't drop any hints to Nonna.”

She looked at Kate for a second, then finally gave in and let out a defeated sigh. “I'm sorry, Kate. Tony's right. We've put
you through enough drama tonight. But I am disappointed, and I admit it.”

He glanced at Kate.

At least she was smiling.

“You have a wonderful family,” Kate said. “I've enjoyed meeting all of you.”

“You're always welcome here,” his mother told her. “Bring your new husband with you next time. I'll treat you both to the
best baked ziti in Queens.”

Her new husband.

Tony winced in spite of himself.

Mama Gina stepped forward and gave Kate a final hug.

What?

Did he imagine it?

Or was it just wishful thinking?

Tony wasn't sure.

But just for a second, he thought Kate looked a little disappointed, too.

It had been awkward while Rosa Petrocelli held on to her hand with the whole family watching, but awkward didn't touch what
Kate was feeling when she and Tony finally made it out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk. The good news was, Tony seemed
as eager to get rid of her as she was to get the hell out of there.

She'd almost blurted out for Mama Gina not to give up on her yet, that she had called off her wedding. But it wouldn't be
fair to Tony. She needed to get things officially settled with Harold first. She'd already broken her engagement, yes, but
she knew Harold well enough to know he wouldn't leave her alone until they had a face-to-face meeting when he returned from
Chicago.

Which, in all fairness, Harold truly deserved.

Breaking their engagement on the telephone was not something she was proud of doing, she'd just been too angry to care after
Harold's tacky don't ask, don't tell comment. Still, being angry was no excuse. She'd meet Harold face-to-face one last time
and give him no reason to doubt it was over between them.

After the dust settled and her life settled back down, that was when she'd take a long walk through Central Park until she
found Officer Petrocelli.

Waiting until I have my life together is the right thing to do.

Kate was sure of it.

He kept his hand at her back, practically pushing her toward the taxi. Before she could stop him, he dug into his pocket,
bent down, and handed the taxi driver several folded bills through the open taxi window.

When he stood back up, he said, “I gave the driver more than enough for your fare both ways, and a good tip. Don't let him
tell you otherwise.”

“That wasn't necessary,” Kate told him.

He grinned. “Are you kidding? After what you've just done for me? I've been living with my grandmother's prediction for the
last twenty years. Thanks to you, the curse is finally broken.”

“And now you're a free man,” Kate said.