The Inheritance (The Donatelli Series) (39 page)

“We’re already married.”

“Not according to Aunt Sophia. To her, it isn’t a real marriage without a priest.”

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Maria couldn’t stop crying. Blade thought she didn’t love him. It broke her heart to see the look on his face. If she lost him now, she had no one to blame but herself. She should have come back from Seattle with Blade. Robbie could have gotten to know his father another time. They sat in Roberto’s hotel room drinking and talking until Robbie curled up on the bed, too tired to stay awake any longer, until she realized that the visit was no longer about Roberto and Robbie. It was about
her
and Roberto.

He wanted her to come to California and stay with him, just her and Robbie. She refused, of course. She was married to another man, and she had no intention of hurting him. Maria loved Blade as she’d never loved Fred or Roberto, and she’d never cheat on him.

But Blade didn’t know that.

Coming home drunk was a stupid thing to do, especially knowing how Blade grew up. She’d only been drunk three times in her entire life, but he didn’t know that. It probably reminded him of Sunny. She could kick herself for doing that to him.

Mom moved home. Teresa said Blade would stay with Nick until the wedding, that they needed some time apart. Her family had stepped in to do what she couldn’t. They’d come up with a plan to get them through the wedding.

From then on, they were on their own.

If
Blade still wanted to marry her.

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Blade woke the next morning with a little finger in his ear. The kid had a shirt on, but no pants. “Hey, Max.”

Nick snagged the bottomless kid. “C’mon, Max, let’s go find a diaper. He’s a nudist at heart.”

“So am I, kid.” Blade stretched and sat up. His injured hand had grown stiff overnight, and he missed Maria so much he hurt right down to the bone. If she didn’t want to marry him again, he’d crawl into a hole somewhere and die.

He worked with Nick and Angelo all day, half expecting Maria to show up. She didn’t. They hung the rest of the kitchen cabinets, and the plumbers installed the sinks and bathroom fixtures. Things were coming together, but the house wouldn’t be finished before the wedding. Too bad, because he wanted to move in before they left on their honeymoon.

If
there was a wedding. He still wasn’t sure Maria wanted to marry him. If she didn’t, he’d give her the house, as he’d promised, and he’d get on Harley and ride off into the sunset.
Alone.

The real estate broker from Palm Beach called and said she had someone interested in the beach house, and they wanted the house fully furnished. There was nothing in the house he wanted, but someone had to pack up the personal stuff. He had no desire to go back there without Maria.

He had no desire to live without Maria.

“Get an appraiser in there to give me a value on the furniture and artwork,” he told the broker. “They can have the kitchen stuff and linens, everything but the personal stuff.”

“Would you like me to take someone in to pack the personal things?” she asked.

“Ask the couple that lives in the cottage to do it. Would you ask the buyers if they’d let those people stay until they find other employment?”

“Of course.”

The house was small by Palm Beach standards, but it was worth a bundle. Blade didn’t belong in a ritzy community like that, and he knew Maria felt out of place there. He’d rather give most of his money away than spend it on a lavish lifestyle, and he didn’t want his kids to grow up expecting to live a life of luxury and thinking they never had to work. They could end up like Michael and John.

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Maria reached for the phone several times over the next two days, and Mom shook her head.
Don’t call Blade. You’ll see him in church.

I miss him, Mom.

I know honey, but you’ll be together soon enough.

I disappointed him.

He’ll forgive you, Maria. Blade loves you.

“I need to talk to him. I need to know if he still wants to marry me.”

“He does.”

Without another word, Maria grabbed her keys and drove to the new house. She sat in the car for several minutes, watching the men hustling around, installing windows and nailing on the frames.

Walking inside, she saw the new crystal chandelier in the entry and the coordinating one in the two-story dining room. The dining room furniture from New York would look magnificent in there. The kitchen turned out more beautiful than she’d pictured, and the big freeform island with the sink in the middle looked great. So did the skylights over the breakfast room.

She walked through the rest of the house, impressed with the progress, but she didn’t see Blade anywhere. Was he avoiding her?

“Where is he?” she asked Angelo.

“I sent him to get supplies.”

“Because I came?”

“Yes. You’ll see him at the church day after tomorrow.”

“Is he okay?” She heard the tears in her voice, and she knew Angelo did, too.

“His hand is healing and his heart will mend as soon as he sees you in your wedding dress. Now go on, get out of here before he comes back. You can wait two days, can’t you?”

“No,” she whispered.

Angelo hugged her. “I’ll tell him you were here.”

She drove home and busied herself with the laundry. With four kids, the laundry never ended, and she wanted everything caught up before the wedding.

Mom was making cannoli for the wedding reception, which would be held at Nick and Cara’s house. Maria couldn’t think beyond the wedding. They were supposed to go to New York and then on to Europe, but with the house nearly finished, she hated to leave. She wanted to go to Italy, but she wanted to take Mom and the kids there. Would Blade understand? How could he understand that when he couldn’t understand her wanting to spend time alone with Robbie and Roberto?

If she could take that evening back, she’d do it in a heartbeat.

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Two days later, after scrubbing kids and showering herself, Maria dressed the boys in their new suits and helped them tie their ties. They were going to be Blade’s best men. Molly wore mascara and lipstick with her pretty pink dress, and Mom looked elegant, as usual. Maria’s hand shook as she applied her makeup.

What if Blade changes his mind?

“He’ll be at the church waiting for you, Maria. You look so beautiful, honey.” Mom always knew the right thing to say.

Molly called, “Mom, there’s a white limo outside. Is that for us?”

“Aunt Cara’s limo is black,” said Andy.

“So was the one in New York,” said Maria. Her throat felt so tight she could barely speak.

“We have to be there in ten minutes,” called Mom. “Is everyone ready to go?”

“Where are the flowers?” asked Molly.

“At the church,” said Mom. “Come on, boys, go out and get in the car. Molly, come on.”

Mom took Maria’s arm, pulled the door closed behind them, and they walked out to the limo together. The small chapel had no bride’s room, so Maria stayed in the car and straightened her dress while the boys ran inside to see if everyone was ready.

Vinnie came out with her bouquet. “I have been selected, as the older brother, to escort my sister inside. C’mon, sis. That poor slob standing at the altar is afraid you’ve changed your mind.”

Tony pinned on Mom’s corsage and walked her inside, and Molly followed with Nick. And then her big brother took Maria’s arm and walked up the steps to the chapel and inside, where Angelo’s beautiful tenor voice filled the chapel.

Maria’s eyes scanned the front and stopped on Blade’s wide blue eyes.
You look magnificent, Maria.

So do you, Blade.

One corner of his mouth curled up.
I love you so much.

No doubts?

No. You?

None.

How could she ever have doubted their love?

Epilogue

A
fter a week in New York, where they attended the Banner-Covington board meeting, Maria and Blade returned home to finish the last-minute details on their new home. Their trip to Italy had been postponed until next summer, when they’d take the kids and their grandmother to Italy. Mom was excited about going, and so were the kids. The funny part was that Maria hadn’t suggested they take the family along. It was Blade’s suggestion.

Three weeks later, the house had been finished, inspected, cleaned, and readied for them to move in. The movers came Friday morning. Maria stood at the front door and told the men which rooms to put the furniture in. Teresa helped place the furniture in the upstairs bedrooms, and Bridget directed the placement of the breakfast room furniture and boxes in the kitchen. Mom and Molly had stayed home to supervise the boys. Their work started tomorrow, when the unpacking began.

The pool table, a gift from the men in Maria’s family, had been delivered yesterday, before the sliding glass doors were put in place. Al, Angelo, Nick, and Vinnie had all come to help. They usually brought a case of beer to family work parties, but out of respect for Blade, they brought soft drinks that day. Blade might not have noticed, but Maria did.

At the end of the day, with all the furniture in place and the beds made, Blade and Maria went back to Sophia’s house for dinner.

They still hadn’t told Sophia that one of those bedrooms would be hers. The kids wanted to see the house that night, and Blade told them they’d have to wait until morning, when they’d all go over, including Grandma and Daisy.

The fence for the dog run wasn’t in yet, but the doggie door had been installed on the laundry room door. Daisy would have to learn to stay at home and out of the street until they could get the fence up. Vinnie didn’t have any of the landscaping in yet, but it would all get done in good time.

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It was barely dawn when a little voice asked, “Blade, is it time to get up?”

He groaned and pulled the pillow over his face. “What time is it?”

“Six o’clock,” said Andy.

Blade threw an arm over Maria. They’d both dropped into bed last night, worn out from a long day of moving, and it looked like it would be another long day. “Yeah, I guess it’s time to get up. I’ll make breakfast in a few minutes. Go pack your clothes, kid. Today we’re moving into our new house.”

After Andy left the room, Maria said, “We did put a lock on the new bedroom door, didn’t we?”

He chuckled and dragged his sleepy body out of bed.

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Two hours later, Blade unlocked the front door of their new house. “Everyone look around this floor and then come back here.”

Blade stood in the entry with Maria while the rest of the family walked through the main level. “Whose bedroom is this?” Molly asked.

“The big one is for your mom and me. The other bedroom on this floor is for Grandma.”

“For me?” said Sophia. “You built a room for me?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “You’re part of our family.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

The kids stood around, waiting to go upstairs. “Ready to see your rooms, kids?” Heads nodded, so he said, “Molly, your bedroom has a big four-poster bed, a window seat, and your own bathroom. Andy and Jimmy, your room has two beds, and your bathroom has two sinks, so you can get ready for school at the same time. And Robbie, your bedroom is between the library and the back stairs. It has a window seat and an extra cabinet for your books. Take your suitcases up with you, kids.”

The little boys scrambled up first, lugging their suitcases, and Daisy ran upstairs after them. Robbie went to the back stairs, and Molly carried two bags upstairs to find her room. Blade held Sophia’s arm and walked slowly up the stairs with her, so she could see the kids’ rooms.