“What’s going on?” The words were out of her mouth before Arie’s bottom even touched the chair. “You’ve been like Alice in Wonderland these past couple of days. Something’s going on. Spill it.”
Arie grimaced and shook her head then opened her mouth to speak. She didn’t get far.
“And don’t give me your usual story that everything’s okay and it’s nothing. Farah called me. She told me what happened at the luncheon.”
Arie frowned. She wouldn’t have tagged the girl as a tattletale. She could only hope she hadn’t told Lena everything. “What did she tell you?” she asked, dreading the answer.
“Everything,” Lena replied, her tone like the perfect school marm. “The forgotten napkin rings, the 'little-girl-lost' look and the baked flowers.”
“They weren’t baked. They were rescued in time.”
“Just barely.” Lena’s brows fell. “And they shouldn’t need rescuing, either. What’s going on, Arie? Where’s your head?”
It was the hint of frustration in Lena’s voice that made Arie decide to give in. She would break her vow of silence because, in all fairness to her partner, she had to explain her bad behavior. And besides, she needed to get things off her chest. She needed to talk.
She drew in her breath then let it out on a sigh. “I’m in trouble, Lena.” She said the words like they were a death sentence. “Big time.”
That made Lena’s brows lift in surprise then the concern returned to her eyes. “What is it? Let me know so I can help.”
Arie shook her head. “Sorry. You can’t help me with this one. When you’ve got a test to take you can’t take your friends along. You’ve got to deal with it by yourself. You know how it is.”
“No, I don’t know how it is. Now stop confusing the heck out of me and tell me what you mean.”
Arie shook her head again and gave her friend a wry smile. “Want to go to Italy with me?”
“Say what?”
“I said, do you want to go to Italy with me? Rome wants me to go to Italy to meet his family and I’m scared out of my wits.” Arie was not ashamed to admit she was the biggest coward this side of New Orleans. “I don’t wanna go,” she wailed and gave Lena a pout that would compete with any two-year old's.
“I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t you want to go? It’s not like you’re some bum Rome would need to keep hidden till after the wedding.” Lena gave a snort. “You’re a saint. What have you got to be scared of?”
Arie shrugged then turned her palms up like she was already accepting defeat. “What if they don’t like me? What if I’m not good enough for their son?” Then, as the most worrying thought filled her mind, she folded her arms across her chest. “What if they have a problem with my baby?”
That made Lena fold her arms, too, but instead of the words of sympathy Arie was expecting, the next words she heard were a reprimand. “And what if they do?” her friend asked. “You’re not going to abandon your child or your fiancée because of that, are you?”
“No, of course not,” Arie snapped. “What kind of dumb question is that?”
“I’m glad you think it’s dumb.” Lena’s eyes flashed as she leaned forward. “Whether they like it or not, you’ve got a child. Going to Italy and dealing with them now is the best thing you could do. Get it out in the open. You want absolutely no surprises at your wedding.”
Arie thought about that for a moment. Lena was right, of course. Practical as ever, she believed in a full frontal attack on all problems. “Okay, L, as much as I hate the idea I’ll go.”
Lena gave a satisfied nod. “You do that,” she said. “Just be brave. Whatever will be will be.”
Arie gave her a grudging nod. She only hoped that whatever would be wasn’t that Rome would end up choosing his family over her and Maya.
She’d be going to Italy with all fingers and toes crossed.
***
“Are you okay?” Rome reached over and rested his hand on top of Arie’s.
Trying hard to look composed, Arie swallowed then she nodded. “Of course,” she said quickly. “Why wouldn’t I be?” But her voice was hoarse and just a little bit shaky. Far from convincing, she was forced to admit. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’m fine,” she said and this time her voice was firm, even if strained.
Rome’s eyes narrowed as he regarded her. “You don’t sound fine and you don’t look fine, either.” He let her hand go but only so he could shift the loose strands from her face and tuck them behind her ear. Then his hand covered hers again. “Nervous?”
That made her give a shaky chuckle. “Can you tell?”
His smile deepened. “It’s more than obvious,” he said, his tone soft and totally nonjudgmental, “but that’s okay. You’re going to a new country to meet your family-to-be. Who wouldn’t be nervous? Heck, if I were in your place I’d be shaking in my shoes.”
She couldn’t help rolling her eyes over that one. “Yeah, right. You? Scared?”
“Hey, that’s a sexist remark. What? Men can’t get scared?” He gave her a look that said he was deeply offended, so offended that she had to laugh.
“You’d better fix that pout or I’ll have to kiss you till you’re blue,” she threatened.
That got rid of the pout, all right, because his face immediately broke into a wide grin. “Bring it on, babe. You can punish me any time.”
It must have been the fact that they were thirty thousand feet up in the air or maybe it was her taut nerves snapping. Arie didn’t know what came over her. Before the words were even out of Rome’s mouth she’d unsnapped her seatbelt and was leaning over to clasp his face in her hands. Then, like she’d been starving for this all day, she captured his lips with hers and kissed him like she would never get enough.
And he answered in kind. Rome unsnapped his seatbelt, too, and he lifted the armrest between them then he was pulling her over and onto his lap where he turned the tables on her, taking full control of the kiss so she was soon gasping and clinging to him.
It was exactly what Arie needed to take her mind off her impending troubles. As Rome’s lips molded to hers she melted into him, letting his tongue slide into her softness, drawing strength from his embrace.