Jennifer Probst - The Marriage Merger

“Strange. There’re a few extra cars at Mama’s today. I guess she invited some guests to dinner.”

Sawyer linked her hand within his and winked at Wolfe.

“Good, maybe there will be even more food to munch on.”

She laughed and shook her head. “you two are amazing. I’ve never seen grown men eat like they’ve never had real food before.”

“At least I help you clean up,” Wolfe pointed out.

Sawyer shot him a glare. “Traitor. Wait till I get you in the gym. I’ll double-kick your ass.”

“ ‘Double-kick’ is a word, old man? Funny, I didn’t see you going all rocky Balboa on me when I got you in the ring. When you went down, you stayed down.”

“Who’s rocky Balboa?” Julietta asked.

The men traded a shocked look. “Holy shit, you’ve never seen Rocky one, two, three, four, five, or six?” Sawyer asked.

“If there’re six installments, that does not bode well for me,” she said, reaching the door.

“Marathon, baby. Tonight.”

“Behave, boys. I hear voices.”

“Surprise!”

A roar filled the room as the door opened. Julietta looked inside in pure shock. She couldn’t speak as the image before her finally registered. Her family. Crowded in one room, together.

Tears filled her eyes, and she pressed her fingers against her mouth. “Mio Dio, why did you not tell me you were coming?” Julietta rushed forward and was immediately clasped in a cocoon of safety and warmth. With laughter, tears, and shouting, she reached out and grabbed onto Carina, holding her in a hug that also tried to encompass her brother-in-law and Michael.

Carina laughed in delight and squeezed her back. “We wanted to surprise you! We told Mama we were coming but never thought we could pull off such a huge coup.”

Michael lifted her in his arms and swung her around like she was five years old. “We all had to get off work from La Dolce Maggie, and we had to make sure the twins were finally ready to visit their aunt.”

Two matching boys hid behind Maggie’s legs, peeking out curiously at the loving chaos in the room. one sported bright green eyes like her sister-in-law, and the other a deep bark that pegged him immediately as the brooding Luke, exactly forty seconds older than his brother, ethan.

She squatted and held out her arms, lowering her voice to a soothing tone. “Hi, Luke. Hi, ethan. I’m your aunt Julietta.

Can I get a hug?”

A gentle prod from Maggie caused the two to toddle over. They both wore designer jeans, T-shirts, and matching leather jackets. Sturdy walking shoes helped them keep their balance as they entered her arms. Julietta pressed her lips to soft baby locks and breathed in their clean scent like a drug. “oh, I’m madly in love.” She lifted her face to the boys, beaming. “And I love the outfits.”

“you should see what your sister-in-law gets for my two. I swear Nick has a heart attack every time I open one of her gifts.” Julietta rose to her knees and laughed in delight when her gaze snagged on Alexa and Nick. She’d never met them but felt as if they were already family from the stories and photos. Alexa was Maggie’s best friend from childhood, and Nick was Maggie’s brother. With a squee, she gave matching hugs to the attractive couple. Corkscrew curls hung wildly around Alexa’s face, and her gorgeous curves reminded Julietta of Carina: earthly and sensual in a way most men craved. Nick sported blond hair in various shades and amused chestnut eyes.

“yeah, I thought your brother would keep her in line, but she’s just as outrageous as ever. I came home one night to find Lily demonstrating the ‘Gangnam Style’ dance moves while Maria proudly wore a T-shirt proclaiming her ‘Too Cool for Drool.’”

Maggie punched her brother in the arm and rolled her eyes. “If I left it up to you, they’d be studying Mozart and being too nerdy for high school.”

“ruin your own kids, Maggs.”

Alexa sighed. “Children, please. We just arrived and you’re already fighting.”

Julietta pressed her lips together in amusement. “I can’t believe you were able to get coverage for the bookstore.

I’m so excited to finally see you here!”

“Nick is in between projects right now, and since Carina came to work for me, I’m super organized at BookCrazy.

We were able to squeeze out a full week of vacation. of course, we didn’t have to worry about the hassle because we took Michael’s jet, and it was completely relaxing. I just hope we didn’t put poor Mama Conte out this week.”

Mama Conte held baby Maria in her arms, her eyes filled with joy as she gazed around the room. Her voice snapped with command. “Don’t ever say such a thing. This house has been empty much too long. It needs children and laughter. you stay as long as you like.”

Julietta hugged and chatted until a strange silence fell over the room. She swiveled her head and caught her husband’s gaze.

Pure discomfort and the urge to flee echoed from his eyes. Wolfe shifted his feet and looked nauseous and un-comfortable, staying as far away from the crowd as possible with his back pressed against the door. Her heart lurched, and she walked back into the foyer to slowly take each one of their hands and link them with her own.

“This is Sawyer, everyone. My new husband. And this is Wolfe, a very close friend who’s more like family.”

Max stepped forward, his dark good looks battling with Sawyer’s smooth blond grace. The male testosterone crack-led in the room and kept her transfixed. “you’re a sneaky bastard, you know that, Sawyer?” Max challenged, standing in front of him. “Not a lousy phone call or e-mail to tell me you got hitched. I guess we’re now related in some strange incestuous way.”

Julietta held her breath, about to tell Max to back down, but a smile curved across her husband’s face. “Too bad. Who the hell would want to be related to you? you suck at poker and you’re butt ugly.”

Max leaned forward. “But I’m taller, and I can beat your ass.”

“only when I let you.” His gaze slid to Carina. “And thank God I finally did.”

A short silence fell. Then the men boomed with laughter and clapped each other on the shoulder in that half hug grown men use. Totally not getting their code, Julietta shook her head and tugged Wolfe into the fray. “I love your tattoo,” Maggie announced, taking control and stepping in front of Wolfe. “Serpent. Goes down the chest, too?”

“yeah.”

“Very hot. And I love the cut of your hair. Do you model?”

He narrowed his eyes as if preparing for mockery. “No, of course not.”

She gave a thoughtful snort. “you’d be amazing in a cover shoot. I see you work out. Great biceps. ever think of modeling?”

Michael grabbed onto his wife and pulled her away. “La mia piccola tigre, please leave the poor boy alone. He does not want to strip to his underwear for your camera.”

“Why not? He’d make a ton of money. The photographs I can do would be extraordinary.”

“Are you really serious? Is that something you think I could do?”

Michael groaned. “Here we go.”

Maggie practically hopped up and down, ignoring her husband. “I’m working with a new Italian designer, and you’re exactly what he’s looking for. He needs edge. I’ll call him in the morning and set up an interview while I’m here.”

Wolfe straightened his posture. “Cool. yeah, I’m up for it. Thanks.”

“you’re not taking my best assistant away, are you?”

Sawyer called out.

Maggie smiled sweetly. “Let’s see how much Victorio wants to pay him first. Then we’ll talk.”

“Mi dispiace, Sawyer. My wife cannot control herself when she sees someone to photograph.”

Maggie wrinkled her nose. “I’m not cooking for you tomorrow.”

“Thank goodness.”

Julietta laughed at their easy camaraderie and the sexual spark that still shot like wildfire around them. As if underneath the teasing and insults lay pure combustion just ready to explode in private. Carina wrapped Wolfe in easy conversation that was such a part of her generous heart, and Julietta took a moment to immerse herself in the crazy chaos of family. She missed Venezia and Dominick, who would have completed the entire circle, but V had to dress a celebrity client for a movie premiere, and Dominick had decided to accompany her to London and stay for the week. Julietta made a note to call her so they could at least Skype.

The hours passed as they drank bottles of Chianti, played with the children, and hurried back and forth into the kitchen with platters of appetizers. Thick tomato with buffalo mozzarella, fruity olive oil and fresh basil on Italian bread. Plump mushrooms with lumps of crab, salty prosciutto wrapped around sweet, juicy melon. She kept a close eye on Wolfe, who at first didn’t eat, obviously nervous about being accosted by numerous family members he didn’t know. He seemed to loosen up as the evening progressed, and as his appetite increased, she noted Mama Conte made sure to keep bowls of food near him at all times. Sawyer also seemed to relax, enjoying conversations with Max and Carina and finally meeting Max’s mother, who beamed with pride at her son’s accomplishments and her new daughter-in-law she’d always loved as her own.

Maggie beckoned Julietta from the door and she crossed the room. “What’s the matter?”

Maggie’s cinnamon-colored hair shimmered under the chandelier. Green eyes spoke volumes of worry. “I’m not cranking pasta by hand again, Julietta. It takes me forever, it always sucks, and I’ve completed the tradition. It’s your turn.”

Julietta bit her lip. “I make pasta all the time, Maggie.

Anyway, I see Alexa in there. She’s got it covered.”

Maggie lowered her voice in a hiss. “your mom thinks I don’t cook enough and wants me to practice. I already com-mitted to the apple cake; I do that much better than pasta.

Alexa is nuts, she loves this stuff—look at her in there.”

Alexa beamed and listened to directions from Mama Conte, elbow-deep in dough as she kneaded mercilessly.

“Besides, Mama said you can take my place because you haven’t served your husband yet.”

Panic fluttered and Julietta’s stomach sank fast and low. The Conte tradition of cooking by hand for each new spouse in the family was unwritten, unspoken, but a known passage of intimacy. Feeding your husband with your own hand was a way to connect on a deeper level and nourish a connection beyond the physical. Not that Sawyer would know, of course. He’d have no idea if she slid a plate in front of him, but Julietta didn’t think she could handle it.

It had been two full weeks since their wedding night and the fragile bond formed then seemed to bloom brighter with each day. They never analyzed their new relationship.

each night, Sawyer took her into bed, made love to her in every way imaginable, and held her through sleep. Purity was taking form with the speed of light, the construction complete and all the details finalized for the unveiling in three months. yes, she cooked for both him and Wolfe when they weren’t working overtime, but it was quick and effi-cient. They formed their own routine as a family, but none of them looked deeper than that.

“Umm, I don’t think this is a good time. I’m worried about Wolfe, and I need to help watch Lily and—”

“I’ll do it; just get in there.” Maggie ripped off her apron, pushed her into the kitchen, and took off.

Porca vacca.

“Where is Margherita?”

Julietta sighed and tied the apron around her waist.

“Took off. you know she’s like a sly fox when it comes to getting out of cooking.”

Her mother cackled in delight. “I will make her do apple cake and biscotti. She will regret it. I need you. Here is your station.”

Alexa grinned. “This is the most awesome thing I ever did. From now on, I’m making fresh pasta in the house. But I think I may get one of those machines, Mama Conte. I’m not as adept as you. My fingers are getting tired.”

“Push through. Machines do help, but it is the strength and gracefulness of the body that flows into the food and bestows good energy.”

Alexa dug in with gusto, and Julietta enjoyed her positive energy flowing around them and relaxing her a bit. She fell into the motions used since childhood: dusting, whisk-ing egg, sprinkling out flour, kneading, and pouring into a dough form that depended on a fresh mix of ingredients and the basic talent of the pasta maker. The movements soothed her, and an odd need to excel at making the food she would feed her husband beat inside her, an ancient instinct rising up from the ashes of years of tradition. The room fell away, and Julietta lost herself in the task, pulling and stretching the dough to a fine, thin layer like gossamer without breakage. She heard the muttered frustration of Alexa as her noodles broke one after the other, but Julietta never broke her concentration. Piece after perfect piece was pulled and laid out to dry over the racks.