Chapter 164
He helps me pack my things back into my bag silently. We had lain in silence, just entwined, until the pilot called to inform us the jet would be ready for take-off by the time we got to the airfield. He watches me steadily but leaves me alone with my thoughts, he knows I won’t talk about this anymore. The wall is up on the matter and I’m already filing it into the back of my head with all the other crap I never want to face. I won’t bring it up again, much like I never bring Marissa up. He knows me well enough to leave it alone, now that he seems to finally understand how I tick inside.
I feel like a complete failure. I’m numb from over thinking, pushing it all back into the recess of my mind, back into that little black box with the rest of my heartache and terrors.
Back with the child who used to cry herself to sleep in fear of her bedroom door creaking open in the darkness.
* * *
As we settle into the plane, Jake looks me over thoughtfully and slides my hand into his. I’ve been quiet ever since we packed and left alone to my internal dialogue.
“Instead of going home I want to take you someplace … After this, I think you need it.” He leans down, brushing his lips across mine, followed by his fingertips.
“I just want to go back to New York, Jake.” I sigh and close my eyes, willing this to be over and for us to be high above Chicago already. I need the miles between me and this wretched memory.
“It’s in New York … My parents’ house in the Hamptons. I want to take you home for the rest of the weekend, miele. To the place I grew up.” He straps his seat belt on.
“I don’t know.” I look away out of the window, utterly deflated and exhausted. I just want to close my eyes and go to sleep now. I want to wake up back home and act like none of this ever happened.
“Trust me, a change of scenery will do you good … My mother wants to meet you as my girl, finally, not just as my PA. She’s been driving me mad with calls about bringing you home. The trip will make you feel a hundred times better, bambino.” He flashes his charming smile at me, and I melt. Bending me to his will again with a smoldering look and a flash of pearly whites. I shake my head at him, a hint of a smile playing on my lips and see the relief wash over his face.
“I already had the pilot plot the flight plan to the Hamptons.” He admits sheepishly, I bat at him with my hand, but he only catches it and kisses my fingertips.
“You’re the most overbearing man I’ve ever known.” I smile quietly at him.
“Who else would have the steel to break down the Emma walls?” He grins. “Or the determination?” Pulling my hand to his lap and wrapping both of his around it, he sits back, sliding down to get comfy. That strong, handsome profile looking mighty pleased with himself.
“I’m glad you did,” I whisper at him affectionately, my heart heals a little as he gives me his best “You’re welcome” smile and a look that sends me into a frenzy of longing.
* * *
“Ahh, il mio bel ragazzo è a casa e lui mi porta la sua bella ragazza troppo.” Sylvana Carrero gushes at our arrival and sweeps Jake into a motherly hug. This isn’t the first time I’ve met the tall, lithe, beauty of a woman, but it’s the first time I’ve met her in a non-professional capacity and at her own gorgeous home.
“Si guarda bella come sempre, Madre.” Jake responds before kissing her on the cheek and moving out of the way for her to wrap herself around me enthusiastically. I’m little overwhelmed but hug her anyway. Jake has been getting me used to being manhandled so much of late that this kind of affection is welcome when it is from women.
“Emma, my darling girl, you look so very different … Belissimo.” Sylvana has a strong Italian taint to her accent and is the reason Jake litters his English with Italian affections. Standing tall with dark hair and Jake’s green eyes, she looks like a woman in her early thirties and not the mother of my twenty-eight-year-old Adonis, more like a sister.
“Thank you, Mrs. Carrero, it’s a new dress.” I look down at the short, floaty, floral print dress I changed into at the airfield, a present from Jake via Donna.
“Please, call me Sylvana, or even Mamma, and I mean everything … You look so soft and rosy cheeked and glowy, your hair is lovely this length too, really makes you appear ridiculously cute and young.” She grins, kissing both of my cheeks dramatically and I blush at the attention.
“She is young and cute, Mamma.” Jake cuts in and pulls me around to nestle in his arm, pulling my cheeks together so I pucker my mouth at him. “Crazily cute, so much so I sometimes just want to squeeze the life out of her.” His mother beams at us with unconcealed joy. I attempt to bat his hand off my face and am instead rewarded with a kiss on the nose before he lets me go.
“So, in love, chi l’avrebbe mai detto?” She pinches his cheek before heading to the kitchen with us in tow across the grand marble hall, past a huge sweeping staircase. The house just screams money.
She chatters on to Jake about the others she has coming to stay this weekend, it seems Arrick and his newest love interest are to come. Jake’s cousin and his wife and a couple more of the extended family that I’ve never met. I listen, fascinated by the rapport between them and the crazy similarities in how they look and move.
“Mamma, I brought Emma for a quiet weekend, not a family gathering … I do want her to still be here by the time I’m ready to go.” He jokes and receives a pout from that beautiful mother of his. Mock sadness on her unlined, timeless face. She’s breathtaking.
“Jacob, you know how much the family has been dying to meet the girl who finally reigned in the Stallone Italiano and tamed him.” She laughs, patting him on the cheek in a very motherly way.
“Promise me there are no parties, Mamma?” He groans as she winks playfully at him. “I swear you’re killing my relationship before I even get a ring on her finger.” He scolds as I giggle at them and she spins suddenly.
“So, there will be a ring on the finger will there?” She hones in like a blood hound, her eyes flashing merrily as she searches our faces. A little too energetically and my stomach lurch with that familiar doubt.
“Eventually.” He smiles, pulling me in to kiss me quickly. “When I ask her.” He looks at me warily and I bite my lip and hold my breath. We have barely covered this subject and it is way too soon to even contemplate.
“And when will that be?” she pushes, and I can already see her calculating which part of the grounds would make a good wedding alter. My heart rate quickens in panic.
“When we feel like it.” He smirks and pulls me forward, past her to the fridge. “What’s for eating, Madre, we’re starved.” He lets go of me and pulls open the huge built-in double cooler and looks through the covered plates. Master of misdirection, batting away anymore wedding talk and I sigh with relief. I haven’t even begun to analyze that yet.
“I’ve been cooking all morning, go sit and I’ll bring you some pomodoro cremosa e gnocchi di spinaci, it’s delizioso.” She smiles, I know Jake’s mother loves to cook, he’s told me many times it’s her way to relax on a weekend, and I follow him eagerly to the next room to sit down at the large oval table. Despite my lack of appetite in Chicago, I’m ravenous now.
* * *
The food is amazing, creamy tomato and spinach, light fluffy gnocchi, as delectable as his mother’s company. The three of us sit and fill our stomachs with the beautifully made dish and lots of crispy bread. She’s easy to relax around, with Jake’s same chilled personality and easy joking manner. The same social ability to chat and carry on conversation. The two of them are so alike it’s almost alarming. I feel better being here, Jake’s right. His mother is like a soothing balm with her endless cheeky jibes and loving nature. She exudes the same laid-back confidence that Jake oozes and it’s obvious they are very close.
Soon the conversation turns to Sophie and his mother’s work with abused children and I start to feel uncomfortable. Jake admitted to me that in our separation period he’d spoken to his mother about me, about us, and some of what he’d known about my past to gain a little insight to why I was the way I was. She doesn’t seem the type to pry but when the conversation pushes along this line, I’m ready to close down and blank them both out. Jake seems to sense my change and instead looks to me, grabs my hand, and pulls it to him quickly.
“Mamma, I’m going to take Emma around the grounds and show her this place, maybe take her on a tour of the house, too.” His eyes meet mine, holding so much gentleness, it makes me smile and relax again.
“Feel free, I’m going to clean myself up for the others arriving this afternoon miele. Go wander and let your mamma put her face on.” She smiles at us both warmly before sliding up and with a kiss on each of our cheeks, leaves us to it. Not that she needs make-up, she is as stunning as her flawless son. Good genes.
“Want to come see my old bedroom?” Jake winks and I shake my head.
“How did I know that within seconds of being left alone you would be thinking about getting me near a bed?” I giggle at him.
“Bambino, I’m always thinking about getting you in a bed, no matter what I’m doing.” He grins wickedly. “Unless you want to go see my mother’s greenhouse, it’s hot and full of roses and pretty private.” the tingles run through me almost on command, that actually sounds fun. I bite my lip in response, the thrill as his eyes move to focus on my mouth, his eyes darkening instantly.
You are so easy, Emma!
