He nodded and marched off. Ally watched him go with a fond smile before turning back to us. “What can I get you to drink?”
“A bottle of the Montepulciano,” I said decisively.
“Coming right up.” She gave us a smile before heading toward the bar.
“Fancy wine on a Saturday evening?” Mia asked when we were alone, her fingers fidgeting with the corner of her menu. “What’s the occasion?”
“Surviving your family.” I didn’t try to hide the edge in my voice.
She winced, looking down at the table. “That bad, huh? I’m sorry. I know they can be a lot.”
“Don’t apologize for them.” I kept my voice low, leaning slightly across the table. “You’re not responsible for their behavior.”
Mia’s eyes met mine, vulnerable and uncertain. “I feel like I should have warned you better. About my mom, especially.”
“You warned me plenty. But I’m not sure anything could have prepared me for seeing you treated like that.”
“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Her voice was genuinely curious, as if she truly didn’t recognize the barrage of subtle wounds her mother had inflicted throughout the day.
I studied Mia’s face in the warm lighting of the restaurant. “It was hard not to notice how overly surprised your mom and sister were when we walked in. And the other woman, your Aunt… ?”
“Monica.”
“That’s the one. They were surprised, then they were disbelieving, watching us the whole afternoon, right up to spying at the window when we left. It’s fucking insulting, Mia.”
She flinched. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think they’d be that bad?—”
“I don’t mean insulting to me, sweetheart. I mean insulting to you.”
Fuck. The endearment just slipped out, because she’d looked so upset at my harsh words.
But I guess she didn’t notice, because she shrugged and said, “It’s always been like that. I’m used to it.”
The irony of fake dating someone you’re overwhelmingly attracted to, just to have her family not believe you possibly could be, was not lost on me.
Ally returned with the wine and to take our orders, saving me from the maelstrom of thoughts whirling around in my head.
“I’m really not hungry,” Mia protested again when Ally looked at her expectantly.
“How about we share the antipasto platter? Then you can eat as much or as little as you like.”
Mia narrowed her eyes at me, which made me smile. She very well knew I was going to ply her with food, one way or another. “Fine. Okay.”
“Great. And we’ll have a serve of the cheesy garlic bread, and the arancini balls as well, thanks.”
“Good choice! I’ll get onto that right now for you.”
I topped up Mia’s wine glass. “You’re done talking about your family, aren’t you?”
Mia smiled. “Yeah. Fuck them.”
“That’s the spirit. How about we change the subject, then.”
She relaxed against the booth, taking a sip of wine. There was a definite shift in her mood. “Great idea. What do you want to talk about?”
“I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“What’s that? You want to proposition me?”
