“If we had sex any more often, we’d never get anything else done!” She giggled. “I’ve gotta get cookin’. When are you firing up the grills?”
“In about five minutes. I’ll get them started, eat breakfast, and then shower.” Tony pulled on his boxer briefs and jeans from the day before. No shirt. Everything below Nikki’s waist vibrated, watching him walk around shirtless. His shoulders and his chest were just about the most beautiful things in the world to her. Well, those plus that huge cock of his.
By seven thirty, everything was in full swing, the kitchen full of women, and Clayton watched the grills while Tony showered. By eleven o’clock, they’d pretty much made a dent in everything. Tony had said everyone would start arriving about eleven thirty, so Nikki started getting food out, finding serving utensils in the big, unfamiliar kitchen, and filling pitchers with ice water, tea, and juice. She started the coffee pot too, in case anyone wanted hot coffee.
At eleven fifteen, Annabeth scanned the kitchen counters. “Nikki, where are Zia Molly’s rolls?”
“What, honey?” Nikki asked, her head coming up out of a cabinet where she’d been looking for a dish.
“Zia Molly’s rolls. Where are they? Zio Bart usually brings them by early, but I don’t see them.” She continued to look around.
“Oh, they’re in the fridge,” Nikki answered absentmindedly.
“They’re where?” Something in Annabeth’s voice made Nikki stop and pay attention. “Did you say they’re in the fridge?”
“Yeah. I put them in there last night. They were room temp when he brought them, so I put them in the fridge with everything else.”
Annabeth’s face went white and her eyes got huge. “Please tell me you didn’t.”
Nikki began to get anxious. “Yeah. I didn’t want them to spoil overnight. Was that wrong?”
“Oh dear god,” Annabeth started. Katie and Brittany turned, strange looks on their faces.
“What?” Nikki was starting to feel a little panicky.
“They won’t rise. If you chilled them, they won’t rise. They were supposed to be left out to rise overnight, then we divide them and bake them. If they’ve been chilled overnight, they’re ruined.”
Nikki’s heart started slamming against her ribs. “Please tell me you’re kidding, Annabeth.” Annabeth shook her head. “I didn’t know, I swear,” Nikki whispered. Her heart sank. What the hell do I do now? I’ve ruined the Walters family holiday celebration. She felt absolutely sick.
“We’ll have to come up with a plan,” Katie announced. “Molly’s gonna eat you alive, Nikki.” Brittany nodded in agreement.
“Oh, my god, what do I do?” Nikki groaned, frozen in place and in full-blown panic. Tony picked that moment to walk into the room.
“Hey, girls! Everything going okay in here?” he asked, reaching into the fridge for a beer. He stopped for a second, looked at the trays of rolls, and then closed the door.
Nikki felt a tear roll down her cheek. “No, everything’s not okay. I’ve ruined it all.” She started to tremble, her hands visibly shaking.
Tony turned and looked at her. “What did you do?” he asked in a mock accusatory tone.
He didn’t notice how pale she was turning, didn’t see the tear. “I put Molly’s rolls in the refrigerator. They won’t rise. I ruined them.”
Tony still really wasn’t paying much attention, and he didn’t see how red her eyes were. He continued, in his mocking tone, “Uh-oh, you’re screwed. Molly will eat you alive.” Katie nodded. “Can’t have that. You’d better come up with something.” He walked over to her, kissed her on the cheek, and told her, “You’re a smart one. You’ll figure something out. I have complete faith in you.” He strolled to the back door, opened it, and kept on walking.
Oh, my god, I’m so screwed. And he’s mad at me. What do I do? All three girls stared at her, and she felt like her head was going to burst into flames. She wanted to run to the bedroom, lock the door, and cry, but there wasn’t time. She took out her smart phone and did a search.
“Unless your phone is going to bake rolls, you’d better come up with something else,” Brittany groused sarcastically.
Nikki took a deep breath. “Actually, it just might.” She found a number for a Kroger on the far eastern side of Louisville and called. “Yes, do you by any chance carry Blackhawk dinner rolls? Really? Do you have any? Yes, I’ll hold.” She waited. “Oh, thank god. Yes, I need four bags. Yes. Wilkes. Or Walters. Either name. Thanks – thanks so much. I think you’ve saved my life.” She whipped off her apron. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got to pick up the rolls.”
Annabeth folded her arms across her chest. “They’d better be good.”
“They’re not good. They’re spectacular,” Nikki called out, rushing around to leave. “Annabeth, can you . . . Oh, god, I can’t leave. I’ve got too much to do.”
“Hello?” a deep male voice called from the foyer.
“In here, Zio Vic,” Annabeth called out.
Nikki looked up and her mouth dropped open. Vittorio Vincenzo Cabrizzi stood in the doorway, and she’d never seen anything like him before in her life.
His six foot eight frame filled the doorway, and if his smoky brown eyes hadn’t nailed her, his huge shoulders and trim hips would’ve. His dark, wavy hair hung down over enormous biceps, and he had thighs like tree trunks. For a few seconds Nikki couldn’t even move her lips, much less speak. Tony was gorgeous, but this guy was breathtakingly unreal, his features looking like they’d been carved by one of the old Renaissance masters, the scruff on his jaw, his mustache, the soul patch beneath his lower lip, all impeccably sculpted. Annabeth ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him, and he picked her up and spun her around in rag doll fashion as she squealed like a child.
He put Annabeth down and closed the gap between himself and Nikki with just a few steps. “Hey, you must be Nikki. I’m Vic. I’m so glad to finally meet you!” In typical Walters fashion, instead of extending his hand, he threw his arms around her and hugged her. His scent almost made her swoon, like a spicy pine grove, and his body, for all the hard muscles, was surprisingly soft and warm, comfortable even. Everything in her told her she’d always be safe if Vic Cabrizzi was around.
“Oh, Vic, it’s so good to meet you! Tony’s told me so many wonderful things about you,” she smiled, pressing her palms to his cheeks. The smile Vic returned was huge and warm. Then he took a good look at her face.
He frowned at her. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.
“She ruined Zia Molly’s rolls,” Annabeth blurted out.
“Sweet mother of god! You didn’t,” he cried out, looking at her out the corner of his eye, oozing mischievousness. She nodded sheepishly. “Molly’s gonna eat you alive.” Katie shot Nikki her See, I told you! look. “Well, we’re going to have to fix that, aren’t we?” He grinned and chucked her under her chin. She felt like she was about nine years old.
“I think I already have. I just have to go pick up some rolls,” she said, breaking away from him.
“Nope. You’ve got too much to do here and everybody will start rolling in. You let me go get them, okay? I didn’t bring anything with me, so it’ll be my treat. Just tell me where.”
“Oh, Vic, no, I couldn’t . . .”
“You absolutely can and you absolutely will. I’m leaving and if you don’t tell me where I’m going, I guess I’ll just drive around all afternoon!” He wandered back out the door.
“Zio Vic, wait! I want to go with you!” Annabeth called out, running after him.
He stopped at the front door and called to her, “Where, Nikki?”
She sighed. “Kroger on Shelbyville Road at the Snyder,” she called back.
“Be back in two shakes.” She heard the door close behind him and Annabeth.
Nikki stood there for a second, then asked no one in particular, “What just happened her
e?”
“Vic Cabrizzi,” Katie answered with a wistful smile. “You’ll get used to it.”
Nikki breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone seemed to be having a good time – everyone except Molly, of course. She alternated between bites of food and glaring at Nikki. Even worse were the rolls – they were delicious, and everyone kept saying so.
“Tell us again, where did these come from?” Freddie asked. Molly was especially ticked that her own husband was going on about them.
“A little bakery in the larger town near the one I grew up in. It’s called Blackhawk Bakery. They made these rolls for years, then automated the process and started selling them all over the country. I took a chance that someone here would have some, and they did. And again, I’m sorry, Molly, really.”
“Oh, that’s okay,” Molly retorted. “You can’t help it if you don’t know your way around a kitchen.”
Tony said nothing, just kept eating. She knew he was mad about what she’d done, but he could at least help her out. After all, it wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. Nikki looked down at her plate and pushed her food around. She didn’t really feel much like eating.
“They are delicious, aren’t they?” Vic said, and Nikki glanced at him to see him wink at her. A little smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and Vic smiled back warmly. At least he’s in my corner, she thought.
“I think they’re fabulous,” Bart said.
“Um-hum,” Kathy added, her mouth full.
“Molly, maybe you should order these from now on,” Mark repeated, and his wife, Victoria, nodded in agreement beside him. Nikki could practically see the steam coming off of Molly.
“Well, I think Daddy outdid himself on the barbecue this year,” Annabeth said with pride.
“He certainly did,” Nikki said, attempting to make conversation.
“Now how would you know, little girl?” Tony asked her. “You’ve never had my barbecue before.”
Something in Nikki’s gut turned. Oh, god, she thought, he’s trying to tell me I won’t get another chance to find out. She felt her eyes well. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t let them see you cry, she repeated in her head. Tony looked over at her, an odd expression on his face, and she turned away. She couldn’t take his gaze right then. And all over some stupid dinner rolls. Who would’ve thought some stupid bread would be her undoing? She tried to breathe, but it was getting more difficult.
“Son, I also think you did a fine job,” Raffaella echoed. She sat on the other side of Nikki and, surprisingly, she patted Nikki on the hand. Nikki tried to hide her shock.
“Thanks. I enjoy doing this for everybody. It’s my gift to all of you.” Tony took another bite, beaming, and looked at his youngest and smallest brother. “Bennie, I’m glad you guys could be here. I’ve missed you.”
Bennie gave a curt, “Thanks, bro.” Caroline smiled a tiny smile.
“Well, I, for one, am glad to be included in this family.” Vic sat on the other side of Raffaella, and she hugged Vic and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Zia Raffie,” he said and kissed her back.
Nikki didn’t try to say anything else during the meal. She had no stomach for her food either. Anything she tried to swallow made a knot in her throat and she almost choked, so she resigned herself to going hungry. She grew more heartsick with every passing moment, but she comforted herself with the knowledge that it would be over soon. Of course, then she’d have to deal with Tony’s anger with her, and things weren’t looking too good in that regard.
Annabeth, Katie, Brittany, and Raffaella tried to help Nikki clear the tables, but she shooed them away. “No, this is your annual family gathering. Go, go. Have a good time, visit with everybody. I’ll take care of this.” They retreated, and she was finally alone in the kitchen.
She leaned against the countertop and took a huge, heaving breath. The window over the sink looked out over the back yard, and she could see everyone out on the patio, laughing and talking. No one even realized she wasn’t there. She’d been so stupid, actually thinking her life could change, that she could be a part of a family like this and be happy and loved. It had been nice while it lasted, but along comes some dinner rolls, and what’s a girl to do? She swallowed hard as her heart broke. Then she felt someone near her elbow and turned.
Caroline stood at the counter next to her, latex gloves on her hands, holding a dish brush. The tiny blond scraped food off of the plates into the sink where the disposal was, then stacked them on the counter. Nikki looked at her, and she smiled a sad smile back and kept scraping. Then she peered back out the window, and she heard Caroline say in a small voice, “It’s okay. They don’t like me either.” Turning back to look at Caroline, a tear escaped one of Nikki’s eyes and ran down her cheek. Caroline continued to scrape the dishes. The two women stood in silence.
“I like you, Caroline,” Nikki finally said quietly. “And so do Tony and the kids; they love you. Thank you for being kind to me.”
“I know what it’s like to not have one single kind soul to come to your aid. I always try to be kind when I can.” She smiled. “What else can I do to help?”
That did it. Nikki began to sob; she couldn’t help it. She felt Caroline’s hand on her back, and she tried to get herself under control, but she couldn’t manage it. Caroline patted her shoulder and told her, “Now, run upstairs and pull yourself together. We wouldn’t want them to see you like this. Go on now. I’ve got this.” She went back to work, loading the plates into the dishwasher.
Nikki whispered, “Thanks,” then hugged the little blond and hurried to the stairs. As she passed through the foyer, she saw Raffaella coming out of the downstairs bathroom, and Raffaella smiled at her and turned back out toward the patio. What must she think of me?, Nikki wondered. She made it to the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
Nikki rinsed her face, reapplied her makeup, and brushed her hair. Looking down, she realized she’d spilled something on her top, so she pulled another one out and changed. As she was getting ready to go back downstairs, the door opened and Tony walked in, closing it behind him.
“Babe, where’ve you been?” he asked in curiosity. “I was missing you. You weren’t in the kitchen. Caroline told me you were up here.” She steeled herself for whatever he was going to say, and the fear and uncertainty were plain on her face. That’s when his curiosity turned to concern. “You okay?”
Nikki drew in a shuddering breath and straightened as well as she could. “Look, Tony, before you say anything, I’m sorry,” she started, but she couldn’t hold back the tears. “I’m really, really sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. I just didn’t know. I know it was stupid. I messed everything up. It won’t happen again. Please, please,” she pleaded, “please, whatever you do, please don’t embarrass me in front of all of them, okay? Wait until they’re gone. Then you can say whatever you like to me, do whatever you like, send me away. But please don’t humiliate me. Please?” She felt nauseous and had started to shake all over.
Tony’s eyes went round, his eyebrows shot up, and his mouth dropped open. “What in the hell are you talking about, sweetie?”
“Oh, Tony, I know I messed everything up. I know Molly’s mad – Freddie’s probably mad too. I know Bart and Kathy and Vic were just trying to be nice to me. They think I’m an idiot too. And the girls practically tore me a new one – I deserved it. I’m so stupid. But please, oh, god, please don’t leave me!” Her knees buckled and she dropped down onto the floor, trembling all over.
“What the . . . baby, what in the hell are you talking about?” Tony dropped to his knees in front of her and gathered her against him. “I’m not mad at you! Why would you think that?”
She sobbed and choked. “The rolls . . . you were mad when you found out. And you didn’t talk to me all through dinner. I’m so sorry.” She sobbed harder and dissolved in his arms.
“You thought I was . . .” Tony laughed. “I wasn’t mad, princess. I was trying to make light of it. I couldn’t figure out
why anybody was all worked up about those rolls – they’re terrible! The ones you bought were fifty times better. I didn’t see it as any big deal. It was actually kind of funny. Molly’s such a bitch – serves her right.”
“But at dinner? You didn’t say a word to me . . .”
“I’m sorry, honey.” He tried to comfort her by smoothing her hair. “I had no idea you thought I was mad. I was just hungry! I hadn’t had anything but beer since breakfast, and I was starving. Clayton was too – did you notice he didn’t have much to say either? That’s why – that’s all. As for the girls? They were just giving you shit, so all I can say about that is, welcome to the family.”
Nikki shuddered and took a deep breath, a sob still bubbling in her throat. “So we’re okay? I mean, you and me? Okay?”
“Yeah, there wasn’t a time when we weren’t, honey.” He wiped the tears off her face, then reached over to the dresser and grabbed a tissue. “Here – blow.” Nikki blew her nose into the tissue. God, I must be a real mess!, she thought. “Better?” She nodded. “Okay, well, we’ve got to get back downstairs or they’re going to wonder where we are. And I don’t want them knowing you were upset, okay? I want them to know how strong you are. Don’t let Molly ruffle you – stand up to her.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Ready?”
“No! God no. I have to fix my makeup and my hair again. You go on – I’ll be down in a minute.” Nikki released his hand and he walked to the door. He opened it to go out, then closed it back and turned to face her.
“What?” she choked out, terrified he’d remembered some other mess she’d made.
Tony crossed the room back to her and took both her hands in his. “I was going to wait until later, but I want to do this now.” Oh, god, what now?, she thought, her heartbeat racing again. “Nikki, will you move in with me? As soon as possible? I don’t want to wake up one single morning without you beside me. You don’t have to answer right now, just think about it, okay?”
“I don’t have to think about it.” She took a deep breath. “If Walters Construction has a truck I can use, I’ll move tomorrow.”