Marry Me?

Luca sat in his childhood lounge with the rest of the men of his family. His dad, brother, uncles, and cousins were all crammed in to watch Thanksgiving Day football.

Being Italian, when their wives or mothers gave them an instruction, they were expected to follow it.

Luca tried to enter the kitchen to talk to Eddie and was yelled and cursed at in Italian by his aunts before his mother dragged him by the ear to the lounge room.

He wanted to make things right. He needed his roommate back even if it meant seeing her with another guy. Since he wasn’t allowed to talk to her in person, he took to texting her.

Luciano

I was thinking we should have dinner.

Eddison

We are about to… it is called Thanksgiving.

Luciano

No when we get home. You, me, Kate and Parker.

Eddison

No.

Luciano

I’ll be good I promise.

Eddison

No sex comments.

Luciano

And I won’t tell him how you cry at the end of Marly and Me.

Eddison

So did you!!

Luciano

Please Ed.

Eddison

Ok but you are cooking!

Luca didn’t get a chance to reply as a voice snapped him from his phone.

“Snacks, gentlemen?” Eddie said, entering the lounge room with two bowls of chips. She was greeted with a chorus of “yes” and “thank you” before her gaze met Luca’s.

Her lips tugged up into a small smile, and he mouthed his reply to her, “Deal” before blowing her a kiss. She turned away, but he noticed the blush on her cheeks as she returned to the kitchen.

***

Before dinner was served, the women entered the lounge with wine glasses in hand to toast the festive season. This year, the Moretti family was hosting some neighboring families as well.

The doorbell rang, and a smile drifted across Maria’s face as she went to the door. Marc came up behind Eddie, bending down to place his chin on her shoulder.

“Marry me?”

“What?” Eddie laughed.

“Please? Save me from my mother’s matchmaking!”

“You might like this girl,” Eddie offered.

“I never like the girls,” Marc grunted. “Kiss me.”

“No.”

“Come on then she’ll think I’m taken.”

“No, ‘cause then your mother will be planning ~our~ wedding.”

“Is that such a bad thing? I’m a catch!”

“No.”

Mark put his hand over his heart, feigning disappointment. “Oh, cara, you wound me.”

“MARCELLO!” Maria called from the foyer.

“Your bride awaits,” Eddie teased, pushing him toward the door. She laughed as she watched Mark sulk toward his mother.

The girl at the door looked nervous. She was pretty and very Italian with gorgeous long dark hair and olive skin. She was pushed forward by her own mother, and Mark led her into the dining room.

“Men, please lead your ladies in. We will eat!” Maria instructed, and, one by one, the Moretti men and their neighbors took a lady by the hand and led her into the dining room.

Eddie smiled at the tradition as she felt warm breath on her neck.

“Cara~.” She heard Luca’s voice and felt him press a kiss on her cheek. “May I escort you?” he asked, offering his hand.

Eddie took it and looked down at the floor, trying to hide the tomato-red color covering her face.

As always, Eddie was seated between the brothers, only this time Marc had his “date” to his left.

“Did you study last night?” Marc said, pathetically making conversation with Eddison instead of talking to the gorgeous girl next to him. Eddie ignored him and leaned around, extending her hand to the girl.

“Hi, I’m Eddison Jenkins.”

The girl smiled shyly. “I’m Sienna. Sienna Romano.”

“It is great to meet you, Sienna. What do you do?”

Sienna looked at Mark with a smile before answering. “I work at my family’s restaurant. But I’m studying online.”

“What are you studying?”

“Mechanical engineering.”

“No way! I’m studying engineering at Boston College. We will have to talk later.”

“Definitely.”

Marc slowly picked up a conversation with Sienna, and Eddie turned away, happy that she had helped. She locked eyes with Maria at the head of the table, who gave her a nod of thanks before turning her attention to Luca.

“So, what will you make?”

“Scuza?”

“For this dinner we are having. What will you make?”

“Pasta. What else?” Luca replied with a smirk.

“I want biscotti too.”

“All right, I’ll pick some up from the—”

“No...I want you to make it.”

“What?”

“Otherwise, no dinner.”

“Fine.” Luca leaned closer to her, and his lips brushed her ear. “You are impossible,” he whispered, and she felt herself shiver.

After the humongous meal, the family and their guests retired into the lounge, and, once again, the attention was turned to the football, the second game of the day.

At halftime, brandy was passed around, and, as a tradition, everyone said one thing they were thankful for.

People thanked their partners, food, God, football, good health, and their children.

Luca was second-last, and he commanded the attention of the room.

“I’m thankful for the laughter in my life. Without laughter, the world would be sad. So, thanks to the people who make me laugh,” he said, smiling at Eddie and squeezing her hand.

Eddie blushed crimson as the room turned its attention to her.

“Cara?”

“Um... I’m thankful for family,” she said, quietly smiling at Maria. “I’m thankful to finally have a family.” The Morettis smiled at their surrogate daughter/cousin/niece, and Marc pulled Eddie into his arms. She squealed as he messed up her hair.

“Okay! I take it back!” Eddie cried out, and the room filled with laughter.

“Nope, no taking it back, bella! You love us!” Marc said, tickling her. Luca joined in with his brother, and Eddie was pinned down by both of them.

Luca and Marc smiled at each other before they both kissed her forehead. They sat back, and Luca pulled Eddie onto his lap.

He pushed her hair back behind her ear. “And ~we~ love you. Amore mio bello.”

Eddie leaned back into Luca’s arms, feeling a warmth spread through her as she got lost in her thoughts.

~We are in for one awkward dinner...~