“Maybe one day you’ll want to.”
Dad didn’t comment. “We can all count ourselves lucky if I manage not to kill Luca for insisting on the bloody sheet tradition. Everything else would be a miracle.”
“I’m fine with the sheets.”
I bit my lip. “You sent sheets of your first night with Mom to the Outfit Capo and her parents, so I think you’ll be brave enough to see my wedding night sheets.”
“If I’d known my future daughter would find out about this and use it against me, I would have reconsidered my decision.”
“You wouldn’t have,” Mom said, stepping out of the bedroom in her white nightgown and messy bed-hair. “You got a kick out of it.”
With a smile, I returned to my own bed, leaving my parents to their arguing. Dad was right. I needed to sleep.
“Remo will cause a scene when we present the sheets,” Dad said.
Mom shrugged. “You didn’t want to see Marci’s sheets either.”
“They wouldn’t have been red anyway,” Marci said, balancing a small bowl with chips on her belly. Before her pregnancy she wouldn’t have touched these fatty carbs with a ten foot pole.
Mom gave me a nervous look. “Your father can give you tips on how to create false bloody sheets. You aren’t the first couple that consummated their bond before their wedding.”
I didn’t want to discuss the details of my parents’ wedding night. “I didn’t consummate anything. I’ll wait until the wedding.”
Dad gave me a surprised look and Marci even put her chips away to give me an incredulous stare.
“Oh my God, Amo, I didn’t peg you a romantic gentleman.”
My lips curled. “I respect Greta.”
Maddox grinned in a dirty way. “I respect your sister too. But she would have kicked my ass if I’d made her wait this long for it.”
Dad sent Maddox a look that would have sent many people running.
“It’s our peace offering for the hurt pride of the Traditionalists.”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore.” But one thing was sure, I didn’t want to share any piece of my first night with Greta with anyone.
Greta buzzed with excitement when we drove to the Trevisan dog shelter. “You’re more eager than before you met my family.”
Greta looked shocked. “That’s not true. I was too anxious to be excited before I met your family, but animals always like me, so this will be easier. And if Maximus and his family love animals as much as I do, then I’ll get along with them too.”
“I doubt there are many people who don’t like you.”
Greta remained silent, her gaze distant. I could tell that her mood had changed and I wondered what had caused it.
“My mother offered to carry our baby.”
I almost swerved off the road. I hit the brakes and pulled the car to a stop on the shoulder of the road. I turned to Greta, not sure if I’d heard her right. “What?”
“Mom would carry the baby in her womb if we used IVF to fertilize my eggs with your sperm.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to think about anyone’s womb, and the rest hardly made sense too.
Greta took my hand and explained everything again, even slower, as if I were a small child. When she was done, I was completely stunned. “That’s possible?”
“Yeah.”
“Would you want to do it?”
I couldn’t deny it. The prospect of Greta and me having a child one day made me deliriously happy. Yet, I didn’t want to push Greta toward something she wasn’t comfortable with. Her expression was difficult to read. “What about you?”
One corner of her mouth tilted up. “Answering a question with a question in turn…But I started it, so I guess it’s only fair.”
I’d promised myself I would be honest with Greta. My first marriage had been full of lies and deceit, I didn’t want this with Greta. “I want to do it, yes.”
Greta blew out a breath and gave me a small smile. “Me too. Not now, but in a few years.”
I leaned over, cupped her head and pulled her in for a kiss.
When we pulled up in front of the Trevisan’ house, Maximus was already waiting in front of it. He and Sara lived in an apartment in the city close to her parents and siblings, but Maximus came here often. His hands in his pockets, I could see the tension in his body when I got out of the car. I wasn’t sure if it was because of Greta and their families’ history or because things with Sara were still difficult.