Page 56 of Fix You

When the doorbell rang announcing the Neretti’s arrival, I fought the urge to run.You can do this, Maeve. Just say hello and be cordial. Act like nothing happened between the two of you.

Gianni appeared first, followed by Leandro. At the sight of Raphael, my heart leapt into my throat, and I fought to breathe. He was just as handsome as he had been at the reception. The only difference in him was the full beard he sported. It made him look even more distinguished.

With an excited yip, Murphy tore across the rug to launch himself at Rafe. As his propeller tail started up, Rafe bent over to take Murphy into his arms.

At the sight of Murphy and Rafe, Callum furrowed his brows. “Since when is he a fan of yours?”

“Since I snuck him bacon last time I was here and overlooked when he pissed on my leg,” Rafe joked.

Callum grinned. “I suppose that would do it.”

“You’re lucky Maeve didn’t catch you. She doesn’t like him having treats,” Dare warned.

Rafe stared past him to meet my eyes. At the intensity of his gaze, my knees felt weak. “My apologies.”

“No, it’s fine.”

When the words left my lips, I realized there was far more meaning in them. He was giving me an apology for what had happened at the reception. My body started moving of its own accord to close the distance between us to give him my own apology. I realized now more than ever that he deserved one.

But then Gianni stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Rafe. “Merry Christmas, Maeve.”

“And to you, too,” I said with a smile.

When he moved on to say hello to my mother, he gave her the traditional kiss on both cheeks, which he hadn’t done with me. Unease pricked up my spine. Had he skipped the intimacy with me because he’d learned about my past? If he knew, did Rafe as well?

Panic ricocheted up my spine. As I fought the urge to bolt from the room, Leandro appeared before me to give me a quick hug. Like Gianni, he didn’t kiss both my cheeks, but he did Caterina’s and Mam’s.

Before I could wonder anymore about it, Rafe stood before me. I sucked in a ragged breath at his closeness. “Nollaig Shona, Maeve,” he said in an impossibly deep voice.

My heart skipped a beat at hearing the words on his lips. “Buon Natale,” I whispered.

Uncertainty flashed in his eyes. From his tense body language, I knew he was debating if he should hug me like his brothers had. To put him at ease, I took a step forward. He thenreached his arms out. When he wrapped them around me, I closed my eyes against his chest, inhaling his scent.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted, “You don’t smell like smoke.”

He pulled away from me. With a sheepish look, he replied, “I decided it was a nasty habit that I should probably give up.”

I blinked up at him. As my mind spun with out-of-control thoughts, I could only wonder if he thought him smelling like smoke had caused my reaction. My heart twisted at the thought he was blaming himself when it was all my fault.

Callum clapping his hands brought me out of my trance. “Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Are you implying that we were late?” Leo teased.

With a shake of his head, Callum replied, “From the way I see it, you’re right on time.”

“Excuse me,” I said to Rafe.

On wobbly legs I hurried out of the living room to head down the hall to the kitchen. Mam and Caterina were already there. Since the boys’ usual cook and housekeeper, Lorna, was back in Ireland with her family, it was up to us women to get the massive spread on the table.

Kellan and Eamon came strolling into the kitchen. “Let us carry the turkey and ham,” Kellan suggested.

Mam nodded. “Just don’t start carving them. That honor goes to Callum since he’s the head of the family.”

Eamon rolled his eyes as he took the platter of ham. “Just for once, I’d like to say screw the birth order.”

Mam laughed. “Aw, you poor, suffering last son,” she mused.

With the large dish of stuffing in my hand, I followed Kellan and Eamon into the dining room. The others had already taken their seats. Motioning to the turkey, Mam said, “Put the stuffing there, love.”

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