Page 102 of The Honest Affair

“I know who you are,” Nina said evenly, in a voice that wasn’t loud or sharp, but was somehow as ominous and heavy as the stone around us. “And I know what you did.”

“What I did…excuse me?” Sherry flailed. “Listen, I don’t know who you are, but you don’t know me—”

“I know you’re the kind of woman who cheats on the best possible man there is. I know you’re the kind of woman who lets her lover go to war and cheapens his sacrifice by opening your legs to any other man who comes your way.”

“Oh, listen, now,” Kate murmured behind us.

“Mattie—” Lea started.

“Hush,” Frankie’s voice came clear, quieting the rest so that Nina could continue.

“But,” Nina said as she drew her terrifyingly icy gaze up and down Sherry, who practically shivered in response. “I also know you’re the kind of woman who regrets it. So I’ll say this to you nicely the first time, but next, the gloves will really come off. You don’t deserve him. Now, in case you’ve forgotten, he also has an entire family of fierce women who don’t take kindly to people who hurt him. Nor do I. Like Matthew, I come from a family who will do absolutely anything to protect the people they love. And I do mean anything.”

She took another step forward, forcing Sherry to look up at her, which, given the difference of nearly a foot between them, meant that Nina pretty much towered over my ex-girlfriend.

“I suggest you don’t test me on that point,” she said, her voice low and menacing.

Sherry, though, was no slouch. Her fingers clenched and unclenched repeatedly, and her eyes squinted with fight. For a moment, I thought they might literally come to blows in the middle of the church.

But then she stepped back, flickering glances at me and the rest of my family, who remained perfectly silent.

“I see,” she said. “Well, I’ll be going. Mattie, I’ll um, see you around, I guess.”

I tipped my hat at her. “You have a nice day, Sherry.”

We all watched her leave, shoulders slumped in defeat. When Nina and I turned around, we found the rest of my family staring at her, expressions torn between irritation, shock, and respect.

“You’re engaged?” Lea’s loud voice finally interrupted the awkward silence.

Nina’s hand found mine again and I squeezed it tight. “This wasn’t really the way we were planning to tell you, but yeah, Lea. I asked Nina to marry me. And she said yes.”

“Signora Zola,” Nina said as she returned to my side. “I realize it’s a surprise, but I would very much appreciate the chance to…explain everything. Please.” She glanced at me, but even in that split second, her deep gray eyes were full of so much love, I thought my heart might burst in the middle of the church.

Right back at you, baby.

“Please, Nonna,” I said. “Just give her a chance to say her piece. Fair’s fair.”

Everyone waited for what seemed like the length of the entire Mass we had just sat through while my grandmother looked us both over.

“Yes,” Nonna said, breaking her silence at last. “I think so. We need to talk. With Matthew and you.”

Nina nodded, and to my surprise, none of my sisters argued. Instead, they filed out of the church, following Nonna obediently. Her word, apparently, settled the issue.

I turned to Nina with awe. “Where did that come from?”

“When you’re faced with lions, you can be eaten or learn to tame them. I choose the latter.” She shrugged.

I had to smile. She really had been listening throughout the whole sermon, which had, in fact, been on the famous parable of Daniel and the lion’s den.

“You’re not in the clear, though. You should have told me they would be angry.”

I turned with a hand on Nina’s back. “I’m mad at myself, doll. I should have predicted this, and I didn’t. You sure you want to go? We can still make our escape.”

But Nina just shook her head. “No, there’s no going back now. And I wouldn’t want to anyway.”

I took her hand and kissed her fingers, lingering over the ring that still gleamed in the sun. “Well, I hope you can channel that lion-taming for another few hours, baby. The pride is heading back to the house now.”

“Into the lion’s den we go?” she murmured playfully.

“Good God, I hope not. But if the claws are out, you can handle it. That’s for damn sure.”

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