Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Take your pick, world.
But right now, she was just so, so happy, she felt she would burst if she didn't do something. And so while A Summer Place played on repeat in her mind, Cat twirled, jumped, and glided to her heart's content.
Arms in first position, but with her fingers meeting to subtly form a heart.
Arms in second position as she leaped as high as she could (which was not that much, unfortunately).
Arms in third position as she stood in front of the curtains and flashed a coquettish smile as if they were her gentleman partner in a waltz.
Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful day it was to dance!
Piroutte!
Sauté!
Glissade!
Because today was the day that—-
"What are you doing?"
—-Sarica of all people would catch her bowing, tiptoeing, and spinning in front of her gilded full-length mirror like her body had been possessed by the spirit of Christine, and she was practicing her moves for her beloved Phantom of the Opera Raoul.
Aaargh!
You're not supposed to fall for the villain!
And FOCUS!
Because right now, her extraordinary talent for shipping a couple that was never the OTP wasn't even her most pressing concern.
Rather, it was the girl with bubblegum-colored hair and whose emerald eyes were presently narrowed at Cat from the doorway.
What do I even say?
A frown slowly formed on Sarica's forehead. "Is that a new workout?"
I don't believe this.
Cat didn't know whether to laugh...or question everyone else's sanity.
SSS.
It stood for 'super serious soul', and she had personally come up with the term after the numerous instances that someone had caught her doing something silly—-
But because they think I'm SSS...
Everyone would always end up rationalizing what they had seen, and Cat wouldn't even have to say a word.
Like now.
Sarica had already assumed her silence meant 'yes' and was now talking about something else.
"Just can't believe..."
Cat was having a hard time concentrating on Sarica's words. A part of her was still marveling at how the other girl hadn't thought her earlier actions weren't weird. At all.
"Catch you after breakfast?"
"Um..."
Sarica gave her an odd look. "Um...what?"
"Um..."
"Tell me all about it later. I need to be downstairs before Massimo and Ysabel."
Sarica had to throw the last few words over her shoulder as she hurried towards the stairs.
Phew.
Cat was glad of not having to lie to Sarica, but this time, she also made sure to lock her door before turning to face her reflection on the mirror.
Unremarkable dark hair, unremarkably serious face, unremarkably slender body.
Perfect!
These were the things about herself that she once struggled to understand and accept, but the five years that went past had given her peace and clarity.
She was made to be this way because she was only meant to be seen by those who truly mattered.
And as unbelievably as it may be, one of those people was Ezio Marchetti.
This is it.
After five long years, she finally had a chance to make it right, and even though it still didn't make sense how someone as beautiful as Ezio Marchetti was part of God's plans for her—-
She was done questioning it.
She was done questioning God.
Today was all about seizing what should have happened five years past.
Carpe diem!
Three
CAT PRETENDED NOT TO notice the looks of surprise on everyone's faces when they saw her joining them for breakfast.
I know, I know.
This was why she hadn't been able to answer in the affirmative when Sarica assumed they would only meet after breakfast.
This was Cat eating her words, after consistently turning down their invitations to dine with the Marchettis during 'special' occasions.
And one certainly couldn't get any more special than this, since it wasn't every year that a new Marchetti bride was joining the entire famiglia for breakfast the morning after her wedding.
The silence in the dining room remained unbroken even as Cat claimed the last unoccupied seat on the table.
All eyes were on her, but only one person's gaze mattered.
This is it.
She hadn't looked his way yet, not wanting to accidentally give things away.
You can do this, Cat.
She glanced at La Strega, and the crafty smile on the older woman's lips was not particularly encouraging. The matriarch was obviously relishing everyone's shock, and Cat had a feeling it would only get worse from here.
Lord, please make her behave!
To the good people of Boston, Signora Potenziana Marchetti was a woman of courage and honor, a woman who had earned her right to be the city's queen instead of being born into it. And while all of those things were indeed true—-
Oh, if only.
If only the good people of Boston also knew just how immature their beloved matriarch could be-—
"I have an announcement to make, and now seems a good time as any to make it."
Oh Lord, this is going to be bad, isn't it?
"But before anything else, I would like to welcome the newest member of our famiglia once again. Thank you for making do with my grandson, bambina."