“I doubt anyone is worthy of her,” Leo said softly, his gaze lingering on Gwen.
“Good answer,” Nina said and elbowed Leo. “Looks like you might survive family dinner.”
“Maybe. Tough crowd, though. Doesn’t seem anyone is worried about me dating Gwen, just her dating me,” Leo grumbled.
“Well, Gwen is quite lovely and—”
“And I’m not?” Leo teased.
“She’s lovely and you’re a lothario,” Nina said. “Now you understand our worries?”
Leo pressed his wicked and yet charming smile to his face. “It’s not me who wanted to keep our dating a secret.”
Aubrey tilted her head toward Gwen.
“I just…I wanted to be certain that there was something between us, something more than just a physical attraction.”
Again Aubrey squeezed her hand. “I’m happy there is.”
Gwen was too. Unfortunately, while she cared about Leo—really, she might as well admit to herself that she had fallen in love with him—and he cared about her, she was now nearly one hundred percent certain that their relationship wouldn’t work.
Yes, Leo’s family and her friends would grow to accept them as a couple and love having the two of them together. But the words Aubrey had spoken confirmed that Gwen couldn’t go on in this relationship with Leo. No matter how much Gwen cared for him, Gwen’s ideal future looked completely different from what Leo wanted. There had been no reason for this big reveal at a Travati family Sunday dinner, because soon, once again, each of them would be coming to the weekly dinner single and alone.
*
“You do realize the potential mess you’ve stepped into?” Justin asked. “If you play this right, and everything works out then we’re all good”—he waved his hand in a circle indicating himself, Anthony, and Devon—“but if you play this wrong and mess up?”
“Then every Travati woman and their sister—and please keep in mind, Leo, that there are more Travati women now than there have been in twenty years—all of them are going to come down on you harder than a shit-ton of bricks,” Anthony said and took a long drink of beer.
“And also us, because we’re related to you,” Justin added.
Some loyalty. He expected more than fear of the estrogen mafia from his brothers. He sipped his beer. A queasy feeling oozed through his stomach. He’d expected a bit of teasing from the family, but pressure? Nope, not this kind of “do right by Gwen or else” pressure. This was his family after all, but everyone, including Devon, the only other non-hooked-up Travati, eyed Leo like his neck was in the noose.
Sounded like he had two options, both bad: commit to wedded bliss with Gwen on the spot or end the whole damn deal right now.
“Is it hot in here?” Leo tugged the front of his sweater away from his chest.
“Maybe for you,” Anthony said.
“I’d get used to it, you’re under the microscope now.” Justin nodded toward Shelly, Nina, and Aubrey, who huddled in the dining room whispering and gesticulating. Every so often one of them would let their gaze travel toward where the brothers stood in the living room, now only pretending to watch sports on the TV.
Devon leaned closer. “I’d make Max taste test your food tonight. Might be easier for all of them to just off you now.”
“Very funny. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Hey, we believe in you, man,” Justin said. “We just believe that you’re as confirmed-a-bachelor as anyone can get and well, that one”—Justin nodded toward Gwen, who sat talking to Mrs. Bello—“She’s not a convenient arrangement. Nope. That one is a lifetime investment.”
Leo’s stomach pitted. Gwen was a lifetime investment. Gwen wasn’t something for only now, she was a woman for forever. But he could do this. He pulled on his beer. He could do forever with Gwen.
“Right, a lifetime investment with dividends,” Anthony added.
“Dividends?”
“You know, kids. The one thing you said you don’t ever want to have, or has that changed?”
Leo took another long swallow of beer. No, his desire to maintain a child-free existence hadn’t changed, not even for someone as precious as Gwen. He and Gwen hadn’t discussed children. Hell, they hadn’t discussed any part of the future, but Gwen had to know that he didn’t want to be a parent. He’d made those feelings pretty obvious in all kinds of conversations before they’d become involved.
Did Gwen want children? He shook his head. That was a dumb question. Of course Gwen wanted kids. She’d swooned over a baby blanket in this very spot not twenty-four hours before.