Only With Me (With Me #2)(56)

       
         
       
        

Glancing over to Nic, I wondered if he looked at me that way.

Nic placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the kitchen. "Time to eat, baby."

My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. I was starving.

"You up for elk hunting this year?" Thano had asked Nic as we all stood waiting for everyone to file through the kitchen. The food smelled heavenly. I inhaled a deep breath.

"Sure. We haven't been in a few years," Nic replied. They were making small talk and it somehow eased my nerves. Kilyn was holding Kira and reminding her about her manners. I loved seeing her call out to her grandfather and run to him. The way Dimitris swept her up in his arms had my chest squeezing as memories of my own grandfather swirled in my head.

I jumped when the young lady next to me asked, "Have you had Greek food before?"

"Um . . . a few times. I've tried my hand at cooking a few Greek dishes."

The entire kitchen grew quiet as everyone looked over at me.

Shit. Damn it. Double damn. Why did I open my mouth?

Then I saw her. The woman who must be . . . Yiayia. She stood there holding a dish while her eyes met mine. The way she was looking at me had me swallowing hard.

"What have you tried your hand at?" she asked.

Nic chuckled. "There is Yiayia! Gabi, this is my grandmother."

I would have extended my hand, but she was holding a dish of something that looked and smelled heavenly.

"Let me take that, Yiayia! Now go sit down!" Katerina said.

Yiayia started to head toward the massive dining room. There was a large table set up, but I couldn't help but notice most of the people were heading out back or to the living room.

"Why is no one sitting at the dining room table?" I asked Nic as we moved closer to the kitchen island that was covered in food.

"That's for the family."

I glanced around. A few people nodded at me and smiled and I graciously returned the gesture. Weren't they all family?

"Nic, all these people didn't come just to meet me, did they?"

He laughed but never answered as we approached the table. My eyes scanned the endless amount of food on the table. Here I thought my family loved food.

"Wow. That's a lot of food," I whispered with a small giggle.

Before I knew what was happening, a plate was shoved in my hands and Katerina started piling on food. There was so much food on my plate I nearly dropped it.

"Now, Gabriella, you come sit next to Yiayia."

My heart froze and I quickly looked over at Kilyn. She lifted her brows and pretended to spit.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I searched for Nic. 

"Don't worry, my Nicholaus will be sitting right next to you."

Was it my imagination or did she keep referring to Nic as hers?

As I sat down, Katerina pulled on my hair.

"Ouch!" I cried out as I turned to look at her. What in the hell?

She blushed. "Oh, my goodness my bracelet got caught on your hair. Look at that?"

Holding a few pieces of my hair, she smiled as if she had won a great victory. I, on the other hand, rubbed the area of my head where she had robbed me of precious strands of hair.

I slowly sank down into the chair as Katerina leaned over to Yiayia. "This is my Nicholaus's Gabriella, Yiayia."

The older woman turned and stared at me. I did the only thing I could think of doing.

"So, yiayia means grandmother in Greek?"

She huffed at me and I swear I saw smoke come from her mouth and nostrils.

The way her eyes took me in had me fidgeting in my seat. "So, you are Italian and you think you can cook Greek food, huh?"

My eyes widened in horror. "Oh, well I'm sure I can't cook it nearly as good as you or Katerina."

"Then how will our Nicholaus eat?"

I laughed and gave Yiayia a wink. "Lucky for me he said Italian was his favorite food."

The entire room fell silent.

How in the hell did they hear that over all this talking?

Everyone looked at me then Nic.

"Is this true, Nicholaus?" Katerina asked.

I couldn't help but notice how Thad and Thano leaned in closer . . . like their next breath depended on Nic's answer.

Kilyn looked at me with a terrified look on her face then said, "I think what Gabi meant to say was, lucky for her Nic will eat her Italian cooking."

She motioned for me to agree. "Oh, yes yes. That is exactly what I meant to say. Not that Italian was his favorite."

I let out a laugh and Kilyn followed with one of her own. Then Phoebe chuckled. "As if Nicholaus would like Italian food over Greek!" she said.