by Billy London
“Are you sure I cannot wear a vest or T-shirt underneath this?”
“Are you telling me how to do things?” Belinda challenged archly. “You are Nicholas’ elder, his representative. Of course you have to wear this exactly as I am putting it on you!”
“But you told me to put some clothes on,” he argued mildly.
Belinda kissed her teeth. “This is different. You are not showing anything but shoulder.” She took a step back to examine her handy work. “That will do.”
He turned to examine himself. The colourful folds of the green, yellow and red material were draped around him, in a toga-esque fashion, making him look as regal and responsible as Belinda’s tone told him he should. He wasn’t particularly pleased that he would be sitting with members of his family with his areolas partly on display.
“Will I do?”
Belinda looked up into his eyes, satisfaction in her gaze. “Yes. Even though we’re all waiting for you. Come. Let’s start.”
He put a hand on her arm to halt her. “I would like to say thank you. Introducing us into your culture. I hope you understand how precious this is to us all.”
“You should. This ceremony was practiced in our country long before we had missionaries and the British government telling us otherwise. Being married in my culture is to have the blessing of your elders, for us to approve of the life choice that’s being made. This comes before the blessing of the church. Now I know those two,” she waved a hand toward the direction of the loggia, “chose each other long before they even knew what to do but this is important.”
“I appreciate that.”
She frowned at him. “You remember what you need to say?”
Goodness, he had it all memorized for weeks! “I do. I will not forget.”
“Frederick will guide you if you forget.” She suddenly clutched his arm in panic. “You didn’t tell him where the drinks were, did you?”
“No. I know an alcoholic when I see one.” Belinda’s disapproval of the other man pleased him. The way Gina spoke of him, Massimo worried that there was some history between Belinda and Frederick, given they had been lifelong friends of Gina’s parents. Now he was assured that Frederick was merely in attendance because of his friendship with the Robinsons and not because of a romantic involvement with Belinda.
“He’s such a drunk.” She shook her head with annoyed dismissal. “Call Frederick if anything comes undone.”
“No offense, but I do not particularly relish the idea of Frederick assisting me with this. It is far too personal.”
“I just did it for you.”
Massimo gave a slow blink. “Yes, but you are a woman.”
Her lips pursed. “You’ve noticed have you? Two minutes then come and join us under the loggia.”
He caught her hand and kissed it. “Grazie.”
Looking embarrassed, she took her hand away and vanished. He hoped she’d stop doing that as he had begun to look forward to seeing her. He had a few more days to try and remove the last barriers of her discomfort. After all, they were family now.
Frederick caught her out. Staring at him. Massimo. But she couldn’t help it. Her eyes were drawn to him every so often, as if her brain was trying to map his movements. If he moved out of her line of sight, she felt slightly panicked, that maybe he was talking to someone else, someone more attractive, then she’d mentally slap herself for being stupid.
The customary rites had been wonderful, the sheer amount of fabrics Nick had pulled out of a huge, heavily fashioned chest that took four men to carry over had been nothing less than a pure joy and utterly respectful. He asked to be part of Gina’s family and with feigned reluctance, Belinda and Frederick granted the same. Now they could all happily eat. Or stare as Belinda had chosen to do.
“Why are you watching him?”
She blagged it. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You keep looking at that boy’s father. What are you doing?”
She frowned at him. “I’m not doing anything. You’re the one drinking like there’s no tomorrow.”
He made a noise in his throat. “He’s not your, how shall I say, type.”
“And what would you know about what my type is?”
“I’ve known you for years, what madness are you talking about! And we both gave that girl a hard time because she was going out with a white boy.”
She shot him a filthy look. “It wasn’t because he is white, abasama! It was because her father just died and he looks like a troublemaker. And he is!” Belinda was sure Gina hadn’t told her the full story and in some ways she was glad because then she wouldn’t have to boil that boy in a soup and suck on the marrow of his bones.
Her soon-to-be-dead friend lost the train of his argument. “He’s serious though. Look what they’ve done, made sure that we’re all here to do things properly. How proud would her parents be to know she’d followed our traditions as much as the English ones?”
Followed or had her ear talked off about it by a certain aunt? She liked to think it was the former. “Exactly, he’s shown he’s serious and he loves that girl.” She gripped her glass tightly for a moment, then set it down on the nearest table. “He’ll look after her or die trying. That’s all her parents wanted for her.”
He sent her a wary look. “So if you’re happy that he’ll do a good job, again, why are you so interested in his father?”
“I am not!” she fumed. “Get that disgusting idea out of your head.”
Frederick rolled his shoulders in satisfaction. “I know you’d never be after a man like that.”
“Because I’m so happy by myself?”
He grinned at her words. “You had your chance to marry me and you chose Herbert.”
“Lesser of two evils,” she spat.
He paused for a moment. “People talk and they’ve never been kind to you.”
“People need to learn to shut up. I’m not doing anything so stop gossiping like an old woman.”
“Let me just tell you how things would be in the case you’re not telling the truth. Mr. Da Canaveze is like that boy we used to know. What was his name? Adwoa.”
Belinda rolled her eyes. “That boy who filled an orphanage with God knows how many children with how many women? He was all trouble.”
He pointed to Massimo. “That man just spells the same trouble, yo.”
“And why don’t you think I can look after myself?”
“You’re a woman, aren’t you?”
She struggled to hold onto the reigns of her temper. “You need to sit somewhere else before we embarrass Georgina.”
“He’s had a wife. He’s not going to want another.”
“And am I so desperate for a man that I’d be happy if one just smiles at me? Why do you like insulting me so much?” She regretted her insistence that Frederick should come to the customary rites and be the Robinson male representative because he obviously had no idea about how a woman thought, felt or understood.
“I’m not insulting you, you’re my friend. A very good friend who doesn’t deserve any more nonsense in her life from men like that one. Exactly like that.” He jabbed a finger in Massimo’s direction.
Folding her arms, she made a last ditch attempt to resist the urge to slap him. “You’ve been a useless friend to me. This is the one time, I do not need your help. If he tries anything, I can look after my damn self. Now yeffun.”
She got to her feet and made her way to the nearest waiter who was handing out glasses of iced supermalt. Draining it, she started hunting for something more alcoholic. Damn Frederick. What nonsense, firstly that the man would ever be interested in her and secondly that she wouldn’t kick him into touch if he even opened his mouth to misbehave. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a glass filled with what smelled beautifully of rum was waved under her nose.
“Looking for something?”
She looked up into warm blue eyes and nearly turned around to apologise to Frederick for lying. The
re was the distinct possibility she had been in the same room as a man as beautiful as Massimo a million years ago, but she honestly couldn’t remember now. It was like staring directly into the sun, he left bright spots behind her eyelids. “You look like a woman who needs a decent drink. It is spiced rum.”
She took the glass tentatively. “Thank you.”
“Are you all right?”
“Just Frederick being a fool as usual.”
“I have not seen you eat, are you not hungry? I would highly recommend the palm soup or the fried fish.”
“Not the rice?”
“The rice is also delicious.”
She smiled. “How do you know my food?”
“I have a very patient and generous teacher.” He sent a loving glance in Gina’s direction. She and Nick caught it and while Gina blew a kiss back, Nick made a face that read stop being mushy. “Feel free to take her place. I think Nicholas will make being his wife a full time job.”
“He’s a full time job already,” she tutted. “What haven’t you tried?”
Frederick came running up to them before Massimo could answer. “Belinda, I just need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
He glanced at Massimo. “It’s private, you don’t mind do you?”
Massimo inclined his head. “Not at all.”
As he left, Frederick exhaled. “Good thing I was here. He looked like he was trying some juju on you.”
She smacked him around the back of the head so hard he careened into the nearest table, bellowing at him in Fanti. “I warned you. Absolute nonsense.”
Gina caught her eye from across the loggia. Belinda held up a hand to dismiss the frown on her face. “Look what you made me do,” she hissed at Frederick, who dazedly picked himself up from the floor. “Go and apologise to her.”
She hustled him in Gina’s direction and turned away, drink still in hand. Flaming idiot. Why did he have to highlight what was missing in her life and how well Massimo could fill that space? Actually, a man like him would overwhelm it. Well, she wasn’t going to cause herself any more embarrassment by thinking about him that way. She would simply stop.
Massimo caught Frederick’s unsteady jaunt toward his almost daughter-in-law and put a stop to that. “What has happened?” he asked. The man looked up at him and straightened his shirt.
“Belinda got upset with me.”
“And why would you upset Mrs. Afriyie on a day such as this?”
Frederick wisely sobered up at the danger in Massimo’s soft tone. “She’s been through a lot. Lost many people. I don’t want anyone to give her more trouble.”
Massimo’s eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. “I have not given you anything to be concerned about. I have welcomed you into my home, have I not?”
Recognising the precariousness of his words, Frederick took a moment to think while Massimo called upon the powers of every ordained saint to give him the patience not to snap the man’s neck in two. “It’s not you. I was just telling her to be careful. She’s not looked at another man since her husband left.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Well … she was looking at you.”
“I am not a small man. I tend to be in the line of sight for most people,” he shrugged lightly, ignoring the triumphant smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
“I understand that, but…”
“What is the ‘but’ you are offering? She looked in my direction so you wish to put a chastity belt on her? Force her on the first available flight to London? Help me understand Frederick.”
“Mr. Da Canaveze, listen. She looks like she could push a truck but she’s a soft person. Weak when it comes to men.”
“I doubt that on either count. She has clearly been disappointed by men, you included I would believe, if she had cause to reprimand you. Your caution is unnecessary. I have yet to treat a woman under my care with anything less than respect reserved for royalty, the Pope and Jesus Christ himself.”
Frederick nodded hastily. “I’m happy you think so. Let me say sorry to Georgina.”
“I would not worry her. Because you would have to explain why you upset her aunt, and that may in turn upset her, and then my son will be most unhappy. He is never particularly understanding when people upset his fiancée.”
Frederick looked ashen. Massimo gave him a short pat on the shoulder. “Get yourself something to drink. Leave Mrs. Afriyie free to enjoy herself without concern.”
The other man disappeared into the throng of the party. Massimo’s eyes gently rested on Belinda who was leaning on the far pillar of the loggia, a hand to her forehead. Paul approached her with two near overflowing piles of food and coaxed her into joining him. With a huge smile, Belinda followed and the two sat down and started chatting away in between forkfuls.
He was even more intrigued now. What was in the look she had given him that caused such blind panic in Frederick? Those who were unaware of the subtleties of the woman would think she only had two expressions, given her heavily lashed, almond shaped eyes. Mad. And really mad. Since she had both his sons eating out of the palm of her hand, he doubted it was either one of those two.
For the first time, he was looking forward to getting the wedding out of the way and leaving all the various distractions to the side. He had a strong feeling that Belinda was a full time job all by herself. Good thing he enjoyed that sort of work.
Gina heard the tapping of stones against the window. If Belinda heard that too, she and Stone Boy were in serious trouble. She padded to the windows and saw Nick with a cheeky grin on his face. “Let’s play!” She read the words on his lips more than she heard them. She pointed to her left as warning.
“Woman, get out here.”
“Ho, didst thou just address me as ‘woman’?”
He laughed, “Georgina of the Robinson, I beg you to please get your sweet little arse outside for some private time.”
“What’s in the basket?”
“Goodies. Come on.”
She’d have to sneak past her aunt’s room to get out. “I’ll be down in a second.”
She slipped on flip flops, tied her hair from her face and snuck out of the room, gently closing the door. In one step, her flip flop sounded like a firework exploding on the marble. Hastily, she removed them and tip-toed down the stairs to the gardens. Nick held out a hand toward her and the moment their fingers touched, he hoisted her over his shoulder and hurried away from the house. “Oi, we’re not eloping!”
“I’m just taking you somewhere I won’t get told off for laying hands on you.”
Giggling, they eventually came to a quiet garden, intense with the rich scent of roses and gardenias at night. A fountain sat in the centre of a rich green lawn, still damp from the midnight sprinkler. “This is beautiful,” Gina murmured as Nick placed her carefully on the grass. “Not Mary Alice’s design?”
“Nope. Dad commissioned it.”
He spread out a blanket from the magical basket and asked her to sit. With such a sweet smile there was no resisting the request. She gave a shriek as he popped a bottle of ice cold champagne. “Kidnapping? Really?”
He rolled his eyes. “I tried to ask you, but your aunt smacked my head. Twice. She said I should be able to wait a few days.”
Gina sort of agreed with her. “We’ve only got the rehearsal dinner tomorrow and then the wedding.”
“Eloping’s looking pretty good now,” he reminded her with a lift of his dark brows.
“I’m going to tell my aunt you’re a bad influence.” He handed her a glass of the champagne.
“I think she knows that already,” he teased.
“Because she took one look at you,” Gina retorted, taking a sip of champagne. “That is divine. Who knew non-alcoholic was the way to go?” She sent him a cheeky glance. “Aww dude, you are off your game now. Can’t get me drunk.”
“I don’t need alcohol.”
When he was stroking her skin underneath he
r tank top and staring into her eyes like that, he was right. “What else have you got?”
“Chicken. Cream crackers. Cake.”
She leaned up and kissed him hard. “And now I’m wet.”
“See, isn’t this more fun than listening to your aunt snore?”
She laughed as he put together a plate for her. “I can’t hear jack from my room. This villa is amazing.” He handed her a glass and she saw something spark in his eyes. “How is it being here? For you?”
“Weird,” he admitted. “But right. It’s better than what we planned.”
“I know, Pads worked overtime. It’s ridiculous here.”
“Let’s do a deal,” he offered, his voice husky.
“Ooh, I like those. I usually end up rather happy.”
“I’ll tell you about the honeymoon destination and we forgo the whole enforced celibacy thing.”
That wouldn’t at all do. She carefully removed his wandering hand from her hip. “How about I let you touch nipple and you tell me about the honeymoon?”
“What? All I get is nipple? That’s not right.”
She shrugged, putting down her glass, “Depends what you want more. Touch of nipple could lead to something you really enjoy.” She eased herself onto his lap, locking her feet at the ankles around his waist. “Look how much more fun this is. Caribbean?”
“I thought we were cutting down on carbon emissions because of our progeny?” he muttered. Gina rolled her hips and wiggled against him. “Ah, all right, Sicily! Rocky’s lending us his flat in Palermo.”
“See that wasn’t so hard. Not as hard as what I’m sitting on all of a sudden,” she laughed. “Damn, maybe I should listen to Auntie more often.”
“That wasn’t the purpose of the enforced celibacy,” he frowned. “I had a good chat with her.”
“Thought so. She’s really smart. Even if she forgets words, she’s very kind.” He watched her for a moment. “What?”