Read Online To Catch a Leaf by Kate Collins - Free Book Online Page A

let me slide into the booth first, then took a seat beside me so we were facing his mom. “I ordered a bottle of red wine,” he said to me.
    â€œJust one?” I joked, slipping off my jacket. “After the day I’ve had, I could handle one all by myself.”
    Francesca’s smile stiffened. Marco lifted his eyebrows to signal that I’d made a gaff.
    â€œJust kidding,” I said. “One glass will be enough. Actually, not even one. Maybe half. A small half—more like a third.”
    â€œTell me about your terrible day,” Francesca said, reaching across the table to put her hand over mine, probably to make me stop babbling.
    I ran through the list in my head and came up with only one item I felt comfortable telling her. So I recounted my tale of the tabby cat and left it at that. She seemed disappointed.
    â€œA minor problem,” she said, sitting back.
    â€œYou wouldn’t want to take the cat back to Ohio with you, would you?” I asked hopefully.
    She gave me a classic Italian shrug. “I can’t make any decisions until I know for certain whether I’m staying in Indiana.”
    A horrible feeling rocked the pit of my stomach. “Staying? Here?”
    â€œI keep asking myself why I should remain in Ohio,” she said, gesturing with her hands. “My other children are scattered all over the country. But here”—she reached across to pinch Marco’s cheek, but he dodged her—“I have Marco, Raphael, Gina, and my grandbabies. And you, bella. Then there are your wedding events to plan. That will take a lot of work. And soon after your wedding, maybe more grandbabies for me, eh?”
    I locked my jaw so my mouth wouldn’t fall open.
    â€œMa,” Marco said firmly, “we’re not here to discuss babies.”
    I knew he was irritated with her because he hadn’t called her Mama , as he usually did.
    Gert, the waitress who’d been at Down the Hatch since it had opened, put a bottle of Cabernet in front of us and got out her corkscrew. I took the opportunity to whisper to Marco, “I really think we’re going to need more than one bottle.”
    â€œA toast to your future.” Francesca raised her wineglass, and we clinked rims. Then she got up, went over to the bar area, and came back with two plates of manicotti with sides of garlic bread, both of which Francesca had made especially for us.
    â€œNow you can nourish your bodies while we discuss business.” This time she managed to pinch Marco’s cheek. “Only the freshest ingredients for my bambinos. Bella, do you have the magazines I sent you?”
    The ten bridal magazines she’d mailed me last winter that had piled up in my closet until I threw them out? I scratched my forehead. “Um.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I have backups.”
    While I tasted her manicotti, which had to be the most delicious I’d ever eaten, Francesca pulled a large file folder from her oversized purse and opened it up. Inside was a stack of pages she’d clipped from bridal magazines. She slid them toward me.
    â€œThese are the wedding gowns that would work best with your figure. I phoned the bridal salon and all of the gowns can be ordered in plenty of time to make any necessary alterations. We can make an appointment to have a look at the ones they have in stock, eh?”
    As she pulled out a spiral-bound notebook, I gave Marco a pleading look. This was exactly what I didn’t want to happen. We’d agreed to keep our wedding simple and sweet, and that included my dress, flowers, bridal shower, honeymoon, and all the other elements associated with getting married.
    Marco gave me a look that said, Humor her.
    I gave him a look back that said, Okay, as long as we’re on the same page about this.
    He gave me a nod.
    Francesca opened the notebook to a page marked Shower #1 , and uncapped her pen. “First we work on the Italian