A knock came on the front door and Stephanie stood up. A look of relief on her face as she left the dining area to go answer the door. Luca and Harry, looked at Charlotte, curiously and she ignored both of them.

"I'm going to get the gravy for the roast," she said. "Urm Elizabeth could you join me in the kitchen," I was shocked at her sudden request of me to join her. Luca nudged me gently with his elbow. "You got this," he whispered. I was terrified of being alone with one of Luca's family members. The fact that I knew nothing about him made it worst.

I stood up and followed Charlotte out of the dining area and into a kitchen. "I'm sorry we had to meet under these conditions. Luca and Harry are quite stubborn in their ways," she said and moved to the stove. "You are probably feeling a little awkward my dear and I apologize."

"It's okay I can handle a little awkward," I chuckled lightly.

"You're a sweetheart. Just one look at you and I could tell my son made the right choice for once," she said and I smiled sheepishly.

I started to feel guilty about lying to Charlotte. She was a sweet woman and Luca was lying to her about us. He had a lot of explaining to do yet he refused to tell me anything outside of the lines of him just wanting to go back to England.

"Grab a bottle of champagne please dear," she said gesturing to the fridge. I went over to the fridge and pulled it open. There were four bottles of Fornasetti champagne. It was a really expensive bottle and hard to come by. Not everyone ordered it at the restaurant.

I grabbed a bottle and followed her out of the kitchen. Jameson had moved to sit next to Luca. Someone new had joined the table and he sat next to Stephanie. He had light brown curly hair and stubble on his chin. He was wearing a brown suede jacket and a white polar neck shirt on the inside.

"You must be Christian," Charlotte greeted. The man stood up and Charlotte took his hand.

"Thank you for having me over for dinner Mrs. Hendricks." He had a noticeable Italian accent and both Harry and Luca looked away.

"Would you look at that Charlotte our daughter went and found herself an Italian man," Harry said in a sound of disapproval and gritted teeth.

"Dad," Stephanie said in outrage.

"Let's just have dinner. Please," Charlotte said, getting frustrated and glaring at Harry.

I took my seat next to Luca and stepped on his foot purposely. He turned to look at me and glared. I glared back. "We'll talk about this later," he whispered. His facial features softening. It's as if he knew why I tramped his foot.

"Please everyone help yourselves," Charlotte said, with a tired smile on her face that didn't quite meet her eyes. I could tell she was feeling stressed about something. She took her seat next to Harry and he looked up at her to say something but she glared at him causing him to look down at his plate in anger.

We all began to plate our food. The pot roast smelt delicious. "Let's say grace," Charlotte said, but it was too late. Luca had already started eating. He immediately stopped chewing. He looked cute, like an innocent little child with his cheeks filled with food as he closed his eyes and pretended as if he didn't have anything in his mouth.

A smile formed on my face and he opened his one eye and nudged me playfully as his mother began to pray for the food. After she was done. Everyone began eating. The pot roast tasted as good as it smelt. Charlotte was an excellent cook. The flavors of garlic, thyme, and pepper were well balanced.

"So Christian," Charlotte started. "How did you and Stephanie meet."

Christain looked at Stephanie and smiled warmly at her. "Well, I had just taken over my father's designing company in Milan. I didn't have any idea about fashion. So I hired an assistant. Stephanie. She is such a beautiful person inside and out. Very patient with me. How could I not help falling in love with such rare authentic beauty," he placed a kiss on the back of Stephanie's hand and smiled at everyone around the table, but the only ones that returned his friendly smile were James and Charlotte.

Luca looked down at his plate as if he had suddenly gone deaf and not heard what Christian said. Harry did the same as he pushed around the food on his plate. Harry and Luca were so much alike personality-wise. "So Elizabeth, how did you and my brother meet," Stephanie asked and I froze. Luca's eyes widened and we both looked at each other panicked.

"Oh I simply just have to know this story," Charlotte said, looking over at me.

"Should be an interesting one sir," James said from beside Luca.

Everyone was looking at me expectantly and I didn't know what to say. What could I tell them. I certainly couldn't tell them the truth. That I was too drunk to remember the first time I met their son.
"We met at the restaurant I work in," I said and Luca looked at me and nodded for me to continue.

"And," Charlotte inquired as she leaned forward in her seat. Everyone seemed to be interested in this story as they all stopped eating and focused their attention on both Luca and I. Luca was busy staring off into space while I sat in the hot seat.

"I think Luca should tell it. Since he was the one that approached me," I said and kicked his ankle. He groaned and glared at me. I told him we should have known more about each other before I meet his parents.

Luca rubbed the back of his head as he cleared his throat. "Well it's me," Luca suddenly said, confidently. "No woman can resist me," he finished.

"Oh please," I said and scoffed out loud. I wasn't supposed to say that out loud but I couldn't stop the words from tumbling out. Who did he think he was a Greek Adonis.

Stephanie burst out into laughter at my reaction to Luca's absurd words and so did everyone else. "Oh, then how did it happen love," Luca then turned to look at me to finish the story.

"You were a pest," I started adding a little truth to this tale. "You begged me," I furthered just to get under his skin and he narrowed his eyes in on me.

"Oh really now is that how it happened princess," he said.

"That's how I remember it... dear." Everyone was still looking at us expectantly. Waiting to hear the mushy words that Christian used on Stephanie. "But I fell... in love with you none the less..." I finished awkwardly and Luca smirked. He took my hand in his in front of everyone.

"It was love at first sight..." he finished looking at me momentarily before turning and looking at everyone else.
Charlotte was wiping at her eye with a napkin. When they all tore their eyes away from us Luca dropped my hand abruptly and it hit the table.

Jackass. I'd rather roast in hell than fall in love with him.

I glared at him and he gave me a wink as he continued to eat his food.
"I'm so happy. Both my children have found suitable partners for themselves. What more could a mother want," Charlotte said, looking at both of her children with love and adoration. Luca gave his mother a small smile and looked back down at his food. He probably also felt guilty for lying to his mother.

Harry looked over at Stephanie and Christain in thought. A small smile on his face. For whatever reason he was angry at Stephanie it seemed to look as if he was rethinking his anger. Luca made eye contact with Stephanie for the first time. A pained expression on his face.

"There is something I need to tell all of you," Stephanie started and her mother looked at her panicked.

"Steph, darling are you sure right now?" Charlotte asked in concern.

"Yes, mum. I can't keep it in any longer," she looked down at her lap and let out a ragged breath before looking up again. Christian gave her a small nod. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant!" Harry shouted in disbelief. The loud sound of cutlery hitting the porcelain plates echoed in the now silent dining room.

"How are you pregnant!" Harry yelled.

"Harry!" Charlotte warned.

"No Charlotte, you knew about this and you didn't tell me. You and your daughter have been in cahoots. She tells you everything. I'm her father!"

"Harry, see how you are behaving this is why she doesn't tell you anything."

"Well, I've had enough of this!" Harry shouted.

"First I'm the last person to find out she is getting married and then she shows up with this...," he said gesturing at Christian and searching for words. "And now she tells me she is pregnant! Now tell me Stephanie is this the reason you are rushing to get married to a man you only know for six months," he said in outrage as he brought down his closed fist on the table.

I looked at Luca, and he just stared at Stephanie. No emotions clear on his face. I looked at Stephanie and a single tear fell from her eye. My heart ached for her. She must have been so scared to tell them the truth and she must have been under so much stress. A wedding to plan and a baby.

Luca suddenly pushed back his chair. The chair scraping loudly on the wooden floor. He threw his napkin on the dinner plate and stood up before storming out of the dining area. Harry did the same and the next thing that could be heard was the sound of two doors slamming loudly.

Stephanie soon stood up and wiped away her stray tears. "If you could excuse me for a while," she said, hoarsely. Christian watched her leave in anguish.

"Liz darling," Charlotte turned to me. "Please talk to Luca. He won't listen to me." She reached over the table for my hand. "Please sweetheart," I gave her my hand and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I should go find Stephanie," Christian said sadly and Charlotte nodded.

Charlotte and I both stood from the table. She walked over to me and placed her arm around my shoulders. We walked into the lounge area again and she pointed at a door. "He'll probably be in his room but if he is not there. You can wait for him there. I fear his father is going to be in a mood and I don't want you to hear Harry shouting okay," she said, sweetly and I nodded.

She let go of me and I walked over to the door and knocked. He didn't answer so I just took in a deep breath. Here goes nothing I thought. Luca and I weren't close. We were barely even friends. I didn't know how I was going to convince him to go easy on his sister.

If Charlotte knew I wasn't his girlfriend I'm sure she would have never asked me to do this. I walked into the room to see Luca pacing up and down. His room was clean for a guy. His bed had a dark grey cover over it and black pillows. His cupboards were all black and a black desk sat in the corner of the room. He didn't say anything to me but took a seat on the bed.

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked not looking up at me.

"No..." I said and took a step towards him. I moved to sit next to him. "Do you want to talk about it..."

"No!" He said. "Why are you even interested," he said standing up. "There is no one here. We don't have to pretend now."

He walked to the opposite end of the room and faced away from me, both hands were on his hips as he uttered profanities under his breath. "I'm not pretending. I'm genuinely concerned for you as a friend."

He whirled on me. "Please we barely friends we merely acquaintances." That was the truth we barely knew anything about each other, but it wasn't my fault I was trying to get to know him. He just wouldn't open up to me.

"I would like to be your friend," I spoke softly and his hard eyes fell on me. I didn't know how to handle this side of Luca. I didn't know how to handle any side of him, but I was willing to try to get to know him. It was the only way we were both going to cope with being in each other's company. We needed to have some sort of friendship and mutual understanding.

"Elizabeth," he sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. He walked over to me again and sat next to me on the bed. "I'm..."

The door swung open and it was Christian. "It's Stephanie. She's missing," he said, breathlessly and Luca and I stood to our feet.

"Fuck," Luca cursed running a hand down his face.
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