An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 51

"Hey!" Nadia said with a smile, approaching Echo, who was holding out two coffees. 

It was cold out, very. Just the week before there had been snow and it was expected that there would be more after Christmas. Echo was concerned about this, especially since the evenings held a bitter chill and hers was supposed to be an outdoor wedding. Still, Nadia's mother, Daniela, insisted that it would all work out with minor adjustments. That same day, Echo stood still as a veil was being pinned and re-pinned, shaped and folded, while she listened to the long list of provisions her future aunt-in-law had secured to help make the wedding more comfortable despite the cold weather. 

Fortunately, there was no snow or rain expected on her wedding day but Echo still couldn't picture how they were going to keep the close to 200 guests warm in that garden. Even now, as Echo greeted Nadia, she went over and over the plans Daniela had given her but in the end, what could she do but give in? 

"Hey... here." Echo said with a smile, handing her one of the cups. 

"Thanks." Nadia said brightly. This girl was all surprises. She'd learned that over the last few weeks. Twice a week, Echo would drive out here and they would either meet at her apartment or at a coffee shop. 

They talked about all types of things- what it was really like being in the family, what it was like for children, what it was like for women, what she could and could not ask, what she should and should not say, what types of things she might volunteer to do to help the family and what type of things she would automatically be expected to do. But, usually, unexpectedly, they just laughed and talked. Being at ease around each other was so natural and so strange because neither of these two women was ever used to being at ease around... anyone. 

Today, they were meeting at Luke's house, where Nadia would try to paint the picture for her of the wedding and also talk her through what managing a house was like. 

"So, how was your day?" Echo asked, following her up the walk way towards the large porch that wrapped around the impossibly huge home. It was really something... breathtaking and beautiful, but equally foreboding. Echo was vividly aware that soon this would be her home, Luke had told her that he expected her to make changes to make it her own, but she still felt out of place here. 

"Good, long." Nadia said, sighing and thinking of Grace. Ever since she'd told her that Luke was getting married, Grace had completely shut herself off from her. She avoided Nadia as much as she could, which was hard considering she now worked in the same clinic. "Endless complaints today. I couldn't get anything right."

"Yikes. One of those days..." Echo muttered, stopping short of the front door and raising her fist. 

"Please tell me you're not going to knock." Nadia said, raising her brow. 

"Please tell me you don't expect me to just... walk in?" Echo asked, making Nadia frown. 

"Luke gave you the key, right?" Nadia asked, crossing her arms. 

"Yeah." Echo said, fumbling around her bag, "But I feel weird walking into someone else's house like that."

She looked around, noting how many people seemed to be on the grounds today, more than she had seen before. 

"In a couple of weeks, this will be your house." Nadia said as if what she was saying was silly. "Luke wants you to come and go, the staff expect you to come and go as you need."

"Yeah, but it's still weird." Echo repeated, still searching. "Damn it, where are they?"

"Ehem..." Nadia cleared her throat, prompting Echo to look up. Nadia reached out, placing her hand on the door knob and turning it. "Not locked."