Read Tied Bond (Holly Woods Files, #4) for Free Online Page B

thirty-first, so it’s not all on me.
    I grab a banana from the fruit bowl in the middle of the kitchen table and throw it at her. She only just misses it with a deft sidestep, but I keep glaring at her until she finally shrugs.
    “ Si, ” she sighs. “I-a did.”
    Brody rolls his eyes and shoves three cheesy Doritos in his mouth. “Everyone is surprised, Nonna.”
    “Brodes,” I snap. “Manners!”
    He flips me the bird.
    Asshole.
    I throw a banana at him too.
    He catches it, breaks the top, peels it, then takes a giant bite of it.
    I don’t even know he finished his mouthful of Doritos. Maybe he didn’t. Who knows? He’s still five at heart. He’s worse than I am.
    “Nonna!” Amelia gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. She wipes a fake tear away from under her eye with her other hand, and I fight my smirk at the way her hand shakes. “I can’t believe you’d keep that to yourself! I trusted y’all to do this for me although I didn’t want one. You know I love Halloween. Why didn’t you say something?”
    Nonna’s eyes immediately widen. “Oh, Amelia!” She frames her own face with her wrinkled fingers. “I did-a not-a know-a how much you-a loved the holiday! Mi dispiace !”
    I sit back and clasp my hands in my lap. This will be interesting. Amelia is putting on her horrified act, and Nonna’s putting on her innocent, apologetic act.
    Who’ll win? Only time will tell…
    “It’s okay,” Amelia says quietly, looking down. “I know how much it means to you, so we can keep it the same date, if you’d prefer.”
    “She’s good,” Gianna whispers in my ear.
    I give her a side-eye and nod.
    “Oh, merda !” Nonna slams her hand against the arm of her chair. “You-a love-a Halloween that-a much-a?”
    “It’s my favorite holiday,” Amelia replies quietly. “I love the fun of dressing up.”
    Brody flits his eyes between both women. The chip bag crinkles as he dives his hand inside it and produces another handful of orange, cheesy triangles.
    “Ahhh…” Nonna presses her fingertips to her lips and looks over Amelia’s head, out the window.
    “Who’s going to squeal?” Gianna whispers in my ear.
    I shrug a shoulder. “No idea. Amelia’s never argued with her.”
    “No!”
    “Yes.”
    Nonna sighs. “I was-a so-a excited for-a the party.”
    “Me too!” Amelia bites her lower lip. “But I just didn’t know. I’m sorry, Nonna, but it’s like Noelle said—there’s a ton of time left, right?”
    “It-a goes so-a fast!”
    “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am. I had a great night planned with my friends and Devin and everyone, and to find this out is so…shocking!”
    “ Si !” Nonna cries.
    “I knew you’d understand that!” Amelia throws her arm out in Nonna’s direction. “So many plans, and for what? I have no idea about the bachelorette party—what’s happening? I don’t know! It’s a surprise! I’m not prepared for this!”
    On cue, she hyperventilates.
    “Shit,” Gianna whispers.
    “Mhmm,” I murmur.
    Brody crunches on more Doritos.
    “ Cazzo !” Nonna gets up and hurries to Amelia. She clasps her face in her hands. “We-a postpone! Calm-a down, Amelia! It-a is-a okay!”
    “Really?” Amelia huffs through short, sharp breaths. “Are you sure?”
    “ Si, si !”
    “Oh, thank you!” Amelia sits back, her hand on her chest, breathing much more steadily than a moment ago.
    Nonna doesn’t even notice as she insists on standing and going to make ten pounds of tomato soup for everyone, complete with fresh bread.
    We don’t argue as she toddles out of the room, muttering to herself.
    If there’s one thing Nonna hates more than Halloween, it’s the fact that a future grandbaby-bearer could be so distraught. She’s totally certain that one’s mood is directly linked to one’s ability to procreate, so God forbid anger erode a precious egg that will probably die before it even gets spat out of an ovary.
    I mean,