Read Where I Wanna Be for Free Online Page A

wasn’t being fair to Kaitlyn, forbidding her to see someone she obviously liked and cared for. But she didn’t want her to make the same mistake she did and wanted to protect her katydid from repeating her dreadful history.
     
    Meredith swallowed her pride and forced a grin. “Understood.”
     
    ****
     
    Simone stared down at her plate and her eyes widened by the second. She looked around and was amazed by the heaping portions on the plates of the D’Amatos. They may not have had a lot of money but by the way they ate, she couldn’t tell. It seemed there were endless bowls of pasta, pizza, meatballs, and lasagna. And apparently there was plenty of dessert.
     
    “ Eliodoro,” she spoke quietly to him, “this is too much food on my plate.”
     
    “ Eat what you can. If you can’t finish it, take it home with you. If you leave your plate open, my bros will clean it off.” He instructed to her and gave her hand a quick squeeze underneath the table. “You’ll do great.”
     
    Simone caught a glance with him. He always knew how to reassure her. “Okay, baby.” She smiled.
     
    “ All right, everyone. Let’s hold hands and say grace.” Nicola instructed. “And then we can start eating.”
     
    After grace was said, everyone began eating. The table was clearly divided—Eli and his family on one corner and Simone and her family at the other. Still, everyone was polite and friendly with each other. There was much more at stake than just two lovebirds dating. Nicola and Meredith knew how headstrong and stubborn their children could be. Forbidding them to see each other would simply fuel the desire to do so.
     
    Nicola knew just because Meredith showed up to the dinner it didn’t mean she was at peace with the situation. The Texan woman looked like she would rather be anywhere than at her home, eating a plate full of pasta. Charles seemed to be enjoying himself, engaging in a conversation with Nick and Kieran over current events. Joey entertained Alicia’s constant flirtations and subtle sexual innuendos. Tony had a friend over from school and they were discussing video games. Simone and Eli were too wrapped up with each other to pay attention to anybody else in the room.
     
    But Meredith, as Nicola watched carefully, was trying to relax. She took slow and long bites of her food as if she had trouble digesting the meal. She occasionally looked around the home, assessing the wear and tear and wondering how anyone could live in that current state. Nicola simply smiled. She dealt with Meredith’s kind at the diner. She cleaned the offices of people like Meredith. She knew exactly who Meredith was before she even met the woman: the type who was quick to point out the faults of others before looking at their own.
     
    Nicola couldn’t fault her too much, though. It was clear the woman was miserable in St. George and stuck in a loveless and empty marriage. It made Nicola that much more blessed for her life. She may have had it difficult raising five sons on her own but she was alone. It was better than sharing a bed with someone she didn’t like and worse yet, resented.
     
    ****
     
    “ Nicola, Nicola, Nicola…” Charles shook his head and rubbed his stomach. “Woman, I don’t know how you did it but that was one of the best meals I have ever had.”
     
    “ I try,” Nicola sipped her cappuccino. “I just wanted to show that we don’t bite.”
     
    “ Unless you want me to,” Joey whispered to Alicia, who immediately squeezed her thighs together.
     
    “ It was magnificent! I wouldn’t mind coming back here again for some of your famous tortellini.” Charles smiled.
     
    “ You and your family are invited whenever you want to come over,” Nicola looked over to Meredith. “That also includes you, Meredith.”
     
    Meredith was in the middle of a bite of tiramisu and quickly wiped her mouth. “Nicola, I wanted to say thank you for inviting us over. It was a lovely meal.”
     
    “ You’re