Page 90 of My Big Fat Shifter Wedding

“I would never dream of being anything but the best host you could ask for,” Paulie said, hand over his heart.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

She rolled her eyes, then kissed my cheek.

And that was how I found myself conscripted into a dodgeball game against what seemed like a fleet of professional athletes.

It should have been a miserable time, as I was indeed used as a human shield for my smaller and faster teammates, but it wasn’t. In fact, it was both fun and surprisingly flattering. Mostly because the two sides kept arguing over whose team I got to be on and entered into spirited games of rock, paper, scissors to win me. I’d never thought I’d win friends and be in demand for being a bit slow and a lot bulky, but I wasn’t complaining at all.

Especially when I caught one of the fastballs headed toward me as I pushed toward the opposing team’s front line, Paulie, Massimo, and Vinnie all behind me while armed with their own balls to throw. One would have thought it was New Years Eve in Time Square with how everyone began either cheering or objecting and I was surrounded by a storm of Italian furor.

“Way to go, grande umano!”

“Ay, that’s our guy!”

“What? Since when can he catch?”

“Hahaha, Chenzo, hai lasciato che un umano prendesse il tuo lancio!”

“Laugh it up! He’s not supposed to be able to do that!”

“We call him on our team next!”

Was this how it felt to be popular in school? Suddenly, I got why that was so important to so many people.

“Guys, guys, there’s enough of me for everyone. Oh, and also, I choose Antonio to come back in,” I said. Then we were back in play, and I had to concentrate on tanking hits for my teammates when I could and being ready when I was brought back in from the ‘out box’ after they caught an opponent’s throw.

I wished I could say I developed some supernatural skill and continued to catch throws, but that wasn’t the case. Honestly, though, that was probably for the best, because my many breaks allowed me to rest and catch my breath so I could make it to the end of our multiple matches without being a completely boneless, sweaty mess. Suddenly, the turtleneck didn’t feel like the best idea.

Note to self, next time, bring a change of clothes for any surprise athletics.

Not really something I’d ever had to do before in my life, but I could definitely see it happening more often now that I was merging into a very active family.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Paulie said, high-fiving me once we’d finished three full games and people were starting to disperse. “You’re not bad, ya know? Maybe next time, we try soccer?”

“Don’t you mean football?” I asked, giving him finger guns, only for his face to remain completely straight.

“No. Soccer.”

“Right. Uhm, well as long as you don’t mind me having two left feet, I’m in.”

“Don’t worry about it. You don’t need a right foot to stand in the goal and take up half the space.”

“This is true.”

He gave me an approving nod before a buzz came from his pocket, and the way he lit up when he pulled it out and looked at it told me it had to be a romantic interest.

Was I about to learn some gossip? I could take it or leave it, but I knew Olivia would be quite proud if I learned of some secret, torrid affair that could distract from her own.

“Excuse me, it’s mi bella,” Paulie said, and considering he was the younger generation, I already had gotten the gist that he largely used Italian to say things to me without saying them.

“I know that means your girlfriend. Or a girl you’re interested in,” I said. “And go, see what she’s up to.”

He flushed at that, looking down at the ground and huffing a dry laugh before meeting my eyes. “I forget you and your mother aren’t like a lot of hu— other people I meet. You’re good folks.”

“Thanks, man, that means a lot.”