“Can I come by after dinner?” I blurt. “It’s not that I don’t want to be around the kids. If they’re still up, we can all hang out together. But…”
He curls a hand under my chin, lowers his lips to my ear, and whispers, “Of course.”
He lightly nuzzles my hair with his nose. A moment that passes so fast, the only way I’m sure it’s happened is the racing of my heart that remains when he steps away.
“I’m going to try to salvage the day,” he says. “Naps for everyone.” He gives me a smile and then leans into the back seat to retrieve his phone from Luke.
“Say goodbye to Grace, kids,” he calls out.
“Bye,” Cora pouts, looking like she’s about to start wailing again. Poor thing.
Luke waves vigorously while Ryder taps away at his phone, and then he slides into the driver’s seat. He hasn’t even turned on the car when my phone buzzes with an incoming text.
I dig through my bag, swipe the touchscreen, and grin. I have a text from Ryder. It’s his street address with an emoji of a house and a little clock with the message,can’t wait.
They pull away, and I get into my car. I roll down the windows to let in some fresh air, then grip the steering wheel while I lower my head to rest on my outstretched arms.
This is either going to be the start of something amazing—or my most epic heartbreak yet.
“Yo, sis. How’s the boyfriend?”
By the time Benny makes an appearance at my parents’, the rest of us are already seated at the table. Chloe and Franco are next to each other on one side. Vito and I sit on the other with our chairs pulled close to each other so there’s room for Benny.
“Shut your stupid face,” I tell him. “We’re all waiting to eat.”
“Gracie.” My dad peers at me over the rim of his new eyeglasses. He scrubs a hand through his long waves of gray hair and shakes his head. “Your brother’s faceisstupid,” he says, giving me a smirk. “That’s not what I’m upset about. But what is this about a boyfriend? Why am I always the last to know?”
I shake my head and mutter, “I don’t have a boyfriend, Dad. It’s nothing. Can we drop it?”
“Pass the wine,” Vito says. “And spill the details on this non-boyfriend boyfriend.”
“Could we please talk about something else?” I grumble, grabbing the bottle of wine and pouring myself just a couple of sips since I’m planning to go to Ryder’s after, and I want to be clearheaded. Not only for the drive, but for the time we’ll spend together.
“When is The Body Shop going to open?” Franco asks.
I shrug my response.
“Honey, you know if you need something to do until you get the shop back open, we can always use a helping hand at the shelter.” Ma sets a huge salad on the table and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Now, let’s talk about the real news of the week. Doesn’t your father look dashing in his new glasses?”
My pops groans, and my brothers start teasing him. Chloe stares adoringly at Franco, and I’m just relieved that everyone is consumed with catching up and digging in.
Before long, Benito is on his feet, kissing cheeks, and rushing back to the restaurant. “Love you all. Great meal, Ma and Pops.”
Once Benny leaves, Vito’s next, making his excuses and heading downstairs to bed.
“I think your brother is depressed,” Mom says in a hushed voice.
“Vito?” Dad looks concerned. “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry about him so much.”
There have been some problems at the firehouse this year, and Vito’s hours have been cut way back. He’s applied to other stations, but for now, he’s basically working part time. Not at all the career path he’d planned for when he went into firefighting.
Franco and Chloe help clear the dishes from the table, and I follow them into the kitchen.
“I’ll do these,” I tell them. “You two go relax or go do whatever lovebird stuff you all do. Go for a sunset ride or something.”
My brother is a mechanic and treasures his motorcycles. The one he rode here tonight he restored with his own hands not long after he and Chloe moved in together.
Franco gives me a look. “You sure? You never volunteer for dishwashing duty.”
