But she’d cross that bridge when and if she came to it. As an adult, Gina had the right to choose her person the same as Tony had. And her mom would just have to learn to accept her choices, whatever they might be. It was her life, after all.
Teo unlocked the back door and ushered her into the kitchen. With everyone else at the festival, the house seemed unusually quiet and still. The clock ticked, the air conditioner hummed, and dappled sunlight danced to its tune on umber-painted walls.
With a parting squeeze to her waist, her brother turned to go downstairs. That was when she heard the unmistakable sound. “Someone’s here.”
“It’s just Luca,” Teo assured her, his voice just above a whisper. “Go do what you gotta do. I’m gonna shower.”
“But isn’t he supposed to be…” And taking hold of her brother’s hand, Gina followed the sound.
She almost wished she hadn’t.
With a video game paused on the TV, controllers cast aside, Gina found Luca and his buddy, Kevin Copeland, in the family room with their tongues down each other’s throats and their hands in each other’s pants.
Teo leaned into her ear. “Don’t ask.”
But she did. “Are you and Kev—”
“Fucking?” Wiping Kevin’s slobber from his mouth, her baby brother looked up at her as if to sayduh. “Would you think less of me if I were?”
“No, Luca, I love you.” And she went to him. “I could never.”
Truth.
“Don’t worry, I’m not gay. I like girls, too.” He slung his arm around Kevin and grinned. “We both do.”
“Are you bi or just confused?” Gina sat on the arm of the sofa, running her fingers through Luca’s glossy curls.
“Definitely bi,bambina.” He kissed her on the cheek. “And I’ve known it for a very long time.”
How long? Christ, you’re barely twenty.
Hold up a minute.
Confused, she looked over at Katie Murray’s strapping younger brother. “I thought you had a girlfriend, Kev.”
A football player at the university, he and Luca met last year as freshmen. They’d been fast friends ever since.Well, more than friends, it seems.
“I do,” he confirmed, his lips forming a smirk.
Luca elbowed him in the ribs. “You meanwedo.”
Ohhh.
“I know I can trust you both.” Glancing at Teo, he took her hand and clutched it tightly in his. “You won’t give my secret away to Mom, right?”
“Of course I won’t.” Then Gina held Luca close, reassuring him like she did when he was five and had a bad dream. “It’s not my story to tell. Besides, it’ll kill her.”
“Like you fucking Matt McCready won’t put her in her grave.” He poked her in the chest and chuckled.
“We’re not fucking.”
“Yet.” He winked. “So, you’re cool with it?”
“Are you happy?”
And with a huge smile on his pretty boy face, Luca nodded.
“Then I’m cool with it.”
