"No."
"Great. Let's go."
My mamma opens the door before we even reach it, and her eyes go wide.
"Sebastiano! You didn't tell me your friend was so... tall!"
"Mamma, this is Gavin. Gavin, my mamma."
"Mrs. Moretti." Gavin turns on the charm with a warm smile and a firm handshake. "Thank you so much for having me. Seb talks about your cooking all the time."
She actually giggles.My mamma. Giggles."Oh, please, call me Maria. Come in, come in!"
The house smells like garlic and tomatoes and home. My chest aches with it.
Gabi appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. Her eyes land on Gavin, and her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. She looks at me. Back at Gavin. Back at me.
I glare at her. She grins.
"You must be Sebastian's… friend," she says sweetly. "I'm Gabi. Seb's favorite sister."
"I don't have a favorite," I mutter.
"Lies. I'm clearly the favorite."
Sophia waddles in from the living room, one hand on her belly. Rick trails behind her, looking vaguely anxious as always.
"Oh!" Sophia stops short when she sees Gavin. "Oh, wow. You're... big."
"Sophia!" I hiss.
"What? He is!" She's not wrong. Gavin takes up approximately half the hallway. "I'm Sophia. This is my husband, Rick."
Rick nods, eyes darting between Gavin and me like he's trying to solve a puzzle.
"Nice to meet you all," Gavin says, completely unbothered by the scrutiny.
My father emerges from his study, and the energy shifts. He's a big man, not as big as Gavin, but solid, imposing. His eyes sweep over my "friend" with obvious assessment.
"Papa, this is Gavin. He plays football for PCU."
The magic words. My father's face transforms. "Football? What position?"
"Defensive end, sir."
"Defensive end. Oh, you're Gavin Robins!" Papa claps Gavin on the shoulder like they're old friends. "Come, come. Tell me about the team. I watched every game this season."
And just like that, Gavin is absorbed into my father's orbit, talking defensive strategies and season highlights as they head toward the living room.
Gabi and Sophia sidle up to me. "So. A 'friend,' huh?"
"Shut up."
"He's cute."
"Shut up."
"Also enormous. Like, concerningly large."
