There, the boy I’d admired from afar showed up again, and my heart took hope. Probably because my annoying divine half was screaming,I told you so.
Still not buying her lies. But I was at least glad I could feel an inkling of attraction. A flicker of possibility. Even though he was the last person I should feel that for. I was about ready to be on his absurd show, where he was going to set me up with other men. For all I knew, my true love was already on the property in his isolation cabin. Doubtful, but I had to hope. Right?
“I love it, Daddy,” Junie gushed, then turned toward me.
“Doyou love it, Demi?”
“Uh, yeah,” I blurted without thinking.
Dang it.
Worse, I followed up with this gem: “It’s the yummiest mustache I’ve ever seen.”
Oh. My. Titans.
What was that? Why did my mouth betray me like that?
Melissa snickered, clearly catching the subtext. She knew exactly how that could be taken—me calling her son “yummy.”
Roman dropped the breadstick, and his mouth hung open.
Did my goddess side have thoughts of tasting the butter that had dripped onto his lips? Sure. But that wasn’t the point. The point was, well . . . umm . . . All I knew was I needed a change of subject, stat.
I whipped my head in Melissa’s direction. She was grinning way too wide.
“Uh . . . you said you knew my mom. I’d love to know how you met and, well . . . some other things.” Things like why my dad had left us. And why my mom hadn’t told me who I really was. I didn’t know whether Melissa knew any of that. And I wasn’t about to ask outright—not with Junie sitting beside me, dipping her breadstick into marinara sauce like it was a sport.
Melissa set her fork down. A contemplative expression washed over her, as if she knew exactly what I was asking.
“I met your mother at a Lakers game, of all places, on a double date. It was just after I found out I was pregnant with Roman.”
She smiled proudly at her son, who was mid-wipe, trying to rid himself of the last remnants of his breadstick mustache.
The part of me I tried to ignore was all for asking if he wanted help. She seriously wanted to lick his face. I would have none of that. I’d come here for answers. Not to let her ogle Roman. Not to wonder what butter off his lips might taste like. Except that was all I could think about now when I should have been thinking about my mom and dad on a double date with Roman’s parents.
I had to internally yell at her to keep her thoughts to herself so I could pay attention to Melissa.
“Your mom was so sweet. Every time I saw her, she brought me a baby gift. You know, she’s the one who suggested Roman’s name. She thought it would be a cute nod to his god side.”
Whoa. I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t think Roman was either, given the way his eyebrows shot up. Weird that my mom had basically named him.
“She was fun like that,” I said. “Obviously, that’s why she named me Demi. I guess I should be glad she didn’t name me Greece.”
Melissa laughed. Even Roman chuckled.
“She was one of a kind,” Melissa said, her smile fading into something wistful. “I regret that we lost touch.”
I tilted my head. “Why did you?”
Melissa shifted in her chair, uncomfortable now. “Cupid thought it was for the best after your father left.”
“Do you know why he did?” I couldn’t help the way my voicecracked.
Junie reached for my hand under the table, her tiny fingers curling around mine. I squeezed her hand back, feeling guilty for the serious shift in dinner conversation and that I needed comfort from a five-year-old.
Melissa shook her head. “I only know that it devastated him. Especially because your mother had just found out she was pregnant with you. And they were thrilled.”
He obviously hadn’t beenthatthrilled.
