Coach Morgan’s face set above a stone fireplace was not what I expected to see when I pushed through the door of the Italian restaurant that Darcy had booked for lunch.
As soon as she sets eyes on me, she’s out of her seat and racing to help me through the door with Blake’s stroller.
After a quick hug, I tip my chin at the photograph. “Is that your stepdad?”
She rolls her eyes, hands propped on her hips. “Ridiculous, isn’t it?”
Reaching into Blake’s stroller, I pull back her blanket so that she doesn’t overheat now that we’re in the warm. “But why is it there?”
“He owns the joint,” Kate confirms, approaching me from behind. “He and Zach Evans—his former Seattle teammate—decided to go into business, owning a chain of Italian restaurants. They’re about to close on a second restaurant in Seattle, which will take their total to three.”
I cast my eyes around the place. With a wine-red finish and brass accents, it’s luxurious, but it still embodies a homeyfeeling that you would find in your grandmother’s living room. “Why the name Luigi’s?”
“Long story …” Kate exhales, bending down to greet Blake. For the most part, this woman is your classic stony-faced lawyer, but give her a cute kid, and she melts into a pile of goo. “When we used to live in Seattle and JJ still played for the Scorpions, the guys used to hit up this Italian place called Luigi’s.” She stands up straight and turns to me. “Anyway, when the owner, Luigi, finally retired and was looking to sell, Jon couldn’t let the place go. That’s where his restaurant journey began. After years of relentless persuasion, Jon managed to get Zach to invest, and that’s when they bought this place.”
“Oh,” I simply say, trying to take in my surroundings.
“And now my husband thinks he’s Chef Ramsay and is making the business duo a trio,” Kate adds.
Darcy flicks her long blonde hair, eyeing Kate carefully. “So, the other day, after he returned from morning skate, Archer dropped a bomb on me—it was a pleasant one, but a bomb nonetheless.”
Kate looks intrigued, and while I’m still trying to wrap my head around this wild new world, where people have stacks of cash to chase whatever dreams they want, Darcy continues with her story.
“Archer bought Jon’s old apartment in Seattle.”
“The one he lived in when he played for the Scorpions?” Kate questions.
Darcy nods, twisting her lips in thought. “It was a really sweet thing to do because he knew how sentimental I get over things. I hated Seattle when I lived there as a teenager, but that was only because I missed my shitty ex and wanted to head back to the UK. Jon meeting Mum was the start of everything changing in our lives when you think about it.” She wraps her arms around her middle, eyes flicking to Jon’s ridiculous photograph. “He might be a cocky bastard, but he’s the glue that sticks everyone together,and I don’t think I could ever imagine my life without him—or a part of Seattle—in it.”
Kate taps Darcy on the shoulder. “You’re thinking that Archer is going to go in on the business too, aren’t you?”
After the sentimental speech she just gave, laughter bubbles from Darcy’s chest. “If I know my hubby, then yes. He’s going through a midlife crisis early, and he keeps rattling on about how he’ll be bereft when his pro career is over.”
As we move through to another room, Kendra and Esme, Collins, Jenna, Felicity, and two other women with children a similar age to Kate and Jensen’s kids, June and Will, who are also here, are all sitting around a huge table.
Darcy clears her throat, and the room falls silent. “Now, I know that most of you have already met our amazing new friend and her beautiful baby girl.” Her eyes fix on the redhead first. “Billie, this is Luna Evans, Zach Evans’ wife.” Luna waves a hand at me and smiles warmly. “And this is Mia Callaghan, Jessie Callaghan’s wife.” Mia offers a similar smile to Luna as Darcy claps her hands excitedly. “Guys, meet Billie and Blake.”
“Can we see the baby?” The little girl sitting next to Mia points at Blake’s stroller.
Mia sets a kiss atop her head, smiling into her hair long dark hair. “Perhaps Blake is sleeping, Drew.”
Jumping up from his seat at the head of the table, Will wastes no time as he sticks his head inside Blake’s stroller. “She’s awake, Drew.” He scrunches up his nose as he looks at me. “Although I think she might’ve pooped.”
“Nah, that’s me. I just farted.” Another boy I’d pin as a similar age to Will and June appears from behind me. He’s the spitting image of Luna with a mass of red hair to match.
Will looks disgusted at him. I thought all kids found bowel movements hilarious.
“You have zero class, Aster,” he scolds.
Kate watches her son rejoin his sister at the table, picking up his soda and taking a pull. “Excuse my son,” she breathes. “Theolder he gets, the more he’s turning into my husband. Who knew a seven-year-old could be the snob of the century?”
I snort a laugh and lift Blake out of her stroller, briefly checking to make sure she hasn’t, in fact, pooped.
“Okay.” Darcy claps her hands, bouncing excitedly on her feet. “Now that we’re all here, I guess we can eat.” She motions to an empty chair between Kate and her mom. “I put you between the two fearsome lawyers, if that’s okay?”
Being invited to spend time with this great group of women was both nerve-racking and delightful, although it’s only sadness I feel as I nod my head and take a seat with Blake.
I haven’t had any interactions with Felicity Morgan before now, but she looks at me and then Blake like she can read minds.
