Giada had just finished straightening up her work area and was gathering her sweater and her small purse when she heard the front door open.
Matteo and Leo shouted happily, and jumped up from where they sat waiting for her.
Giada stepped up to the window she was separated from the reception area by to see why her sons were so excited, though she had a pretty good idea before she even looked.
“You’re here!” Matteo cried excitedly.
“I knew you’d come back!” Leo said.
“And I knew that you knew that!” Ronan said, holding his hand up for a high-five.
Leo jumped as high as he could to get a lot of momentum behind himself, then slapped Ronan’s hand as hard as he could.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Ronan said, holding his hand for Matteo next.
Matteo didn’t jump like his brother did, but he wound up his hand a few times before slapping Ronan’s.
“Whooooo! I’m going to tell y’all what! Y’all are some strong young men! I don’t think I’m going to be giving y’all high-fives that much anymore. Y’all hurt!”
Both boys started laughing.
Giada rolled her eyes to herself as she locked the door she used to buzz people through, listening for it to latch as it closed. She stepped out into the reception area and watched quietly as her boys behaved like this Ronan guy was the best thing they’d ever seen.
“What happened to this place?! It looks like somebody threw up pink hearts and glitter!” Ronan said to the kids complete with mimicking gags and clawing at his own throat.
“And white hearts and red hearts, too. It’s kind of girly,” Leo said, grinning at Ronan pretending to be sick because of all the pink hearts.
“Momma did it. There’s hearts everywhere,” Matteo said, shaking his head.
“Want to know a secret” Ronan asked, lowering his voice to a hushed tone but still making sure Giada could hear him.
“Yes!” Leo and Matteo yelled.
“I kind of like the hearts. And the curly ribbons.”
“Why?” Leo asked, making a horrible face.
“Because it means love. And love is a good thing. If you’ve got somebody to share it with.”
“Love is kind of girly,” Matteo said.
“I used to think so, too. But now? I’m kinda liking this love thing.”
Giada walked toward them, making her presence known.
Ronan had been well aware of her location since the moment he’d stepped inside the building. His Wolf had tracked her from her desk area behind the check-in window, to the door she’d come out of and into the reception area. He picked up her emotions before he’d even looked her way. She didn’t trust him — at all! She was suspicious of every word he said, and analyzing every single movement he made.
“You ready boys?” she asked from about ten feet behind Ronan.
“He came back!” Matteo exclaimed, pointing at Ronan.
“I see that,” Giada said, pretending to be excited, too. “But we have to go.”
“But aren’t you going to tell him hi, too, Momma?” Leo asked.
“Of course,” she said, smiling at her son. She looked over at Ronan, and forced herself to smile. “Hello, Ronan.”
“Hello, Giada. How about dinner tonight, on me?” he said, genuinely smiling at her and purposely ignoring the hardness in her eyes.
