“What?”
“Just taking in Special Occasion Ariana.”
I snort. “It rarely happens. Don’t get used to it.”
“I like Regular Ariana just fine.”
I melt. I was already mostly in love with him, but now? Fully gone. It feels like my whole face lights up. I tell my heart to calm down, worried everyone can hear the damn thing trying to bust out of my chest.
“Let’s get some pictures before everyone gets here.” Mom smiles brightly at us. So we take about a million pictures because it makesher happy. I peek over Mom’s shoulder as she scrolls through them to see if we need to retake any, and my breath catches when she stops on one of me and Luca. I’m smiling at the camera, but his eyes are on me like I’m the center of his universe. In the next one, he’s looking at the camera, and I’m focusing on him like he’s everything.
Overwhelmed by emotions, tears fill my eyes. Mom hugs me to her side and kisses my temple.
“Did we get enough pictures?” Dad calls from a few yards away where everyone else stands.
“I think we got exactly what we need,” Mom says with a little smile.
Chairs and tables are placed around the patio, outdoor games like horseshoes and bocce ball are set up in the yard, a couple of lifeguards have been hired to keep the pool safe, and a water station with balloons and guns is off to the side. Fun shit for kids to do is always a staple at the Hello Summer! party.
Luca and Lil walk into the kitchen where I’m pouring creamer into my mug, bickering.
“You saw nothing of the sort,” Lil says.
“Deny it all you want, but I most definitely saw you take that bottle of vodka out of the bar.”
“I would never!” Lil acts shocked by the accusation.
Luca looks at me and then back to Lil. “I just don’t want to find the two of you shit-faced again. Neither of you seems to know when the fuck to stop.”
“Never make Lil your accountabilibuddy. She thinks she’s great at it, but really, she’s terrible, and if she’s going down, she’s taking you down with her.”
“Like you’re any better,” Lil scoffs.
I shrug. “I never claimed to be, though.”
“That’s true.”
Luca watches me take a sip of my third coffee of the day, ascowl on his face. “Have you had anything without caffeine today?”
I take another sip, running through my day so far before asking, “Does Gogurt count?”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “No, fucking Gogurt doesn’t count.”
I hide a smirk behind my coffee cup at his exasperated tone. “Then no, I have not.”
“Wait, why doesn’t Gogurt count?” Lil asks.
He ignores her. “Is Gogurt the only thing you’ve eaten all day?”
“If I say ‘no,’ are you going to stop scowling at me?” I pout without even meaning. I like to annoy him, but between the caffeine overload, food under-load, and the comment about drinking too much alcohol, I get the feeling he’s actually more than adorably annoyed with me at the moment.
“Are you going to say ‘no’ just to get me to stop scowling at you?”
“Maybe…”
He storms to the pantry. Lil and I barely have enough time to lock eyes and silently ask each other, ‘What is his deal today?’ before he’s back and handing me a granola bar. “I’m not judging you, I promise. I just fucking worry about you. Please eat something. I grabbed one with chocolate chips in it.”
“Chocolate chips definitely make them better.”
