“Ooh, I didn’t know we had some of those!” Lil rushes to the pantry, I assume, to get her own granola bar.
I stand on my tip toes and bat my eyelashes at him until he leans down so I can kiss his cheek.
Do I love that he’s a giant? Yes.
Is it kind of a pain in the ass? Also, yes.
“Thanks, Beefcake.” I smile at him, then open the bar and take a bite. “Happy now?”
“I’ll be happier when I see you eat something more substantial, but it’s a start.”
“You worry too much.”
“There is no such thing where you’re concerned.”
His eyes lock onto mine, and I really want to kiss him, but I hear Lil come back into the kitchen, and people out in the backyard.
“Ugh, I guess it’s party time,” Lil says, her mouth full of granola bar.
Chapter 30
The future might not suck
Luca
The death of me. Ariana is going to be the death of me. She drinks more caffeine than even someone my size should. She forgets to eat at least half the time, especially in the mornings. She doesn’t know when to stop drinking, or if she does, she just shrugs and barrels past it anyway. She’s my cousin’s best friend, my uncle’s adopted daughter, and has the same last name as me. She has trauma I don’t really know about and drives me fucking insane most of the time.
But I’m in love with her. She’s it for me. Her smile, her laugh, her spirit—I need it all in my life forever. I never believed in love at first sight or soul mates, but I sure as fuck believe in both now, and I don’t care if I sound like someone in a romance novel.
Which I know I do because I’ve read a few of the books the girls have been reading, and holy shit… But I digress.
Choosing who to invite to a party at the DeVille property is a big deal, and I learned a lot about background checks and shit over the last week from Parker. He might be a little weird, but he’sthorough. I’m not technically on duty today, but I don’t think I can turn it off when it comes to Ariana’s safety.
I stand next to her, making sure she’s actually eating the sandwich she has on her plate and drinking something that’s not caffeine or alcohol, when something behind me makes her face light up. She crouches to the ground as a tiny blonde girl bolts by me and into her arms.
“Ari!” The little girl lets go of her but places her hands on Ariana’s cheeks and pushes them together. “I missed you sooooooo much!”
“I missed you sooooooo much, too, Callie.” The tiny palms pressed against her cheeks makes her voice sound funny.
Callie giggles and drops her hands. “You haven’t come to babysit me in FOREVER!”
“I know. I’ll talk to your mommy and see if she needs a girl’s night or something really soon so Lil and I can come have a playdate.”
“With a tea party? And a movie with popcorn? And a cake?”
“Of course!” She picks the little girl up and plops her on her hip. “Hungry?”
I recognize the girl’s mom from the dance class as she walks up. “I’ll grab her a plate. She said she plans on spending at least five whole minutes just giving you hugs.”
“Who can resist five minutes of Callie hugs?” Ariana smiles at the mom, who smiles back before heading over to the food tables.
“Who is he?” Callie points to me.
“That’s my friend Luca. He’s Lil’s cousin. When we come over for a play date, he’ll probably come, too. He’s Lil’s babysitter.”
The little girl looks me dead in the eye and says, “Because Lil is a troublemaker.”
I chuckle and nod.
