“Yeah.” Her voice shook. “From the cruise, um, theCelestial? The first time we met at the suite, when I—when I knocked… and lied… because I panicked.”
I frowned, wondering why she was revealing this much.
“I saw you guys around Elio often, and I’ve always wanted to introduce myself. The minute the window came down, and I saw that it was you, I realized that, well—well—I figured since you’re here, you might have found out about me? And since you’re here without Elio, then maybe you have—uh… questions.”
“Can we take this inside? Where there’s food?” Dog chipped in.
“That would be great!” Gemma nodded, smiling like she wanted to take my friends, too, and then she looked at me. “I promise, Elio and I have absolutely nothing romantic to do with each other—we’re just very good friends. Like, very good friends, and I really don’t know why he’s not answering his calls, but I am trying—and I will try my best to explain anything you want.”
“Good friends?” Upper popped his head out so he could get a good look at her. “A good friend he has a baby named Sailor with?”
“Huh?” Gemma’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh no… ohno, no, no, no. Oh God, the gift box… that must be it. Uh—Sailor’s my cat. The ginger one? With Mimi? Elio told me she spent some time in your suite on the cruise. I wanted to thank you guys for your hospitality, but Elio hadn’t introduced me yet. If I could get ahold of the man in question, he would explain perfectly because I’m pretty sure I’m making a mess of this whole conversation, and that is the last thing I want.” She took a long breath, and her smile was now forced, uncomfortable, panicked, like she was scared of making matters worse.
I blinked at her. “So… you’re not… you’re not his…baby mama?”
“Jesus Christ, no! I’m dating his friend. Angelo? That’s my boyfriend.”
“Oh,” Milk said from the back seat.
Devil looked at me with a blank stare. “We should have answered his call.”
I swallowed, starting to see things in a different light. “But wait—you called him your love.”
Gemma sighed. “I call everyone that. I didn’t actually mean it like he’s my actual love. I call literally everyone I see ‘my love.’ It’s like a habit I got… I don’t know when I started doing it. But I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember; I even call my bosses ‘my love,’ and it’s just something I do, and I’m sure you didn’t need all those details.”
My shoulders dropped as I rubbed my eyes. “Are you fucking shitting me?”
“I’m sorry,” she squeaked. “I am a big people person, and—God, Angelo told me he hadn’t given the box to Elio because he was still recovering and didn’t want to trigger anything. I didn’t know what Angelo did with it after I gave it to him… like, weeks ago. I’m sorry if I caused anything. I just—I just wanted to do something nice because—well, he doesn’t celebrate birthdays, and gift boxes are always perfect,especially yellow ones because they’re like sunshine, and sunshine is always great for moon minds—God, what am I saying.”
I breathed out, slumping back on the car seat as my shoulders relaxed in relief.
“It was all a little misunderstanding, I promise,” she added.
I nodded, the pain in my chest disappearing as I closed my eyes. “I still have questions, and I really hope your grandmother made enough food.”
“Ah, yes! I like full house. Many people come to eat my food!” Gemma’s nonna said with a grin as we entered the house.
It was normal, welcoming, colorful, and cozy. I couldn’t picture myself living here long term, but I wouldn’t deny it was a beautiful home. A regular home with ordinary people. A pattern of life I knew nothing about.
“Oh, I know that smell.” Dog brushed past me and straight to where I supposed the kitchen was, but not before stopping to ask Gemma’s nonna a question, to which she smiled at him and responded with a vigorous nod.
“I hope we aren’t imposing,” Devil said. “We can leave if that is the case.”
“Oh no, that’s okay. This is totally okay.” Gemma smiled with a nod, sneaking a glance at me.
“Well, I’m Milk,” Milk spoke up, stretching out her hand to Gemma with a broad smile. “Pleasure to officially meet you. I saw you several times on the cruise; you’re gorgeous.”
Color filled Gemma’s cheeks. “Oh—thanks! Coming from you—that’s, yeah—uh, thank you! You’re pretty, too! The extraordinary kind, very—very pretty.”
Milk’s smile widened. “Why, thank you!”
“I’m Upper, and I’ll go make sure Dog doesn’t touch anything in your kitchen because he seems to believe all kitchens are his. All kitchens.”
“That’s totally okay, too!” Gemma said.
I studied Gemma’s body language. She was pretty overwhelmed by everything happening right now; maybe a little uncomfortable, but a people person and a people pleaser would definitely never tell you if they’re uncomfortable.
At least, not her kind.
