He hung his head.
After a brief silence, she said, “I’m so sorry. You wouldn’t be in this situation if it hadn’t been for me and my vigilante justice.”
He looked at her with his right eye, then the left.
She chuckled. “Yes and no. I get it.”
He hopped over, jumped up onto her leg, and then he cocked his head.
“Ah. You want to know if I’ll lift the blanket now?”
He turned his head to look at her with his right eye.
“I will if you promise not to lose your cool again—no matter what. Got it?”
He bobbed his head.
“Okay.”Here goes.She gathered the afghan and threw it off. Thank goodness he stayed where he was.
She thought of a way to pass the time without letting her big mouth get her into any more trouble. “Would you like me to read to you?”
He bobbed his head and then used his right eye to signal yes. Lucky for her, she’d loaded up her phone with some great books.
“I’ll be right back. I just have to get my phone out of my backpack.”
What would a teenage boy want to read? She had a great variety of books from breezy chick lit to dark thrillers. Maybe he’d like a young adult novel?
They spent the next three hours engrossed in the start of a wonderful series. Before she realized how much time had passed, the Fierros—all of them—arrived back at the house.
Dante greeted her first with a saucy, “Hey, beautiful!”
Jayce flew onto her shoulder as if to stake his claim. The other brothers said hello but didn’t try to goad Jayce.There’s a smart-ass in every bunch.“Don’t worry,” she whispered to Jayce. “I’m all yours.”
When Mr. Fierro Senior stomped into the house, she knew something was wrong.
Gabriella had to run to keep up with him. “Calm down, Antonio. Luca’s young. He doesn’t know what he wants yet.”
Antonio whirled on his youngest son, who entered the house last, and practically roared. “Oh, he knows what he wants all right. He wants to be a cop!”
“For Chrissake, Dad. You’d think I want to sell drugs or guns without background checks. I want to be a peace officer. At least I’d get to go home every day.”
Antonio mumbled under his breath, “Not to my home, you don’t.”
Luca tipped up his chin. “Fine. I’ll move out.”
Gabriella intervened by inserting herself between the two of them. “Now, stop it. Both of you, before things are said that can’t be taken back.”
The wind went out of Antonio’s sails. “You’re right, hon.” He glared at his son. “We’ll discuss this later.”
Luca breezed by them and disappeared into another room. Jayce flew off after him.
“If you’re worried about a little family drama scaring me off, don’t be,” Kristine said. “Jayce and I had our own little drama, and I’m still here.”
“Oh?” Gabriella said, wringing her hands. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing we can’t work out in a few more weeks. Let’s just say that teenage Jayce wasn’t much easier to deal with than four-year-old Jayce.”
Gabriella burst out laughing and left the room. Her laughter followed her all the way to the kitchen.
