Page 155 of Luca & Luna

“I wanted to hang out with my best girls. Plus your mom buys the good bacon. Go finish getting ready, and your plate will be on the table when you’re done.”

Nova raced back up the stairs, trading places with Stella.

“Rory is still out like a light. I’m going to let her sleep for a bit longer. Oh, you’re making breakfast?”

“Sometimes I’m helpful.”

Stella squeezed me into another hug. “We’re so lucky to have you.”

Not ten minutes later, the three of us were sitting down to breakfast, eating quickly to accommodate for the arrival of Nova’s bus and the first of Stella’s kids for the day.

“How are things going with Luca as your tenant?” I asked.

“That man is a godsend,” Stella replied. “I haven’t had to do an ounce of yard work, and Beans is so much more relaxed. Thank you so much for convincing me to turn the basement into a suite and for recommending him.”

“You’re welcome. So…relevant to that—it has nothing to do with why I suggested you do any of that—but I have something to tell you about Luca.”

“A good something or a bad something? Why do you keep doing this to me today?” Stella lamented.

“It’s a good something, I promise.”

“Well, spit it out.” Stella nudged me with her toes under the table.

I paused for a moment to collect myself. I could hear Auggie yelling in my head, telling me to just do it. So I did. “How would you feel if I brought Luca to our family dinners sometimes?”

Stella did the confused puppy head tilt, and Nova shrieked excitedly, her mother turning to her for answers.

“Why would our tenant come to a family dinner?” Stella asked.

“Because he’s Auntie’s boyfriend!” Nova shouted.

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks.

“Nova, no yelling at the table,” Stella admonished before turning to me. “Is that true?”

I nodded, my tongue feeling heavy in my mouth.

“I feel like I should’ve noticed.”

“I noticed!” Nova beamed.

“How long have you been together?” Stella asked between bites of bacon and sips of coffee.

“Officially? Like a week. Unofficially? About eight months.”

“Eight? Why didn’t you say anything?”

I fidgeted under her gaze. “Like I said, it wasn’t official until recently. I didn’t start out seeing him for a relationship.”

Stella clapped her hands over Nova’s ears. “Do I want to know why you started seeing him then?”

“I can still hear you!” Nova announced.

“Oh, look at that. I can see your bus coming. You’d better get outside.” Stella pulled Nova’s seat back and nudged her toward the door.

“No fair. Can’t I stay home since Auntie’s here?”

“I’m not staying all day, Supernova. I just came for breakfast.”

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