I giggle. “Danil and Luka especially. Did you see those girls they hooked up with? I don’t think they’re going to be happy when they see the photos from last night.”
“Alcohol makes everyone look bad and sloppy,” Penny comments, putting her phone down. “Even us.”
“Never!” I declare. “We are always beautiful and sexy and hot and attractive, and you get my drift…”
“I get it. I get it.” She sits back as Janet sets our cappuccino’s on the table. “Oh, I forgot your waters. Be right back.”
I smile and lean forward. “I will tell you my legs are killing me from all the dancing. I’m getting too old to dance the night away.”
“You’re in your twenties. Kervyn and Danil are old,” she laughs. “And even they stay up past us.”
“Talking about the boys, I love it when they’re dressed up like last night. They all look so handsome,” I comment.
“Aw, are you developing a crush on my brothers-in-law,” she teases.
Janet brings the waters and leaves again, and I lean forward. “I wouldn’t touch a Milov boy with a six-foot pole, but even I can’t deny Danil is sexy in dress pants and a dress shirt. Arseny and Luka are childish, and it shows.”
“As though we’re older than them, Ash,” she scolds me. “They’ve got years on us.”
“Doesn’t mean they’re mature,” I counter.
“The holidays are coming up. Are you excited? Will we see you on Christmas day for lunch?” she asks.
I look out at the street wistfully. “Piper is coming. That’s the most exciting part. Taking a break from her fancy doctor’s degree to come spend some time with me.”
“How is she doing?” Penny asks.
“My little sister is a genius and is going to rule the world one day,” I say with a laugh. “She always gets her way no matter what.”
“That’s your fault, she’s followed your example,” Penny teases.
We stop while the food arrives—spaghetti for me and lasagna for Penny. We share the garlic bread on two plates before we tuck in. For a moment, there’s just a comfortable silence. I’m curious to know if Piper has matured. I mean, she takes her studies very seriously, and she promised me that she would always do so. But I wonder if her baby face look is gone and if she looks more womanly now. It’s been almost two years since I last saw her. I came out to Las Vegas to work so I could pay for her college degree. She’s still technically a minor, but she lives on campus, and when the school closes for the year, she stays in our old family home. I try to go back, but I missed it last year with everything that happened with Penny.
Piper understood, though, and she was a good sport about it and ended up spending Christmas and New Year's in the Alps with friends. Lucky fish.
This year, though, I want her with me. It’s her last Christmas as a teenager, and I want to make it special.
“So when does Piper arrive?”
“I think she said she’ll be here on Saturday. I have to pick her up at the airport.”
“She’s going to love your new ride,” Penny grins. “I take full credit for that.”
“I love my new ride. She’s going to be ecstatic, but no one loves that car more than I do.” I grin and take a bite out of the hot garlic bread. I moan a little, and Penny snorts.
“You need to get laid if that’s the noise you’re making for garlic bread.” She takes a bite herself, and I know she’s biting back a moan.
“Speak for yourself,” I grin. “You get laid, and you want to moan for this bread.”
“It’s good though,” she admits.
I smile and sit back to let my food settle a bit before I eat some more. “So, Christmas at your house?”
“Sounds like a plan. Is Piper going to be okay with the Milovs?” she asks.
“I don’t think she knows who they are. Let’s just keep it that way. If she asks questions, I will answer them as carefully as I can.” I smile. “I feel like an international lady of mystery. Dabbling in illegal affairs with mafia families. Although I never would really do work for them, just so you know.”
“Kervyn doesn’t expect either of us to be involved in any way,” she reassures me.