Page 123 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

Twenty-Nine

ANGELO

Angelo sighed as the buzzer echoed through his apartment, snapping him out of his thoughts. He was in the middle of making breakfast for Allison, hoping to bring it to her in bed. Maybe then they could finally talk about what had happened two days ago—aka the spontaneous shower and kitchen escapades.

Things had gotten… intimate. Real intimate.

But the day after? Total chaos. Angelo had barely had time to grab a bite to eat, wedging a late lunch between back-to-back meetings. His contact with Allison had been reduced to afew check-in texts, most of which were some variation of “How are you?” and “Miss you.” By the time he got home—long after midnight—he found her curled up on the couch with a blanket, her e-reader in hand. He still had no idea what those things were actually called. Kindle? Nook? Electronic Book Rectangle?

He’d scooped her up and carried her upstairs, placing her gently in his bed—where she belonged. They’d cuddled through the night like a couple that had been married for years, though technically, they hadn’t even officially moved in together yet. The following day had been a rinse and repeat. He left at an ungodly hour, came back at an even worse one, and found Allison fast asleep once more.

But today—today was supposed to be different. Angelo finally had a free half-day, the perfect opportunity to talk things out, clear the air, and maybe squeeze in some breakfast-in-bed points. Just him, Allison, and—

“Surprise!”

Angelo’s heart dropped as his brain registered the voice. He clutched the door handle, spatula in hand, as if it were some kind of weapon. His sister, Katia, stood in the doorway, beaming like she’d just won the lottery. Surrounding her? Three suitcases, all large enough to suggest she wasn’t just visiting for coffee.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Angelo groaned, slumping in disbelief. He glanced over his shoulder toward the bedroom, hoping—praying—Allison was still asleep.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, eyes darting between the luggage and her annoyingly cheery expression. He knew the answer was going to make his life complicated.

Katerina rolled her eyes and breezed past him, dragging one of her many suitcases inside. “Nice to see you too, Angie.”

“Angie?” His groan turned into a low growl, the familiar sting of that nickname hitting him right in the childhood trauma.Twenty-four years old, and she still called him Angie. To make matters worse, he knew she wasn’t planning to stop any time soon.

She’s never going to quit that name, is she?

Katerina, meanwhile, was already making herself comfortable, plopping down on the couch like she owned the place. Angelo took a deep breath, grabbing the rest of her suitcases from the hallway. If he could just sneak through this morning without Allison waking up, maybe—just maybe—he could dodge the conversation about why he had moved in with the mother of his child without a heads-up to the family.

“Come on, give your brother a hug,mikrí,” Angelo said, trying to shift gears. He opened his arms wide, knowing full well this would irritate her to no end.

He absolutely loved teasing Katerina ever since they were kids. It was practically a sport for him. He’d find tiny, infuriating ways to push her buttons until she would snap and inevitably get herself into trouble with their parents. It was how he showed affection, though she’d probably argue that point. One of his favorite tactics? Calling hermikrí—the Greek word for “young lady.” She hated it, which made it all the more satisfying.

True to form, Katerina punched him in the arm, a quick jab with just enough force to remind him she wasn’t a little kid anymore. “Stamáta!” she snapped, her face scrunched up in frustration.

“Hey, hey, just showing some love,” Angelo chuckled, rubbing his arm dramatically. “Don’t bruise me before breakfast. How else am I supposed to guilt-trip you into doing dishes?”

Of course, Katerina still hugged him, despite the obligatory sibling protest. She barely reached his chin, but she squeezed with enough force to make up for it.

He couldn’t help but grin. No matter how annoying she was, he had missed his little sister. They’d always had this unspokenbond, and in moments like this, it didn’t matter how long they’d been apart. After six months, the connection was still there.

“I missed you, Katia,” he murmured, ruffling her hair, knowing she’d hate it.

She sighed against his chest, squeezing tighter. “I missed you too,aderfé.”

The moment lasted a little too long for Angelo’s comfort. He shot another nervous glance upstairs toward the bedroom door, half-expecting Allison to pop out any second. Because if there was one thing that could make his life even more awkward than his sister’s surprise visit, it was introducing her to Allison while she was still in bed—preferably wearing more than a T-shirt.

“Well, don’t get too comfortable,” Angelo teased, pulling away, his sister still in his arms. “I hope you like couches.”

Katerina raised an eyebrow, looking from him to the stairwell. “Why? What’s going on?”

A throat clearing cut through the air, shattering their little bubble of sibling bonding. Angelo’s arms dropped as if he’d been caught in a crime scene, his heart leaping into overdrive. He turned sharply toward the stairwell.

Allison Pink Lockwood, in all her pregnant glory, stood on the stairs, her arms crossed over her belly and an icy, no-nonsense look plastered on her face.

“And what, exactly, is happening here?” she asked, her tone slicing through the tension like a razor.

Angelo’s stomach flipped. Of course, the love of his life would choose this exact moment to catch him mid-hug with a woman she didn’t know. Perfect. Just perfect.

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