Page 103 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

Angelo nodded, still laughing, and Allison rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. “Great. Just what I needed—two people to make fun of me.”

“Hey,” Amira said with a grin, “at least we’re entertaining.”

Allison sighed. “Fine. I’ll let you entertain me while you pack.”

Angelo chuckled, stepping further into the kitchen. “Deal. Where do we start?” He glanced at the scattered plates, bowls, and random kitchen gadgets on the counter like a man assessing a battlefield.

Allison stretched out on the couch, enjoying her new “helpless pregnant woman” role immensely. “Oh, you know, just wherever your heart desires. I trust you both to handle it.”

Amira, not missing a beat, grabbed a stack of plates and looked over at Angelo. “I’ll take the dishes, and you can tackle…” She waved a hand toward the corner, where a collection of mismatched mugs, pots, and pans sat waiting. “That disaster zone.”

Angelo gave a mock salute. “Got it, Captain.”

As they both got to work, Allison watched from her cozy spot, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. “This is nice. I could get used to this. You know, people doing everything for me while I supervise.”

Amira shot her a look. “Supervise? You mean ‘lounge around like royalty while we do all the heavy lifting.’”

“Tomato, to-mah-to,” Allison quipped, kicking her feet up a little higher. “Besides, don’t you feel like you’re getting valuable life skills from this? It’s all about perspective.”

Angelo paused mid-mug-stack. “Life skills? You mean stacking mugs and packing kitchen gadgets?”

“Exactly,” Allison said, grinning. “You’re learning how to work under pressure. And let’s face it, you’re getting a masterclass in how to navigate the chaotic world of Allison.”

Amira snorted. “Girl, Angelo’s been in that world for a while now. If he hasn’t learned by now, there’s no hope.”

Angelo raised an eyebrow, looking amused. “I think I’m managing just fine, actually.”

Allison gave him a playful look. “Oh, is that so? And here I thought you were still figuring me out.”

He stepped toward her, leaning against the counter with a sly smile. “I’ve got you pretty well figured out,pet.”

Her heart did a tiny flip at the way he said it, the low timbre of his voice making her stomach do somersaults—though it could’ve been the baby kicking.Or both.

Amira, ever the energy-reader, clapped her hands loudly and broke the moment. “Alright, let’s keep this PG, you two. We’re here to pack, not flirt.”

Allison felt her cheeks heat up as she stammered, “We’re not flirting!”

Amira gave her an exaggerated eye roll. “Sure, and I’m not standing in a kitchen surrounded by broken promises of packed boxes.”

“Exactly,” Angelo added, flashing Amira a grin. “We’re just working professionals.”

Amira scoffed. “You two are the worst. I’m just trying to help you pack, and you’re busy making goo-goo eyes at each other.”

Allison groaned, hiding her face behind a throw pillow. “Amira, please.”

But Angelo wasn’t fazed. “For the record, I’m a multi-tasker. I can packandmake goo-goo eyes.”

Amira threw her hands up in defeat, laughing. “Okay, okay! Fine. Multitask all you want. Just as long as this kitchen is packed before I lose my sanity.”

Allison peeked out from behind the pillow, a smile creeping across her face. “Deal. Butfor the record, you started the goo-goo eyes thing.”

Amira grinned, grabbing another stack of plates. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t blame me when Angelo sweeps you off your feet in the middle of packing.”

Angelo raised an eyebrow. “Not a bad idea…”

“No one’s getting swept anywhere,” Allison said, laughing. “Now back to work, both of you. This royal couch potato needs her kingdom packed.”

Angelo and Amira exchanged a glance and shook their heads, getting back to work while Allison watched with a contented smile. Maybe this moving thing wasn’t so bad after all.

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