Page 80 of Where We Met

"That man is crazy about you," she says.

We walk back to the kitchen together. I want to believe her, but my heart is still afraid to get it's hopes up.

"There's no way you can tell from that call," I reply.

Tricia laughs. "Girl. It is absolutely obvious that he's completely smitten with you. And holy crap, is he hot. I caught a glimpse of that shirtless man."

The beginning of a smile tips at the corners of my mouth. I hope that's true, because I'm so gone for this man.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Luke

"Areyouokay,UncleLuke?" Sienna, my niece, asks me.

We're sitting on the floor of my parents' home, my childhood home in Little Italy, playing war. It's been going on for ten minutes, each of us thinking we're about to win then losing an ace or a face card to the other person. I'm only half interested in the game, pretty much how I've felt for the last month.

It's like the world lost most of its color the day Savannah was forced out of my life.

I keep telling myself it was the right thing to do, but I can't deny that it's not at all what I wanted to do.

Is there a possibility that what's right isn't always black and white? That's normally how I've lived my life, no grey area. I'm the rule follower, and you either follow them or don't. This is the first time that everything in me has been desperately telling me to sayfuck itto what looks right or what others tell me is right and do what makes me happy.

But there's the small problem with what the people in Savannah's life think is right, like her father.

I can't just barge back into her life and ruin her relationships.

I look down at my niece, who's patiently waiting for my response, surprised that she can see through my façade. Is it that obvious to everybody what I'm feeling on the inside?

"I'm good, Sisi girl," I tell her. "I'm just wondering which one of us is finally gonna come through and win this game."

She smiles. "It'll be me."

I chuckle. "Are you sure about that?"

"I have three of the four aces, I'm clearly gonna win."

She wasn't wrong. Five minutes later she takes my last card.

"Nice game," I tell her as we both stand.

"Dinners ready," Ma calls from the kitchen.

Everybody squeezes in around the table, covered in Ma’s white tablecloth with a little lace at the end. It may be 2023, but you wouldn’t know it if you walked into my parent’s home. But I love it. It makes me think of my childhood, back before the world turned you into a cynical adult.

“Can I help you, Ma?” Gabe asks as she carries two heavy plates to the table.

He meets her halfway and grabs them out of her hands. It’s a bit of odd behavior for Gabe, but I don’t think too much of it.

“Looks incredible, my dear,” Pa says as he's opening the bottles of wine sitting in the center of the table. With seven adults, we always need several bottles for dinner.

Pa goes around and begins to pour the wine. When he gets to Alexis, she smiles at him.

“I think I’ll skip the wine tonight,” she says.

Stunned silence falls upon the room. Alexis has never once refused a glass of wine. Before I can even get to the thought, Mia screams, “You’re pregnant!”

Gabe groans. “I told you just let them pour the wine. You didn’t have to drink it.”

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