Page 83 of Flake It Til You Make It

“Your whole family?”

Rocco nodded. The pounding increased. He was fairly sure that was either Gabe or Ren, maybe even Enzo, whooping, now.

“Oh—”

But Rocco needed to get this out first. “They’re a little bit loud and maybe a touch insane, but they honestly mean well. However, they’re a lot to deal with, regardless, and if you want to escape out the back door before I let them in . . .”

Taylor’s back straightened and he shot Rocco a look that meant business. Rocco liked to think of it as his “future mayor of Christmas Falls” look.

“As if I wouldeverbe that cowardly. If I feel this way about you—” Taylor smiled knowingly, like he was acknowledging they’d just been on the cusp of confessing their feelings before they were interrupted. “Then I can meet your family. Then Iwantto meet your family, no matter how wild or crazy they might be.”

“And that,” Rocco said, the words falling out of his mouth without forethought or panic, “is exactly why I love you.” He leaned in and kissed Taylor’s cheek briefly, enjoying the pleased surprise on his face. “I know, but don’t say it yet, okay? We’ll talk, later, I hope.”

“Yes,” Taylor said, nodding firmly. “A lot. And more.”

“Talkingandmore than talking are both good,” Rocco said, babbling a little. Was he procrastinating letting the Morettis in? Oh, a little.

The thumping grew even louder.

“I think you’d better let them in before they break down the door,” Taylor said. “I’ll stay here. And when the initial cacophony has finished, you can introduce me.”

“You’re thinking they won’t want to meet you the very first thing, and you’re wrong. You’re all they’re going to want to talk about.” A boyfriend that he hadn’t told a single Moretti about. They were all going to be salivating.

“No,” Taylor said, squeezing his hand. “They’re here for you, Rocco.”

They were. Rocco realized they’d all come. Dropped their own holiday plans to fly to Christmas Falls and seehim.

His heart felt so warm, so full, he thought it might burst.

“Go on, then,” Taylor said, squeezing his hand one last time.

Rocco went. Unlocked the door with trembling hands and then opened it a fraction, bracing it against his foot.

“Good morning, who are you?” he teased.

Gabe, who was in the front, stuck his tongue out. “Some surprise this was!” he exclaimed, elbowing their cousin and his business partner, Lorenzo, who held out his hands in welcome.

“Rocco! It’s so good to see you. Also, it’sfreezing. Let us in!”

There was Luca, too, and Oliver, standing in the back of the group with Enzo and his boyfriend, Will. And his parents,smiling at him like he hadn’t seen them in forever, and maybe it did feel that way, now that Rocco considered it. It had been a long six months since he’d seen them, right before he’d flown to Christmas Falls to finalize the purchase of Jolly Java. And Luca and Gabe’s mom and dad, Nicoletta and Matteo, were rubbing their hands together, clearly cold in the chilly early morning.

“Come on, come in,” Rocco said, widening the door.

And suddenly, he was caught up in a blast of cold air and a mob of excited, loving Morettis.

He lost track of how many tight hugs he was given—and gave back—and how many pairs of cold fingers were pressed to his cheeks and how many people exclaimed that he looked too skinny, that he needed some meat on his bones, did Rocco need them to bake him a lasagna? But mostly, everyone wanted to know 1) how he was doing and 2) who the really cute, tall guy behind the counter was.

“Uh, yes,” Rocco said, gazing over the crowd of Morettis surrounding him to meet Taylor’s amused gaze. “This is my boyfriend, Taylor. It’s new so—”

Someone—it might have been Nicoletta, or maybe even Giana—let out an excited screech, but before the stampede towards Taylor could begin, Luca held up a hand and bellowed in thatI’m Italian and I will take no prisonersvoice. “Not everyone, not at once! Let Rocco introduce him to his parents, and the rest of us can go sit down. You’ll get plenty of chance to talk to Rocco’s boyfriend.” Luca turned to Rocco. “Sorry, Itold them they didn’t need toallcome, and so early, too, before you even opened, but I got out-voted.”

Rocco shrugged. “Of course you did. But uh . . .thanks. And Idohave some work I need to get done before we open. A few things that need baked—”

Oliver popped up next to his husband. “Did I hear my favorite word?” he asked mischievously.

Luca rolled his eyes. “You did. And it was naive of me to think we’d actually get a vacation coming here. You’ll be in Rocco’s kitchen the whole time and I’ll be wrangling almost twenty Morettis.”

“Almosttwenty?” Rocco exclaimed.

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