Page 145 of Hit Me With Your Best Shot

So warm.

So cozy.

Moments later, Nova bursts into the penthouse, her excitement practically bouncing off the walls as she slips out of her sneakers by the door.

“Where is he? Where’s the dog?!” she demands, eyes scanning the room with the determination of someone on a mission.

I lift the edge of the blanket I’m wrapped in, revealing Gio, nestled comfortably by my feet. His big ears twitch at the sound of her voice, and his nearly hairless head peeks out from under the throw.

Nova gasps like she’s just seen the most precious creature on the planet. “Oh my God,lookat him! He’s soweird—but soperfect! Come here, little guy! Come to Auntie Nova.”

Auntie Nova…

Her words hang in the air, a casual comment on the surface, but to me, they land with a heavy reminder: she’s going to be a real aunt soon.

To an actual, living, breathing baby.

For a second, the thought clouds the moment, pulling me out of the warm, cozy cocoon I’d created in her brother’s living room. I shift slightly, adjusting the blanket around me.

Nova doesn’t seem to notice my lapse, too busy letting Gio climb into her lap and paw at her sweater like he’s decided she’s his new favorite human. She laughs, scratching his neck.

“You’ve got the best taste in pets.” She loudly kisses his snout.

Gio narrows his eyes in that suspicious way he does with strangers, but seems to decide she’s acceptable.

“Are you playing hard to get?” she whispers as he sniffs her hand before nuzzling it. “Are you?” Without hesitation, she cradles him gently. “Oh, I love you. I’m taking you home.”

“Good luck with that,” I say, smirking. “He’s picky. He barely even likesme.”

I move, making room for her to stretch out beside me.

“Having a lazy day?” she says.

“Yeah—I am so run down that I decided to leave school early and not do office hours.” My yawn punctuates the sentence. “It feels so good to camp out here.”

So quiet.

Serene.

The cleaning ladies came in briefly, emptying trash cans and making Gio’s bed, going through the fridge for expired food.

Surreal, this life he has…

“I don’t blame you. If I had this setup, I’d never want to leave either.”

Gio snuggles against her, his tiny body fitting perfectly into the crook of her arm. He closes his eyes, fully trusting her already.

“It’s a little weird, though,” I confess, my voice soft. “Cleaning ladies who know his routine better than I do. A fridge that somehow always restocks itself. It’s like he’s living on autopilot.”

Nova raises an eyebrow, her fingers absentmindedly stroking Gio’s nearly hairless back.

“Sounds convenient, not weird.”

“Yeah, but it’s notreal,you know? It’s like a curated version of life. He’s barely here to enjoy it, and when he is, everything’s already done for him. It’s more like he’s staying in a fancy hotel than living in a home.”

She’s quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting to the floor-to-ceiling windows and the breathtaking city view beyond them. The skyline sparkles against the afternoon sun, a constant reminder of the privilege and distance that comes with this kind of lifestyle.

“I get it,” she says finally. “It doesn’t feel personal sometimes. Probably why he’s always down at my place.”

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