Page 58 of Books and Hookups

“Hey.” He eased out from under me and set two fingers under my chin. “Everything about you is special. Don’t ever forget it.” Then he kissed me.

I wasn’t worthy of his high opinion of me, or of his care, or even of his big, loud family, but I kissed him back.

And just like Danny had promised, I burst into flame.

21

Lady Love or Baby Mama?

Hope Is the Thing with Pomegranates

In a pitcher filled with ice, combine equal parts verjus and pomegranate juice. Stir. Strain into a champagne flute until half full. Top with sparkling water and stir again. Garnish with raspberries.

DANNY

When Leo fiddled with the dial on my stove for the hundredth time, I finally asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nervous?” He shot me an evil smile. “Because your baby mama’s coming for your birthday?”

“Yeah, I’m fucking nervous.” I scanned the salad. Were there enough croutons? Or too many? Had I put them in too early? Would they be soggy by the time Lucie got here? “I’m asking if you are too.”

“I hate your shitty stove,” he said. “There’s gas downstairs. Why didn’t they run the fucking line up here?”

I shrugged and tossed a few more croutons into the salad.

“If we’d done your birthday dinner at my place, like usual, I wouldn’t have to stress about whether the braciole’s going to be raw or burned.”

“If we’d done it at your place, it’d be harder for Lucie to come.”

“You think if she had to do more than walk down a flight of stairs, she wouldn’t come to yourbirthday party?”

“Fuck off,” I said. I hated how well my brother knew me.

He cranked the stove dial down. “How’s the risotto coming?”

“My arm’s sore from all this stirring,” Lizbeth whined.

Leo checked her pot. “Just a little more, baby. It’s almost done.”

“Yeah? I’ve still got a little more broth,” she said.

“Pour it in, then when it’s incorporated, kill the heat and stir in the cheese. Five more minutes, tops,” he said.

“I’m going to need a shoulder massage later,” she said.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I got you.”

I wasn’t sure if I was jealous or revolted. Leo and Lizbeth had been dating about a month, since she started working at his favorite tomato stand at the farmer’s market. They interacted so easily. I’d given Lucie only one shoulder massage, three months ago, and I hadn’t been in her apartment since. She’d never,everlet me kiss her nose.

Lizbeth glanced at me over her shoulder. “So, this woman isn’t your girlfriend?”

“Not really, no.” I picked a crouton out of the salad and crunched into it.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked.

I grimaced. “God, no.”

“Danny’s staying faithful to a woman who doesn’t give a shit if he’s fucking anyone else,” Leo said, summing it up.

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