Page 192 of Rewind It Back

“You and him, what?”

“He and I”—she straightens her spine, meeting my eye—“have been seeing each other.”

“Mikey?” My voice rises, pointing a finger in his general direction. “You’re referring to my uncle Mikey. As in, my dad’s brother?”

“Oh, don’t sound so appalled.” She brushes me off. “It’s not like I met some random guy and brought him home. I’ve known him practically my whole life. In fact, I met him before I ever met your father. We’ve been friends for a long time, and last year, when he started coming around more... I don’t know. Things changed.”

I let that information sink in. My uncle and my dad haven’t had the closest relationship, so Mikey wasn’t around unless it was a holiday or a birthday. But he’s a good man. For most of my life I wondered why the two of them didn’t get along until I learned that my dadwasn’ta good man.

“You’re dating Mikey,” I state in disbelief, leaning back on the railing. “Is it serious?”

“No, Rio, we’re just talking.” Her tone is laced with sarcasm. “I don’t know how to answer that. Yes? It’s not like we’re going to run off and get married tomorrow, but we enjoy each other’s company. At my ripe age of twenty-nine, that’s all that matters. That’s why it’s so important that the person you’re with is your friend.”

“What happened to believing that childhood relationships don’t work out because you grow up and grow apart? You’ve known him since you were a kid. How’s that any different?”

Her expression softens. “Sometimes people can grow together. I was recently reminded of that by my son.”

“Jeez.” I cross over my chest. “Mikey?”

I look in that direction to find him still chatting it up with Ryan and Indy. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always liked him. He’s honest and kind, and I guess that’s all you can really ask for in someone who’s dating your mother.

I exhale a long breath. “Well, does he make you happy?”

A genuine smile curves on her lips, and I note the sparkle in her green eyes. It seems almost foreign because I haven’t seen her look this elated in over six years.

She glances over her shoulder, and when she does, he catches her eye and grins softly at her.

“He does make me happy.”

“He better.”

Chuckling, my mom playfully smacks me in the arm.

“So, I take it that means you’re not moving here.”

She shakes her head no. “Maybe one day, but not right now. Boston is my home, just like Chicago is yours. Regardless of what happened in that house, it is stillmyhouse. I grew up there and your nonna grew up there. I want to keep it in our family, and even though you and Hallie don’t see yourselves living there again, that house will be yours one day. I hope you take my grandbabies back there to show them where their parents first fell in love.”

Slipping my arm over her shoulders, I pull her into my side. “We definitely will. That house will always stay in the family, so don’t ever worry about that.”

She pats my back. “But if you really wanted to find a way to get me to move here, you and Hallie girl could get to work on those grandbabies.”

Laughing, I pull her in closer. “We will. Not yet, but one day, we will.”

“Love you, Rio.”

“I love you too, Ma.”

Hallie and Wren exit the house through the back door, arms linked together as they chat about something. Wren’s older brother, Cruz, follows behind, talking to Zee and Stevie.

“Go ahead. We’ll catch up later.” My mom pats my back before taking off to go find my uncle.

Still not fully wrapping my head around the idea of her dating again, I cross the yard to join my friends at the firepit. Ryan and Indy join too, where Kai, Miller, Isaiah, and Kennedy are already hanging out.

“Hey, Cruz.” I put my hand in his. “Good to see you. Glad you could make it.”

I give his sister a hug before standing behind Hallie, crossing my arms over the front of her shoulders and pulling her back to me. The twelve of us circle the firepit, some sitting and some of us standing.

“The house looks amazing,” Cruz says. “But I’ve got to be honest, I am so thankful you didn’t try to sell at the same time as me.”

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