“I just did.” She leans forward and picks up the wine glass. “Seriously though, the bar was on the floor. A guy says he wants a family and suddenly I’m like,yas, king—take me to Target and let’s pick out throw pillows and a minivan.”

I bark out a laugh. “Oh, we’re a minivan family now?”

“Only if it has sliding doors and cupholders for everyone.”

I tilt my head. “How many cupholders do you think a normal car has?”

She blinks. “I don’t know—like, nine?”

“Nine?” What the hell!

Nova taps on her wine glass with her nails. “Okay. Your turn.”

“For what?”

“To answer something important.”

I lift a brow. “Define important.”

She leans in slightly, lips tugging into a mischievous grin. “If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

I blink. “That’syour important question?”

Lame!

“Dead serious.” She nods her head. “Choose wisely.”

I laugh. “Easy. Breakfast sandwich—boom! Bacon, egg, cheese, toasted sourdough. Hot sauce if I’m feeling reckless.”

Nova approves. “Solid choice.”

“Thanks. What about you?”

She pretends to ponder as if she hadn’t already prepared her answer. “Pasta. But only if I don’t have to make it myself. And garlic bread.”

Her answer surprises me.

“You’re gonna be the mom who always makes butter noodles.”

Her brow raises. “You got a problem with butter noodles?”

I raise my pruned hands out of the water. “No! I’m just sayin’…”

She shrugs one shoulder. “What can I say? I contain multitudes. I’m emotionally complex and capable of eating thesamemeal five days in a row.”

I sigh blissfully and bat my eyelashes at her. “Dream girl behavior.”

Nova yawns.

“Should we get out? Get jammies on. Snuggle?”

She gazes at me as if she’s hit the jackpot. “Please.”

23

nova

Istill smell like him.