Page 98 of Luca
“Not anymore,” I said, stifling a yawn. “Did you even wash your hands before you dug intomypopcorn?”
“Germaphobe,” he accused.
“You better become one too. Before your niece is here. Otherwise, I won’t let you hold her.”
He grinned, his teeth flashing. “Oh, nobody will keep me away from my niece. We’re gonna teach her to curse and–”
I raised my hand, my palm facing him. “Let me stop you right there.”
“He’ll wash his hands, Maggie,” Kyran jumped to his brother's defenses. “He actually has a bottle of hand sanitizer always on hand. And he stocked up.”
“Jesus, can you guys shut the fuck up about the hand sanitizers,” Aiden chimed in. “You wantedAvataron. Now watch it, or I’ll send you all to bed.”
Some things never changed with my family.
ChapterThirty-Six
MARGARET
Tonight was Halloween. In a way, it was our anniversary since we met at the Halloween party at Temptation. Yes, it was August but that was irrelevant. I couldn’t wait to have Luca back so we could do something special together.
He had been gone for three long days.
He’d called. Messaged. Called again.
He was supposed to be home in two hours. Both he and Nonno. Cassio was picking them up from the airport.
Áine and I were shopping together. Baby clothes and baby furniture was the first thing on our agenda. We barely made it into the first baby store when she dropped the question.
“Why didn’t you ask me to help you?” The light accusation in her voice was hard to miss. “I would have helped you.”
“Aiden helped me,” I said casually. “There was no need to keep a secret from your husband.”
I didn’t want her to know that it bothered me how Uncle, his wife, and my mother refused to let me go unwed. Instead of helping me, they ganged up on me, cut off all my funds, and gave me an ultimatum. They hadn’t cared about my baby’s well-being.
“You don’t like Cassio,” she declared. I didn’t think it was that obvious.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t hate him, but no, I don’t like him.”
“He hurt your feelings,” she stated, trying to get to the bottom of it.
I sent her an apologetic smile. Just like her mother, she hoped we’d be a big, happy family.
“It’s not the feelings that bother me, Áine. It is the fact that he set me up.” When she opened her mouth, probably to defend him, I quickly continued. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as guilty for walking right into that trap, but it doesn’t absolve him of his sins. Yet somehow it feels like only I paid for my mistakes and sins while he’s enjoying himself with the love of his life.”
Silence followed. Heavy and accusing.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“God, no,” I said quickly. I didn’t need more drama. “But thank you. All's well that ends well.”
Except, I was unsure whether this was my ending. Not exactly a happy ending, but maybe a somewhat satisfying ending where my daughter was safe and protected.
“So all is well with you and Luca?” Áine questioned.
“Yes.”
Luca and me. I was still trying to understand that one. He rescued me. Help came in the most unlikely man. Yet, I was unsure what we were. Husband and wife. Friends. Lovers.
