Page 48 of Hot Momosa

I couldn’t bring myself to turn around. Instead, I focused on Maggie and the not quite two-year-old by her side. “Hi, Ella.”

The little girl hid her face in her mother’s thigh before darting past me into the house.

Rocco wiggled and squirmed in her arms.

Maggie shifted him to her other hip and offered me a sympathetic smile. “We heard what happened Saturday night and thought you might need some toys and whatnot for Gunnar.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t expecting company.” I stammered, unsure which problem to address first.

“We tried to call you, but you didn’t answer your phone.” She walked into the apartment and stopped short beside Shanna.

Gunnar and Ella stood a foot apart, staring at each other. Ella was almost a year younger, and small for her age, but there was absolutely no denying the resemblance between them.

“Wow.” Shanna turned back to me and motioned toward the kids. “Either you go for a specific type of man or…”

“Or you have some serious explaining to do.” Maggie set Rocco down beside his sister.

Ella threw her arms around Gunnar. “Hi.”

He gave her a quick hug, jerked away, and wiped his arms as if she’d infected him with girl cooties.

I whispered, “We should sit. This is going to take a minute.”

Shanna’s mouth fell open. “He’s Leo’s? I mean…he looks like Ella—”

“And Rocco.” Maggie continued to stare at the children. “Is he really their cousin?”

Not trusting my voice, I nodded.

“I knew it.” Shanna threw her head back and laughed. “I knew there was no way the two of you were just friends.”

“Does Leo know?” Maggie spoke so softly, I barely heard her over our louder friend.

I sank onto the couch and motioned for them to join me.

Shanna plopped down, smiling like she belonged in a toothpaste commercial.

Maggie sat, but she furrowed her brow and kept her eyes on the kids.

“Leo and I found out we were pregnant a month or so before Joe and Rebecca passed away.” I glanced between them. While I hadn’t expected my best friends to take the news in stride, Maggie’s reaction concerned me.

The mother of five turned to me with a heartbroken expression. “You were scared.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” A shiver ran through me. “Leo was convinced the same thing would happen to me and…” I nodded toward Gunnar.

“I can understand that, but it’s been three years since they died. Leo is out of the you-know-what. Why keep Gunnar hidden from his…” She swallowed hard. “From his family?”

“We were waiting to see if Gabe, and then Marco, could get out of the M-O-B. After he did, Leo and I were barely speaking.” I frowned at my hands. “And there’s my father’s campaign. The Marchionnis may be free, but the rumors haven’t gone away.”

“Does Gunnar know Leo is his father?” Maggie whispered.

I shook my head. “Not yet. We plan to tell him when he was older.”

“Oh.” She turned her attention to the little ones.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but could you guys please not tell Gabe and Enzo?”

My friends exchanged glances, sighed, and nodded.

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