Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Luigi rolled his eyes and gestured at his brother with his thumb. “Lucy, that’s what you call making virtue of necessity. This guy couldn’t find a woman to marry him if he stood on the corner with a bagful of cash.”
“Dad, she just wants to buy some bread,” the young woman who had helped me last time cut in. “You don’t need to give her your life story.”
I smiled at Luigi. “I don’t mind.”
It was the truth. I looked forward to my early morning visits to Morelli Brothers. Sawyer was still at home sleeping, and I was a bundle of nervous energy over my date with Kon later, so I’d decided to make a big breakfast this morning. Sheridan was coming over later and I knew she loved bacon, so I was stocking up on bacon, eggs, and the ingredients for French toast casserole.
“This will make the French toast of your dreams,” Luigi assured me. “Is this for Mr. Italian Beef?”
“I don’t think he’ll be over early enough to eat it. Mostly it’s for my brother and a friend.”
Luigi nodded his approval. “You hear that, Maria? Lucy’s not shacking up with her boyfriend.”
Maria ignored him.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I clarified. “We’re just going out on our first date tonight.”
Luigi gave me a pointed look. “But you won’t shack up with him, will you? He’ll never buy the cow if you give him the milk for free.”
“I’m not a cow, Dad,” Maria said as she wiped down a counter.
I didn’t want to get in the middle of this family conversation, so I gave Luigi a bright smile and said, “I’ll take a loaf of the cinnamon bread and a half dozen brownies.”
“You got it, kid.”
He rang up my order and I paid him with my debit card. As he passed me my bag, he peered at me over the rim of his glasses.
“Don’t let Mr. Italian Beef get handsy on the first date now,” he said. “A peck on the cheek is enough.”
Mario snorted out a laugh, shaking his head. “Don’t listen to him, Lucy. His son Anthony was conceived on a first date.”
“That was…a unique situation,” Luigi said.
“Enjoy your date, Lucy,” Maria said. “Where are you guys going?”
“I’m not sure.”
She grinned. “You’ll have to tell us all about it.”
“Definitely.”
“Thanks again for breakfast,” Sheridan said a few hours later. “I’ll meet you at that little coffee shop at two.”
She stopped on her walk to the door that led from the garage into the kitchen, making sure Sawyer wasn’t looking at her, and then gave me a theatrically dramatic wink.
“See you then,” I said, smiling.
After she left, Sawyer sighed heavily from his seat at the kitchen table. “That was amazing, but I ate way too much.”
“It’s a good day for a run,” I suggested.
“It’s like twenty-five degrees outside, Luce.”
“So wear a jacket.”
He got up and carried his plate over to the sink. “I’m in no shape for running.”
It had been almost a week since his last drink. The physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal had passed, but the craving for alcohol was still there. I was trying to fill the void by cooking good meals for him, but I was going to have to wean him back onto healthier food soon.
“Hey, what’s up with you and Kon?” he asked, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms.
I feigned surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Cut the shit.”
Crap. Was I that bad of a liar?
I shrugged. “I think he’s nice. He’s helped me a lot since I got here.”
“I know there’s something going on; don’t bullshit me. I heard you guys were getting cozy on the couch the other night.”
“I mean, we sat close together, but we were fully clothed. Your teammates were in the room with us. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Just be careful. Kon’s a good guy, but he’s nothing like the guys you’re used to dating.”
I laughed bitterly. “That’s a good thing. Nate ended up not being the friendly neighborhood insurance agent he seemed like.”
“Kon’s intense. There’s no one better to have on your side, but…” He looked away.
“What?”
Sawyer sighed. “His last girlfriend cheated on him with one of our teammates. Remember that fight he got into during the game we watched on TV the other night?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s the guy Svetlana cheated on him with. Keegan.”
“Oh.”
It made more sense now. Kon wasn’t just pissed off about hockey, but about his former girlfriend. Was he still hung up on her? Clearly there were unresolved feelings of some kind.
A flare of jealousy rose in my chest. If Kon liked women who treated him like garbage, I’d be a disappointment.
“Just be careful, okay?” Sawyer said.
“I will.”
Kon wore the black jeans I liked on him, this time with tennis shoes, a plain gray hoodie, and a black leather jacket. A table of two women stared at him as he walked past, his gaze focused entirely on me.