Passively, some part of me is very grateful that Gran speaks a different language from us – I want her to remember this as a nice day, not as the horrible afternoon it already is. “You can bring along any lawsuit you want,” Bruce says, giving a casual shrug as he meets Rafe’s eye. “I didn’t do any
“I didn’t do anything,” I correct, putting out a hand between us. “And it may be true that I’m good for Luca’s image, but it should have been our choice to make this announcement. I’m part of this now, and even if you are in charge of Luca’s public image, you’re not in charge of mine.” Bruce holds
“Luca,” I say, putting out my hands towards him. He lifts his eyes a little to meet mine, but he doesn’t move. I just raise my eyebrows, a demand in them, and he sighs and presses up off the door, coming to take my hands and sit by my side. “Your room is so cute,” I whisper. He laughs, though
After a moment Luca starts to laugh with me before he takes a deep breath and nods. “Fucking fight,” he murmurs, running an anxious hand through his hair. “I have so much to do.” “I know,” I say, resting my head on his shoulder. “But I don’t want your mind on me at all, okay? Put all of this out o
She beams at me, genuinely pleased. “We always sit ringside for Luca’s fights,” she says, giving me a little squeeze. “But thank you. That’s very kind.” “Offer stands,” Rafe says, coming over with Jesse, Gran between them with one arm around each of their waists. “Any concert or sporting game – if
“What’s wrong with Jacks?” I ask, a little frantic, turning to look her in the face. “See?” mom says, sitting up with a grin and pointing her finger at me, poking me in the chest. “The fact that you keep assuming something is wrong with him tells me that you know something is up too.” “That’s no
And my heart sinks, thinking of the reality of that. Thinking that my sweet Jacks – he’s really got no one in his life to hold him and coddle him and be his safety net. Well, almost no one. “He’s got us,” I whisper, looking into my mom’s eyes, which I know are precisely the same shade as mine. “Wh
“I know, I know,” mom says with a sigh, flopping down next to me on her stomach. “I am willing to wait. And if you decide you don’t want kids, Ariel, that’s fine too – I’ll badger Rafe and Junie and Mark, because one of you will have to give in. I just…” she shrugs, and I look over at her seriously