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“How long will it take to get to Brooke’s place?”
“Ten minutes? Possibly fifteen?”
Dinner was going ahead, despite the dramas of the past week, which thankfully hadn’t been anything to do with Kaylin. An unfortunate fool had tried to break into The Lookout, and it hadn’t ended well for him. So far, his motives were unclear, but rumour said he was a stranger in town, probably an addict looking to steal money for a fix. If Nico found a moment to have a quiet chat with Colt or Luca tonight, he could learn more.
But the priority was making sure Kaylin—Katy, he had to remember to call her Katy—had a good time. She’d been quiet this week, content to walk Cricket on the beach in the mornings and then hang out at the house with Matty, plus indulge in the occasional spa treatment while the boy was sleeping. That she trusted Nico to watch her son during those times meant a lot.
“Is it weird that I’m nervous?” she asked.
“Not at all.”
“Can you put Matty’s bag in the car?”
“Already done.”
“And the cake?”
“It’s in the back seat.”
Brooke and Luca lived on the second floor of a former car dealership, a vast industrial-looking building that Brooke’s brother, Aaron, had picked up for a song. Aaron lived with his girlfriend, Romi, on the first floor, and the dinner-slash-party was being held in his apartment because it had more space. It wasn’t a formal affair. People could drop in and out as they chose, and Darla was leaving as they arrived.
“Oh, excuse me, hun. I just came to drop off a few snacks, but I can’t stay. How are you getting on with the cross-stitch?”
Kaylin’s hold on Nico’s arm loosened infinitesimally. He was carrying the cake in his other hand while Kaylin kept a firm grasp on Matty to stop him from running somewhere he shouldn’t. The boy was surprisingly fast for someone with such short legs.
“I’ve finished A and B and started on D. It’s really relaxing.”
“The C should be here early next week. The supplier dispatched it yesterday.” A whoop came from inside, and Darla glanced behind her. “Paulo’s already started on the daiquiris. If he gets too loud, don’t be afraid to tell him to quiet down.”
Inside, dishes of food were laid out on the kitchen counter along with plates, napkins, and cutlery, and everyone was helping themselves. Kaylin added her strawberries-and-cream cake to the mix while Nico braced as half a dozen women made a beeline in their direction. But for once, they weren’t interested in flirting.
In fact, they weren’t interested in him at all.
“Aw, so this is Matthew?” Addy cooed. She’d been Brooke’s best friend since their school days, a whirlwind to Brooke’s quiet calm. “Isn’t he the cutest?”
Matty looked more scared than anything else, and he hung onto Kaylin’s leg in a death grip.
“He’s not used to big groups,” she explained.
Colt’s eight-year-old daughter elbowed her way to the front. “Hi, I’m Kiki. Do you want ice cream?”
Matty hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He and Kaylin were quickly swallowed up by the crowd, and Nico found himself standing alone for the first time in a week. But not for long.
“Relax, buddy,” Luca said. “They’ll look after your girl. Want a beer?”
“A beer sounds good, but Katy isn’t my girl.”
Luca’s expression said “yeah, right,” but he popped the cap on a bottle of beer and handed it over.
“So, how’d the two of you meet?”
It was always easier to stick close to the truth. “Her mother had an affair with my father.”
Luca searched Nico’s face, presumably looking for a sign that he was joking but eventually coming to the conclusion that he wasn’t.
“That’s…different.”
“Dear old Dad didn’t make much effort to hide his indiscretions. Katy and I stayed in touch, and she knew I’d always offer her a place to stay if she needed one.”
