“I want to talk to Gran about this. Are you okay with my doing that?”
“Of course, be my guest. I may want to talk to my dad too.”
“Fine. You go talk to your dad, and I’ll talk to my grandmother. They live in the same house anyway, so that’s handy. Do you have time now?”
Lucas brows lifted. “Now? Like right now?”
“Yeah. Do you have anything going on?”
Luca checked his watch. “I have a client to meet in a half hour. You go ahead and talk to your grandmother. In fact, that might be better than us talking to different people. I honestly don’t know what my dad would think, but you can bet he’ll state his opinion and insist he’s right. It’s what you and I decide that’s most important. If you need to talk to you grandmother to figure it out, fine. You two know your mother a lot better than I do.”
Dawn nodded. “That’s true. And Gran’s a savvy woman who won’t lie to me in any way.”
“That’s what I like about her.” Luca smiled. “Whatever you and your grandmother decide, I’m fine with it, as long as all my brothers can attend.”
“Okay, it’s a deal. Everything goes off as planned, but we either get my mother here or have another wedding up there.”
Luca nodded. “Yep. I can deal with either of those things. Just tell me where to show up and when to say ‘I do.’”
Dawn kissed Luca and grabbed her purse, stuffing the letter inside on her way out the door. All she had to do was walk up the hill to see her grandmother and Luca’s parents in their solid, cinder-block home. She just hoped her Gran was home and not off with the new man in her life. It would be nice if she was out with him, but Dawn selfishly hoped she would be seeing him tonight and not today.
When Dawn knocked on the door, Gabriella opened it. “Dawn, honey! Come in, come in. You don’t need to knock.”
“Well, I don’t want to barge in on you and the others. I mean, what if you were having a big orgy or something?”
Gabriella burst out laughing. “Oh sure. That happens all the time. Come here, you.” They shared a tight hug.
“Is Gran here?”
“Yes, she is. Let me go get her.”
Gabriella strode toward the back of the house, and soon Dawn’s grandmother, Annette, came bustling around the corner. She opened her arms wide.
“Dawnie!”
Dawn walked into her grandmother’s embrace, and they hugged hard as if they hadn’t seen each other for weeks when it had been maybe two days.
“To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” her grandmother asked.
“Oh, Gran. You’re being silly. Although I do have some news, and I need to talk to you about it.”
Her grandmother took her hand and walked her into the kitchen. “Have a seat, sweetie.”
Dawn took an empty chair at the kitchen island and wondered where Mr. Fierro was. Chances were good he was out helping his sons rebuild homes on the island. If Gabriella was trying to stay out of the way so they could talk, it wouldn’t surprise her.
“Can I get you a cup of tea or coffee?” Annette asked.
“Sure. Tea, please.” As Annette put some bottled water into the teapot to boil, Dawn asked, “Did you get a letter from my mom?”
“No. Should I have?”
Dawn pulled the letter out of her purse and handed it to her grandmother.
Annette scanned it, and her jaw dropped. “Lissie’s getting out early?”
Dawn grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
Annette read the rest of the letter and then placed an arm around Dawn’s shoulders, squeezing her sideways. “This is good news.”
