“Dante, did Noah say anything about being late?” Antonio asked.
“Not to me.”
Something about his too-casual shrug set off her warning bells. “Is everything all right between you two?”
Dante heaved a big sigh. “Jeez, Mom. I swear you’re psychic.”
She would have chuckled if she weren’t so concerned. “What’s going on?”
He glanced at Mallory, but before he could respond, she said with eyes downcast, “It’s my fault.”
Dante was quick to disagree. “No, it isn’t.”
Gabriella wondered at that. Was there competition for Mallory’s affections? She was certainly beautiful enough to inspire male rivalry.
Then Jayce, thank goodness, put it into words. “Is he jealous?”
“No. Nothing like that. He just can’t keep his nose out of my business.”
“Well, it’s no wonder, honey. You’ve been best friends since you were little, and now you’re roommates,” she began. She didn’t quite know where she was going with the conversation, so she couldn’t help being grateful when the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” Gabriella sang out. Hopefully, it was son number six, explaining his absence.
The phone was on the wall in the kitchen, where it had been for a couple of decades. She grabbed it without looking at the caller ID. “Noah?”
“No, it’s Kristine.”
“Oh, Kristine! Did your mother have the baby?”
“Yes! I have a little sister!”
“Oh, that’s so exciting!” Gabriella stuck her hand over the mouthpiece and poked her head around the doorjamb. “We have an announcement! Amy’s had her little dra—I mean, baby! It’s a girl!”Oh my goodness. I almost let the word dragon slip out in front of a human stranger!
“Congratulations, Kristine!” many voices yelled at once.
“So, are mother and baby doing well?”
“Yes,” Kristine said. “Tell everyone both are healthy and my stepdad is thrilled beyond belief. Also, please tell Luca I’m sorry I couldn’t be at his graduation. I’ll try to stop by in a few hours.”
“Oh, don’t worry, darling. Everyone understands.”
They exchanged a few more good wishes and then hung up. Before Gabriella made it back to her seat, the phone rang again.
“I’ll get it.” She spun around and went back the way she came. “Hello?”
“Yeah. Hi, Mom. I’m not going to make it for dinner today.”
She paused for effect. “And why not?”
“I—I have some important stuff to do.”
“Why does it sound like you’re not telling me the real reason, Noah?”
“Thatisthe real reason!”
“Hmph. And this ‘important stuff’ is more important than your family? Including your brother’s college graduation? He’s only the first Fierro to graduate from a four-year college right out of high school.”
Noah groaned. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ll try to come by later. If it makes you feel any better, it’s about a girl.”
“Which girl?”
