Page 69 of One Breath After Another

Almost twins.

But not quite.

Luca didn’t get the chance to thank his sister for—once again—being absolutely wonderful. Someone in the crowd of the picture taking guests must have noticed Naz trying to sneak by because in the next thirty seconds ... his best friend stood beside him for the next round of pictures.

“This is never going to end,” Luca whispered through a smile.

“Why do you think we put this party off as long as we could?” Naz asked back, faking his own grin for the crowd and talking through his teeth. “We used Penny as an excuse, for the last couple of months, because it really wasn’t an excuse at that point. To be fair.”

Luca chuckled. “Nah, I get it.”

Someone—one of their mothers, probably—must have noticed the guys were getting a little beyond their give-a-fuck line for the picture-taking. “Give them a break, guys! Sweets are coming!”

“Holy ... thank fuck,” Naz muttered, immediately turning around to face the backdrop instead of the guests. There, he could roll his eyes. Luca couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “Sorry—you know we’re grateful but shit ... this is a whole day thing, and we’re tired.”

“Don’t apologize. Remember my graduation?”

Naz nodded, grinning. “But damn, they let us party for days after.”

Yeah.

They had.

“Evened itself out,” Luca agreed.

Naz sighed, turning back around with Luca at his side, so they could observe the guests fawning over silver trays of sweets that had been brought in during their distraction. “You know, I always thought our boys would be like us growing up ... together, I mean. Better jump on that, huh?”

Luca sucked in a hiss. “Kids?”

He didn’t even hide the way his voice raised at the very idea.

“Not yet,” he added.

Naz barked out a laugh, clapping Luca on his back at the same time. “I was kidding—knew that would take a breath out of you.”

Luca shook his head. “Fuck you.”

“Had to do it.”

“On a real level, though?”

Naz glanced his way, asking, “Yeah?”

“I can’t fucking wait to meet him.”

His godson.

Naz’s boy.

Fuck, yeah.

Little Cross.

Luca might not be anywhere near ready for kids of his own—maybe he wouldn’t ever be; it had never been something he gave much thought—but he couldn’t wait to meet his nephew. That kid would want for nothing. Not with him around, anyway.

Naz smiled, almost like he knew what Luca was thinking when he replied, “I know.”

“Naz, come try this!” Roz called, coming their way with a tart in her hand. “They’re the kind you like.”