Page 107

Ahh.

She knows.

“How?” I shake my head.

She shrugs. “Lily told me you were here, staying at Paradiso Ranch.”

She holds her hand out to me.

“I’m Summer. Jude’s sister-in-law and Ethan’s wife.”

Her smile is genuine, and I decide not to judge her for the pity I see in her eyes.

I take her hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

“I know it’s been a while, but… still. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Summer searches my face and I want to give her my go-to shrug and say something comforting like it’s okay.

Or worse.

He’s at peace now.

But I don’t.

Instead, I decide not to hide it anymore.

“Yeah. Death sucks.”

Summer smiles softly. “I bet.”

And why did that just feel… liberating?

“So, what kind of woman are you?”

I raise my brows, but she bursts out laughing. “I meant, are you a coffee or tea, sweet or black, milk or no milk kind of girly?”

I laugh, not expecting that at all.

“Coffee. Black but sweet, and most of all… strong. I’m Italian, so…”

“Espresso Italiano it is!”

She winks and walks back behind the counter.

Jude leads me to a table overlooking the main street and we settle down to people-watch.

To someone else, Jude might look still. Uninterested, even. But I’ve learned to see past his posture.

His eyes take in every detail.

“There you go. And I made fresh strawberry cake with extra whipped cream to go with it.”

Summer sets the coffees and cake down in front of us and smiles.

“You tell me if that espresso is okay, alright?”