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“New kid?” Alexi asked with a still face.
“Oh, yeah, that’s Q,” Mia said.
“Q?” Alexi asked.
“Quinn. Sometimes he goes by Q. Lauren sent me a text me about this.” Mia shook her glass, watching the pulp stick to the side. She wanted to stick her tongue in and swipe it off.
Alexi wrinkled his nose. “I’ll talk to Coach.”
“Cool.” Mia set down her glass and reached for a blueberry muffin. “We’ll have the same schedule.”
Hope joined them. “Niko and I have good news.” Hope went to his side and draped her arm around his shoulders.
Chapter 16
Mia stiffened, though she tried not to give away her concern. “What’s up?”
Alexi frowned, and his eyes darted to the exit. He must’ve had his own share of run-ins with good news.
Niko took Hope’s hand, and she smiled at him when he said, “Hope has consented to become my wife.”
Happiness for her sister flashed through her, mixed with a touch of—‘wow’ things were going to change… her sister was getting married. Married. Starting a new family. The happy expression on Hope’s face tipped her concerns over into joy. Mia squealed and rushed over to hug the couple.
“Best wishes.” Alexi said the right things, but his expression didn’t read joy at the impending nuptials. She got it. This tied Niko to Texas, far from home. This meant change.
“We’re thinking maybe during spring,” Hope said. “When’s your break?”
“April,” Mia said. “Do I get to be a bridesmaid?”
“Maid of honor.”
“Awesome.”
“Okay, so April it is.” Niko had never looked happier. Proud even, not that he’d had a doubt Hope adored him. He kissed the back of Hope’s hand, making her beam.
“We’ll do new family portraits for the wall,” Niko said.
Alexi winced, a slight wince, one she only noticed because she was watching him. Bring up art, artists, paintings, and he got that look.
She had no idea how her parents would take the news. They were protective of both of them, but especially Hope, given how lost she got in her art. “Now Dad won’t pitch a fit over you two living together.” Which was good, because while she could take the heat, Hope was too soft to handle parental tempers.
Hope got big eyes and
shook her head.
Too late. Uh. Oh. Had Niko not known about that? They needed to talk more.
Niko lost his happy expression. “Your parents don’t know we live together?”
The guilt caused Mia to pop up out of her chair. She sent Hope a small, apologetic wave. “See you, guys. We’re off to school.” She grabbed Alexi’s hand and tugged him toward the door. Alexi snagged a croissant before relenting.
They got outside and Alexi hesitated beside the limo.
She thought she’d broken him of waiting for the driver to open doors. She reached around and lifted the handle. “Get in.” Things had changed this morning. Massively. Permanently. “I promise not to paw you today. Sorry about that, by the way.”
“I—” Alexi said.
“Nope, I warned you the first day we met that you’d have to rein me in.” She laughed. “You should have heeded my text to Sacha.” Sliding over a respectable distance, she gauged the distance between them, preferring yesterday’s trip. Yesterday, there was still a chance they weren’t going to be family. Yesterday, he hadn’t needed to sit so far away.
