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“Sorry, Amelia,” Bash offers sheepishly as he runs his fingers through his dark hair. “I tried to give you a heads-up. You’ve met Lenny before. I was at her house when Sammy called, so I brought her with me.”
Just as I turn back around, Lenny adds, “And Jace.”
Confused, I ask, “Who’s Jace?”
Bash moves past me and wraps his arm around Lenny. “Jace is Lenny’s little brother. He slept at her house last night because of the snow. I figured I’d let him tag along so Nonna could feed him.”
Oh. That Jace.
The one from the funeral.
The one from my shop.
I don’t know if it’s the hangover from hell or that this morning keeps getting stranger by the minute, but I need some caffeine and ibuprofen now or this dull throb in the front of my head will go from an annoyance to a full-blown migraine at any minute. Deciding coffee needs to happen first, I walk past the two of them and head for the kitchen and the smell of Nonna’s freshly ground beans.
You’ve got to love a woman who appreciates excellent coffee.
When I step through the entrance of the kitchen, Nonna is placing a piece of strata on a plate and handing it to Jace. “Good morning, principessa. Did Sebastian introduce you to our guests?” She glances my way with a warm smile on her face. I’m not surprised that feeding and taking care of people would be what brought her smile back.
“Good morning, Nonna.” I move next to her and lean in to kiss her cheek, having already settled into a routine with my new honorary grandmother. “We actually met yesterday.”
She passes me the pot of coffee and then a mug before turning to grab me the cream. This woman lives to take care of people. And I take it, thankful to be counted among the people she cares for.
I turn, leaning against the counter and let the piping hot goodness slide down my throat as I observe the room. Jace sits at the table while Bash and Lenny each make a plate and then sit down with him.
I guess we might as well deal with the elephant in the room. They had to know it was coming. As if she knows exactly what I’m thinking, Nonna pats my hand with hers. “Family comes in many shapes, dear. Give them a chance.”
When I stare back into her blue eyes in shock, her lips tilt up knowingly. “There are worse things in this world.” She shrugs her shoulders and walks over to Bash. A weathered hand traces his cheek before she places a kiss there. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye, prupetta.”
When I sit down at the table, I allow my gaze to travel over Jace Kingston. His dirty blonde hair, a little too shaggy, brushes his hoodie. Broad shoulders stretch it tight. Definitely an athlete. His eyes are the same shade of gray as Lenny’s. But where her face has sharp features, Jace hasn’t lost his baby fat yet. You can see the beginning of the handsome man he’ll become one day though.
My thoughts are interrupted when Bash elbows me.
“Did I hear my grandmother say, ‘We have guests, principessa’? So, are you officially living here, Amelia?” There’s a sarcastic tone in his voice I recognize.
Sam has that tone.
The two brothers share the same teasing sense of humor.
We all do.
This is comfortable for us.
Sarcasm is our love language.
I make sure Nonna is out of earshot before I turn to Jace. Sebastian knew what he was doing bringing the Kingstons here today. I may not be able to kill him for ambushing me because I love his brother, but I’m absolutely not going to give them the upper hand. He forgets who he’s dealing with. Silly man. “So Jace, yesterday wasn’t exactly the first time we met, was it?” I ask, laying it on thick with sugary sweetness.
Jace chokes on his breakfast, then looks from Lenny to me. “Umm, I guess not.” He clears his throat, then adds, “I mean, I was at the hospital last week when Sebastian was brought in. So technically, we were in the same room that night too.”
“Oh, no.” Resting my elbows on the table, I bring my coffee mug up to my lips and peer over the top at him. “I meant the two times you were in my shop last week.” Luckily, the mug hides my smile when Lenny slaps her hand against his leg.
“I told you, you stand out, jack off,” she mutters, annoyed as she tries to smack the back of Jace’s head.
Jace manages to duck and grabs her wrist. “Don’t call me ‘jack off,’ Lenny Lou. It was your idea to tag along with Bash today. I just came along for the ride.”
Lenny pales, then glances my way. “Well... why wouldn’t I want to take advantage of the chance to get to know Sebastian’s brother’s girlfriend?”
“Guys.” Bash shakes his head. “I told you this was a bad move.”
