AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That day, he was going to go play some drums with people he liked, then go eat pizza with people he loved and maybe… just maybe… he’d watch a princess movie.
A couple of hours later, the aroma of pizza permeated the interior of his car, making his stomach growl in longing. Janessa had ordered a stack, which made him wonder who all was going to be there. At this rate, there was more than one pizza per person, and he was pretty sure that Layla couldn’t eat a whole one by herself.
When he pulled up to the curb in front of the house, he spotted Kayleigh’s car, but that was the only one he recognized. Lights were on in the other houses on the street, and he knew a couple of the families who lived there. Janessa and Charli were friendly with all their neighbors, but Gareth only knew them through the clinic.
Steam rose off the pizza boxes as he lifted them out of the car, exposing them to the cold early evening air. He shut the door, then headed for the house. Before he even reached the top step, the door swung open to reveal his niece.
“Uncle Gare!” Layla called out. “You brought pizza again!”
“I did bring pizza. Again.” he agreed. “Just for you.”
“Momma and Auntie Nessa are making food, too.”
“More food?” he asked as he stepped into the foyer. When Aria appeared from the kitchen, he smiled at her.
“Let me take those so you can take off your jacket,” she offered as she approached him.
Gareth handed the boxes over, waiting until she had a firm grip on them before letting go. As he unzipped his jacket, he watched her walk away, noting that she dressed much like Janessa in her off-time with leggings and large sweatshirts. Charli, on the other hand, seemed to prefer baggy sweatpants and T-shirts.
After he hung up his jacket in the front closet, he followed Layla into the kitchen. She was happily chatting about a play date she’d had with someone from school that afternoon.
Gareth loved that his niece was such a happy child, and he tried to step in to help fill the lack of a father in her life, as did his brothers and his dad. She would never lack for male role models in her life.
“How are you doing?” he asked as he dropped his arm around Kayleigh’s shoulders. She was the shortest of his sisters. Well, unless she was wearing her ridiculously high heels.
She leaned against him for a moment. “Lovely day fielding rich people’s complaints.”
“Bunch of them show up for the weekend?”
“Yeah. There were a few familiar friendly faces, so that was nice,” she said. “But then a large group of lazy-gen wealth showed up.”
Gareth knew who she was talking about because of the nickname she’d given them when she’d started working at the resort. They were the kids of ultra-wealthy families who had never worked a day in their lives and could be super demanding. Some of them weren’t above trying to get employees fired during their time at the hotel. They certainly gave their families a bad name for not having raised them better.
His own family could be considered rich, but his parents had made it quite clear that they would not be handed anything in life except an education. And even then, it wasn’t going to be a frivolous one. They had been allowed to pursue any career they wanted, so long as it would support them.
“Are they just there for the weekend?” Gareth asked, watching as Aria helped Janessa open the pizza boxes on the counter.
“Nope. They’re staying for a week.”
“Sorry to hear that. I’ll be praying you have patience.”
“Oh, I’ll need a good dose of that, for sure. All we need is for any of the Cattaneos to show up. That would be just great.”
The owners of the resort, which was comprised of a large hotel and a bunch of smaller lodges, were rarely around. Which was a good thing for the staff. Stress levels shot through the roof whenever any of them showed up.
“Can we eat?” Layla asked as she climbed up on a stool, bracing her arms on the counter as she leaned over to peer at the pizza. “I’m hungry.”
“I am too,” Gareth told her as he leaned down beside her on the counter. He looked up at Aria and Janessa. “Can we eat?”
The smile that appeared on Aria’s face was beautiful, and it made Gareth smile in return, his heart feeling lighter at the sight of it. Aria’s interactions with Layla were sweet, and seeing the affection on her face as she helped his niece get a piece of her favorite pizza, touched Gareth. Anyone who treated a family member that way was definitely okay in his books. Maybe better than okay.
“What’s your choice?” she asked as she handed him a paper plate.
“I go for the all-meat ones,” he said. “How about you?”
“I’m pretty easy when it comes to toppings. I’ll eat most things, though I’m not a fan of mushrooms or pineapple. They shouldn’t even be an option.”
“Right?” Gareth grinned. “I agree with that.”
