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“Oh! Yes, it’s this way.”
“Wow, what a great kitchen!” Daddy Luca said, setting the bag down on the big marble island. “Everything is so sleek.”
Frankie shrugged. “I know it’s a super nice house, but it’s not really my style. Everything is too modern for me, and it’s way too big for one person.”
“Hmm…but you own this place, right?”
“Yes. My father talked me into buying it, and I know it was a good investment, but I’d kinda like something cozier.”
“You do seem like a cozy sort of person to me. Well, this is a great space for baking, so why don’t we get to it?”
They spent the next couple of hours making lemon sugar cookies, chatting while they baked in the oven, then eating the cookies while they were still warm. She even drank milk from her sippy cup in front of him. She couldn’t believe how comfortable she felt with him, even as she slipped in and out of Little space. He didn’t seem to mind one bit.
“I wanna know more about your dog rescue,” she said as she munched the last cookie on her plate.
“Oh, I have big plans. You know, pitbulls are the most misunderstood dogs. If you raise them right they can be the most gentle, loving creatures, and I plan to rescue as many as I can, and hopefully find them good, loving homes.” He held out his left arm, where there was a dog portrait tattooed: a brown and white pittie with big brown eyes and a goofy grin. “My boy Toro was the best dog in the world.”
“That’s why you have a tattoo of him?”
“Yep. He deserved to be memorialized.”
“How come you named him Toro? Doesn’t that mean bull in Spanish?” she asked.
“Yeah, it does, and he was a big ole bull in a china shop. He was a huge, galumphing, loveable klutz. It’s been five years, and I still miss him.”
“How come you didn’t get another dog?”
“I realized that I often worked such long hours, it wasn’t fair to a dog. Toro was great about it when he had to be left on his own, but my brother Matteo and I had a house together when I got him, and we could often stagger our work hours. But then Matteo moved out and it was harder and harder for me to feel like I was doing right by Toro, especially as he got older. I swore I wouldn’t get another dog until I could retire, which I did last year, right before I turned forty-seven.”
“You did? Oh! I don’t even know what kind of work you do. Or did.”
“I was a fire fighter—my brother, too.”
“Daddy?”
“Yes, honey?”
“I’m glad you were a fireman, because that means you helped a lot of people, but I’m really glad you’re not anymore, ‘cause I would worry about you too much.”
“That’s sweet, baby girl. But I was always careful and was never badly injured on the job until right at the end, which is why I retired so early.”
“Oh no! Are you okay?”
“I am now. I hurt my shoulder, and I’ll never be able to drag the big hoses around, or drive an engine. But I also know I was one of the lucky ones. My brother injured his leg last year and he’s had to have two surgeries. He’s supposed to start physical therapy soon, but he may never be able to fight fires again.”
“Gosh! I’m sorry about your brother.”
“Aw, he’ll be okay, honey. And we knew what we were signing up for when we became fire fighters. Our dad and our uncle were, too, and we were proud to continue the family legacy.”
“I’m proud of you, too!” she said, her heart surging again.
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
He smiled at her, with his mouth and his eyes, and she felt it from her heart all the way down to her toes—and a few places in between. How had she gotten so lucky? She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that this was one of her favorite days ever.
6
At four o’clock she called Mia and let her know everything was great.
