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“Why don’t you come to my place? I’ll make something.” Frankie wasn’t sure what prompted her, but all of a sudden it seemed right that he should come to her place. He got along great with Buster on the jobsite, and she didn’t want him to think he wasn’t welcome. True, she’d avoided her apartment in their early weeks together because she didn’t need Enzo breathing down her neck about it. The joys of living near family… But things were going so well that she didn’t care if Enzo found out.
She didn’t miss the hesitation before he replied. “Okay, but I thought you didn’t cook…”
“I can pull together a simple meal. Just don’t expect my mom’s red sauce. How does six sound?”
“Perfect. Listen, there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about. What are you doing on Saturday?”
“This Saturday? The Fourth of July?”
Jake rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah.”
“I was planning on watching the fireworks with my family and enjoying Ma’s barbecue. Why? Are you looking for an invite?”
Frankie couldn’t believe Jo hadn’t already invited Jake to the annual family cookout. Maybe she’d forgotten with all of the new and tiny distractions in her life.
“Actually, no. I’ve got an invite for you. Come with me to LA.”
She stepped back to see if he was joking. “What?”
“The president of the network is hosting a Fourth of July party on a private yacht. I wasn’t planning on going, but she specifically sent me an email and asked me to bring you. She wants to meet you.”
“Me? Why on earth would she want to meet me?” Frankie’s mind leapt into panic mode. “On a yacht? With, like, the entire network of people?” Oh God, what would she talk to them about? What would she wear? How would they get there? Who would watch Buster? The questions swirled faster than she could ask them. Jake took both of her hands in his and raised them to his lips, which helped anchor her in the moment. She hauled in a deep breath and focused on his eyes.
“It would just be a few hours on Saturday night. We could spend the rest of the weekend together. I could show you my real apartment, take you on a proper date? Think of it as a romantic three-day getaway with a little work meeting in the middle. Please? At least think about it.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it. Can I let you know at dinner?”
“Of course. I’m going to put in another few hours on edits. See you at your place at six, right?”
Frankie nodded as he strolled away, without a care, as if his words hadn’t just thrown her entire weekend into chaos.
* * *
Thirty minuteslater she was knocking on Natalie and Enzo’s door, with Buster pulling his leash in the opposite direction. “Behave!” she muttered as she tugged him to heel.
“Who is it?” asked a high and happy voice.
“It’s Zia Frankie, Daisy. Can you let me in?”
“Did you bring Buster to play?”
“I did. And I need to talk to your mommy.”
“Okay. Just a minute.”
Frankie heard a scraping noise and the locks clicking. Moments later the door swung open and her seven-year-old soon-to-be niece stood there grinning and holding a step stool.
Shoving the stool out of the way, Daisy dropped to her knees and opened her arms. “Come here, Buster!” Her pup wasted no time snuggling into that offered hug and covering her face with enthusiastic kisses. “We gotta be quiet because Dad is sleeping with the twins.”
It still squeezed Frankie’s heart every time she realized that her big brother was a dad now. He was so good with Daisy, and now that Laurel and Ash had arrived, his daddy skills had begun to bloom.
Frankie let Daisy take Buster’s leash, and he happily followed her into her bedroom. Peeking into the master-bedroom-turned-double-nursery, Frankie grinned. Enzo was passed out cold in the old recliner she’d helped him carry in there, a baby curled up on each shoulder. She eased the door shut behind her, and walked back through what was now a family room to the doorway they’d opened up between Enzo’s apartment and what used to be Sofia’s. They hadn’t had a chance to tackle the major renovations, like removing the second kitchen to expand the playroom for the kids, but at least they had easier access to the other side of their new four-bedroom apartment.
“Nat? Are you in here?” Frankie called out, walking through their living room/kitchen combination.
“I’m just finishing up a tutorial. Come on back! And bring a big glass of water, would you?”
Detouring into the second kitchen, she filled a pint glass with ice and water, steeling herself for the favor she needed to ask. Drawing in a deep breath, she walked the water back in to Natalie.
