“You don’t have to spend it on a wedding, you know.”
“I’m sure they’d love that.”
“They’re giving it to you. It’s your money. You could invest it? Buy a house or a condo or something? Pay off your loans?”
“It’s a lot . . . probably . . . all of the above? Is it . . . am I insane to be pissed that they even let me take the loans in the first place? Like theyknewI was putting myself into potentially debilitating debt and they just . . . let me, while that money sat in the bank until l found some random dude who’d give me a ring?”
“I think you can be grateful and pissed at the same time,” Lexi assures her. “And he’s not just some random dude, is he?”
Bianca’s shoulders deflate. But then, over Lexi’s shoulder, he’s there, standing just outside the restaurant doors, chatting with Nico. He catches her eye and she’s too far away to see him clearly, but she can imagine the concern in his eyes and the tight, unsure smile he’d send her way.
“No, no, he’s not,” she agrees.
Lexi turns to see what’s caught her attention and then laughs, shaking her head. “You two go. I’ll deal with Mom and Dad.”
She starts walking back toward the restaurant and Bianca follows, watching as Nico jogs down the block and around the corner, probably to go grab Xavier’s car. Seems like he had the same idea.
“What are you going to tell them?”
“That you weren’t feeling well and that you were overwhelmed by their generosity and it was just too much.”
Bianca nods. “Okay, yeah. Yeah.”
“Just text them later to let them know you’re feeling better.”
“I will.”
Lexi leans in, just before they reach Xavier, and pulls her into a quick hug, then whispers, “You’re sure you’re okay, B? If you’re not, you can just come home with us and I promise I won’t pry or anything.”
“I’m okay.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
Lexi gives her one last squeeze and a long look that seems skeptical, but then with a nod to Xavier, she disappears back inside.
They stand in silence for a moment and then another, seconds ticking by as it grows more and more awkward between them. She has no idea what to say and neither, it seems, does he.
“Lexi’s gonna make our excuses.”
“Oh,” he says, rocking back on his heels. “Yeah, I already told them you weren’t feeling well before we came and that we might go home.”
“Good instinct. What’s that?” she asks, nodding toward the small package in his hand, tied neatly inside a plastic bag.
“Rizogalo.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, Peter had some wrapped up for you and he . . . I think he thinks you’re pregnant?”
Bianca snorts and Xavier gives a soft laugh, and despite everything that happened tonight, or maybe because of it, it has her stomach flipping in ways that have nothing to do with some rice pudding. Not really.
The silence settles between them as Nico pulls the car around. It’s easy and comfortable to just stand here with him.
“Thanks, kiddo,” she says, giving him a hug goodbye and slipping a fifty-dollar bill into his palm. “For pizza and beer.”
“Thanks, cuz,” he says and presses a kiss to her cheek. He tosses the keys to Xavier before opening the passenger door for her to slide into the Jeep.
