“Mother,” I hissed, scandalized but smiling, and she blushed again.
“You didn’t hear that,” she whispered to me, leaning in closer with flaming cheeks much like my own. “And Glenn certainly doesn’t need to hear it. This was all well before I met your dad, of course.”
“Of course,” I agreed, grinning.
“Well,” Mom said after a moment. “That’s…a lot to take in.”
“Yeah.” I swallowed. “I’m…I’m sorry. Don’t tell Dad, please.”
“Your dad will love you no matter what, just like me,” Mom contradicted me. I gave a weak smile.
“I know. I just…don’t need to give him a heart attack.”
Mom let out a soft chuckle. I couldn’t help but add another, “I really am sorry.”
She exhaled, then reached across the counter, squeezing my hand in hers. “You don’t have to apologize, sweetheart. I’m here for you.We’rehere for you. Always.”
I let out a breath, relief flooding through me for the first time since the guys had shown up at the diner. I was in some deep shit, but I definitely wasn’t in it alone.
17
LUCA
Iknew on some level that the fake-dating plan was a terrible idea when I’d pitched it to Allie, but now that the day had come for us to put our pretend relationship to the test, I was seriously regretting my prior lapse in judgment.
It didn’t help that I was also meeting her daughter today. Sure, I knew Daphne wasn’t my child, but that didn’t mean I didn’t care about making the little girl like me. Allie’s opinion mattered more to me than it should, and her daughter was her heart and soul—this felt like some kind of test. Meeting your fake girlfriend’s kid would be nerve-wracking to anyone, right?
I picked the two Tate women up at their apartment within seconds of the time I told them to be ready. Allie greeted me with a kiss on the cheek that shocked me half to death, and it seemed to surprise her, too, because her cheeks went a little pink as she pulled away.
“Trying to get into character,” she said lamely, and I held back my smile. I knew she’d really just done it out of some kind of instinct, and I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but I didn’t hate it.
“I hope this goes okay,” I told her in a low voice, letting my anxiety get the better of me. “How do you think Daphne’s gonna do with it? I feel…not great about making her lie.”
Allie’s expression softened, her voice lowering to a similar level as mine. “Hey. Don’t worry about it, Luca. I didn’t have to say yes. Anyway, Daphne thinks we’re just playing a game. If she goes along with it, she gets a treat afterward.”
She shrugged, and some lightness came back. I couldn’t help it though. I told Allie, “That works. And I really appreciate it. I just…feel bad for putting you all in this situation anyway.” I winced a smile.
“I’m not worried about her,” Allie insisted. “Daphne might have an imperfect mom, but she’s got plenty of good influences around her. You could be one too.”
I didn’t like the self-deprecation in her statement, but I didn’t have much time to dwell on Allie’s less-than-stellar view of herself. In the next second, Daphne was wandering out of her room on steady, slow little legs.
She looked so much like her mom, basically Allie’s mini, that I immediately found her endearing. She was a cute kid anyway, of course, and I’d always been a softie with kids—the kids I coached in soccer knew I was a total pushover. But the reddish hair, blue eyes, and shy expression—okay, that last part wasn’t exactly from Allie, who was a complete firecracker—all added up to an adorable picture.
“Daph, this is Luca, Mommy’s…friend. He wants to be your friend too.”
At her mother’s introduction, Daphne gave me a shy wave, her small hand opening and closing once before she let it fall back to her side. She fiddled with the hem of her ruffled skirt.
“Say hi, baby,” Allie urged.
Daphne gave a soft, barely audible, “Hi.”
I crouched down to the little girl’s level, giving her a warm smile that I hoped would make me less of a scary stranger. To her credit, she didn’t flinch. Certainly her mother’s daughter, no matter how shy she was with new people.
“Hi there, Daphne. I’m glad to meet you. Thanks for coming with us today.”
“You’re welcome,” she answered shyly. A beat passed, and then she gathered the courage to ask, “Will there be other kids there?”
My heart gave a little squeeze. I smiled at her again. “There will be, yeah. I’ve got younger cousins who’ll be so excited to meet you.”
