Tossed Into Love
Page 28
“You look like you’re in love. Are you in love?” Mom asks hopefully.
My stomach drops.
Am I in love? I don’t think so, but I’ve never been in love before so I don’t know what it feels like. “Ugh,” I answer lamely.
“I think it’s love,” Miss Ina contributes, going around the island to stand next to Mom, across from where I’ve taken a seat on one of the three barstools at the counter.
“I think right now that I’m in like with him.”
“In like with him?” Mom frowns, looking confused.
“It feels a lot like . . . like,” I say, nodding my head.
Mom looks at Miss Ina. “Do you know what being ‘in like’ means?”
“I don’t think it means spending the night together,” she says.
I sigh. “Can we not talk about that right now?”
“You’re starting to be as closed up as your sisters are about their relationships,” Mom says, sounding disappointed.
“When there is something for you to know, you will be the first person I tell, Mom. But as of right now, Antonio and I are just seeing each other. I don’t know what will happen between us, and I’m trying not to think too much about it. I like him and I think he likes me—right now that’s all I know.”
“I guess,” she grumbles, turning to stir whatever she’s cooking on the stove.
“Mom . . . ,” I groan. She looks at me. “You have a new son-in-law and a grandbaby coming. You should be happy with that.”
“I am happy, but I want all my girls happy and settled.”
“I’m happy, Mom. Really happy,” I say gently.
Her face softens. “Okay,” she whispers.
“Okay,” I whisper back.
“Now tell me about Pool,” she says.
I smile. This morning Antonio went with me to the vet, who said Pool is in perfect health for a stray. When we left the vet, he took me to the pet store to get all the things I would need, like a litter box, food, a collar, and some toys. I told Mom about Pool when she called to invite me to dinner. Okay, she didn’t actually invite me . . . she told me I’d better be there and that I needed to bring Miss Ina to get her out of her apartment.
“He’s adorable. I wanted to bring him with me, but I figured it would be better to leave him to get used to his new place.”
“What are you two talking about?” Miss Ina looks between Mom and me.
“I got a kitten,” I tell her.
She frowns at me. “Cats aren’t allowed in the building.”
“How will the landlord know if I don’t tell him?” I ask.
Her brows pull sharply together as she answers. “I am the landlord, child, and you just told me about it.”
“You’re not the landlord.”
“Yes, I am,” she says so vehemently that I know she’s not lying.
“You are?”
“Yes. My husband and I bought that house right after we were married.”
“But I pay rent to an agency.”
“I don’t have time to deal with all the issues that come with being a landlord, so I hired out,” she informs me, waving her hand around. “And I don’t allow animals in my building.”
“So you’re going to make me move because I have a cat?” I ask her. She frowns. “What if I give you a pet deposit?”
“Why did you get a cat when you know they are not allowed in the building?”
“I didn’t go to a store and buy him, or even adopt him from the pound. I saw him behind the pizzeria in the alley a couple nights ago. I tried to rescue him then, but he disappeared. Last night Antonio caught him, so we took him to his place and got him cleaned up. This morning I took him to the vet to make sure he was okay. He is, so I brought him home.”
“So he’s a wild cat?” she says, sounding disturbed.
“He’s just a kitten. He’s actually really sweet. He didn’t even try to bite or scratch me or Antonio when we gave him a bath.”
“If Miss Ina won’t allow you to keep him, you can bring him here. Your dad and I will take him,” Mom says.
Disappointment fills my stomach. I don’t want to get rid of him. I’ve already fallen in love with the little guy. It was nice having another living being in the apartment with me when I was home today. Plus, he followed me around everywhere, even when I was doing my makeup and hair. He sat right there on the closed seat of the toilet, watching me.
“Miss Ina, please don’t make me give him away,” I beg. I swear I see her expression warm. “Please? I promise I will make sure that he doesn’t do anything to destroy the apartment. I will pay whatever pet deposit you want me to.”
“All right, child. Stop begging. You can keep the cat,” she acquiesces with a dismissive wave.
I quickly scoot off my stool and wrap her up in a tight hug. “Thank you.” I jump up and down, keeping hold of her.
“Stop hugging me. You’re wrinkling my clothes,” she complains, trying to shove me off. I don’t budge. I hug her tighter. Finally, she lets her arms fall to her sides and gives in to my embrace. Smiling, I kiss the top of her head quickly. Then I let her go and duck when she tries to smack me.
“You really do like me, don’t you, Miss Ina?” I grin as she swipes her hands down the front of her top and pants. Then her eyes meet mine, and she glares.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
“You do like me. I think I might hug you again,” I tell her, listening to Mom laugh.
“What’s going on in here?” Dad walks into the kitchen, and I wrap my arms around his waist. I feel his lips touch the top of my head as he gives me a hug. “Hey, honey.”
“Hey, Dad.” I look up at him, and he smiles.
“You want a beer?” Mom asks him. He nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side.
“How are things going with the pizzeria?” he asks me.
“Good. We’re getting closer. We should close in a couple weeks if everything goes as planned. I’ll let you know a few days or so in advance so you can schedule the time off to be there when it’s time to sign the papers.”
“Good.” He grins at me.
“Have you thought of a name yet?” Mom asks.
“Princess Pizza,” I say, and she laughs. “I’m serious. I already started the designs for the logo, and I plan on closing down the shop for a week and having some changes made to the interior after we sign the papers.”
“What kind of changes?” Miss Ina asks.
“There’s a large storage room in the back of the shop that I want to have gutted. I plan on making it a space that’s available for rent. Parents can rent it for a birthday party, for example, or they can get a package where the kids will be able to make their own pizzas in there.”
“That’s actually a really great idea,” Mom says with a proud smile.
“I’m excited. Scared, but really excited about it.”
“We’re proud of you,” Dad says.
I tip my head back to smile up at him, and he gives my shoulder a squeeze.
“Have you told Antonio?” Mom asks. I shake my head, hating the disappointment I see in her eyes. “Honey, you need to tell him.”
“I know. I’m going to tell him when I see him next.”
“I think you should tell him before that,” Dad urges. Miss Ina nods her head.
“He’s working the next two days. It’s not something I want to share with him over the phone, but I do plan on telling him as soon as I see him again.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Mom says quietly.
Fear fills my stomach and chest. I have no idea what I’m doing. I should have told him after our first date, but I stupidly didn’t. Every time I’ve tried to tell him since then, I’ve gotten distracted by his kisses and touches. Or he’s completely shut me down when I’ve brought up the shop.
“It will be okay. He’ll understand why I didn’t tell him before,” I say, hoping that uttering those words out loud will make them true.
My stomach drops.
Am I in love? I don’t think so, but I’ve never been in love before so I don’t know what it feels like. “Ugh,” I answer lamely.
“I think it’s love,” Miss Ina contributes, going around the island to stand next to Mom, across from where I’ve taken a seat on one of the three barstools at the counter.
“I think right now that I’m in like with him.”
“In like with him?” Mom frowns, looking confused.
“It feels a lot like . . . like,” I say, nodding my head.
Mom looks at Miss Ina. “Do you know what being ‘in like’ means?”
“I don’t think it means spending the night together,” she says.
I sigh. “Can we not talk about that right now?”
“You’re starting to be as closed up as your sisters are about their relationships,” Mom says, sounding disappointed.
“When there is something for you to know, you will be the first person I tell, Mom. But as of right now, Antonio and I are just seeing each other. I don’t know what will happen between us, and I’m trying not to think too much about it. I like him and I think he likes me—right now that’s all I know.”
“I guess,” she grumbles, turning to stir whatever she’s cooking on the stove.
“Mom . . . ,” I groan. She looks at me. “You have a new son-in-law and a grandbaby coming. You should be happy with that.”
“I am happy, but I want all my girls happy and settled.”
“I’m happy, Mom. Really happy,” I say gently.
Her face softens. “Okay,” she whispers.
“Okay,” I whisper back.
“Now tell me about Pool,” she says.
I smile. This morning Antonio went with me to the vet, who said Pool is in perfect health for a stray. When we left the vet, he took me to the pet store to get all the things I would need, like a litter box, food, a collar, and some toys. I told Mom about Pool when she called to invite me to dinner. Okay, she didn’t actually invite me . . . she told me I’d better be there and that I needed to bring Miss Ina to get her out of her apartment.
“He’s adorable. I wanted to bring him with me, but I figured it would be better to leave him to get used to his new place.”
“What are you two talking about?” Miss Ina looks between Mom and me.
“I got a kitten,” I tell her.
She frowns at me. “Cats aren’t allowed in the building.”
“How will the landlord know if I don’t tell him?” I ask.
Her brows pull sharply together as she answers. “I am the landlord, child, and you just told me about it.”
“You’re not the landlord.”
“Yes, I am,” she says so vehemently that I know she’s not lying.
“You are?”
“Yes. My husband and I bought that house right after we were married.”
“But I pay rent to an agency.”
“I don’t have time to deal with all the issues that come with being a landlord, so I hired out,” she informs me, waving her hand around. “And I don’t allow animals in my building.”
“So you’re going to make me move because I have a cat?” I ask her. She frowns. “What if I give you a pet deposit?”
“Why did you get a cat when you know they are not allowed in the building?”
“I didn’t go to a store and buy him, or even adopt him from the pound. I saw him behind the pizzeria in the alley a couple nights ago. I tried to rescue him then, but he disappeared. Last night Antonio caught him, so we took him to his place and got him cleaned up. This morning I took him to the vet to make sure he was okay. He is, so I brought him home.”
“So he’s a wild cat?” she says, sounding disturbed.
“He’s just a kitten. He’s actually really sweet. He didn’t even try to bite or scratch me or Antonio when we gave him a bath.”
“If Miss Ina won’t allow you to keep him, you can bring him here. Your dad and I will take him,” Mom says.
Disappointment fills my stomach. I don’t want to get rid of him. I’ve already fallen in love with the little guy. It was nice having another living being in the apartment with me when I was home today. Plus, he followed me around everywhere, even when I was doing my makeup and hair. He sat right there on the closed seat of the toilet, watching me.
“Miss Ina, please don’t make me give him away,” I beg. I swear I see her expression warm. “Please? I promise I will make sure that he doesn’t do anything to destroy the apartment. I will pay whatever pet deposit you want me to.”
“All right, child. Stop begging. You can keep the cat,” she acquiesces with a dismissive wave.
I quickly scoot off my stool and wrap her up in a tight hug. “Thank you.” I jump up and down, keeping hold of her.
“Stop hugging me. You’re wrinkling my clothes,” she complains, trying to shove me off. I don’t budge. I hug her tighter. Finally, she lets her arms fall to her sides and gives in to my embrace. Smiling, I kiss the top of her head quickly. Then I let her go and duck when she tries to smack me.
“You really do like me, don’t you, Miss Ina?” I grin as she swipes her hands down the front of her top and pants. Then her eyes meet mine, and she glares.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
“You do like me. I think I might hug you again,” I tell her, listening to Mom laugh.
“What’s going on in here?” Dad walks into the kitchen, and I wrap my arms around his waist. I feel his lips touch the top of my head as he gives me a hug. “Hey, honey.”
“Hey, Dad.” I look up at him, and he smiles.
“You want a beer?” Mom asks him. He nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side.
“How are things going with the pizzeria?” he asks me.
“Good. We’re getting closer. We should close in a couple weeks if everything goes as planned. I’ll let you know a few days or so in advance so you can schedule the time off to be there when it’s time to sign the papers.”
“Good.” He grins at me.
“Have you thought of a name yet?” Mom asks.
“Princess Pizza,” I say, and she laughs. “I’m serious. I already started the designs for the logo, and I plan on closing down the shop for a week and having some changes made to the interior after we sign the papers.”
“What kind of changes?” Miss Ina asks.
“There’s a large storage room in the back of the shop that I want to have gutted. I plan on making it a space that’s available for rent. Parents can rent it for a birthday party, for example, or they can get a package where the kids will be able to make their own pizzas in there.”
“That’s actually a really great idea,” Mom says with a proud smile.
“I’m excited. Scared, but really excited about it.”
“We’re proud of you,” Dad says.
I tip my head back to smile up at him, and he gives my shoulder a squeeze.
“Have you told Antonio?” Mom asks. I shake my head, hating the disappointment I see in her eyes. “Honey, you need to tell him.”
“I know. I’m going to tell him when I see him next.”
“I think you should tell him before that,” Dad urges. Miss Ina nods her head.
“He’s working the next two days. It’s not something I want to share with him over the phone, but I do plan on telling him as soon as I see him again.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Mom says quietly.
Fear fills my stomach and chest. I have no idea what I’m doing. I should have told him after our first date, but I stupidly didn’t. Every time I’ve tried to tell him since then, I’ve gotten distracted by his kisses and touches. Or he’s completely shut me down when I’ve brought up the shop.
“It will be okay. He’ll understand why I didn’t tell him before,” I say, hoping that uttering those words out loud will make them true.
