Fate Actually (Moonstone Cove #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,41
been trying to be your boyfriend for like a year now.”
Damn it. She knew she should have brought Katherine and Megan for backup. Toni didn’t want a boyfriend. That sounded juvenile. Boyfriends took you to the movies and the high school dance. Boyfriends got caught making out with a cheerleader at the kegger at Sammy Delgado’s parents’ house when they were on vacation and then you broke up dramatically during lunch break the following Monday.
Not that she was speaking from experience or anything.
Toni was an adult. What was the adult word for the man you liked spending time with who helped fix up your house, did your yard work, and got you pregnant?
Toni could practically hear her mother’s voice shouting in her ear: that’s called a husband, Antonia!
Not helpful.
“Can we just table the boyfriend discussion for another time when Nico—and now you—aren’t murder suspects?” Toni asked. “It’s really not any of Nico’s business anyway.”
“Have you told your parents yet?” Nico asked.
“Do I look insane?” Maybe don’t answer that.
Henry frowned. “You told me first, right?”
“I maybe… told Katherine and Megan.” She cleared her throat. “For advice.”
Nico grinned. “Wait, you told me before you told Luna and Jackie?” He hooted a laugh. “Oh, you are in so much trouble.”
“No.” She hopped off the table. “No, I’m not, because you’re not gonna tell a soul, Niccolo Anthony Dusi. Do you understand me?”
“I’m the first one you told in the family.” He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. “I am so this kid’s godfather.” He clapped his hands together. “That’s the price. I stay quiet? I’m the godfather.”
Toni nearly tore her hair out. “Please, God, shut up, Nico. I swear on Grandma Dusi’s lasagna, if you tell anyone about this before we’re ready—”
“‘I’d love for you to be the godfather of my love child, Nico.’ That’s all I need you to say, Toni. Say that and my lips are sealed.”
Henry was watching all this with obvious confusion. “Wait, is this some kind of competition? I’m confused.”
Poor man. You have no idea what you’ve landed in.
“Everything is a competition with my male cousins,” Toni said. “Literally everything. Ask Nico how many godchildren he has.”
“Thirteen now!” He crowed. “Lucky thirteen. You’re welcome, and I’m officially in the lead.”
“You only have that many because everyone wants to have the baptism party here at the winery and you practically make it a condition.”
Henry shook his head. “I am so confused right now. Is Nico still mad at me?”
“Fuck no,” Nico said. “After all, you didn’t tell Fairfield anything important. He’s dead anyway. And you’re gonna end up marrying my favorite cousin. Of course I’m not mad at you.”
“No one said we’re getting married!” Toni said. “That hasn’t even been part of the conversation, okay? Just everyone slow the hell down.”
“Sure.” Nico literally walked over and patted her head. “Whatever you say, shorty.” He held out his hand to Henry. “Either way, welcome to the family, Henry. Hope you’re prepared.”
Chapter 14
Toni stared at the bottle of wine on the center of Katherine’s table. “I want a drink so much right now. Or a whole afternoon to myself with a really dirty carburetor that needs rebuilding.”
Megan opened her mouth. Closed it.
Katherine said, “I can’t help with either of those things. Do you want some chocolate?”
“It has caffeine.” Toni closed her eyes and groaned. “Being pregnant is the worst.”
“Eat the chocolate,” Megan said. “I don’t think it’s that bad.”
“It’s milk chocolate,” Katherine said. “More sugar than cacao. I have more in the house. My sister-in-law sends it from London. It’s much better than American milk chocolate.”
“No alcohol. Limited coffee. No sushi. Chocolate may be my last vice,” Toni said. “Okay, let’s do it.”
Katherine left the table and went inside.
Not even a day had passed since her truly insane day of doctor’s appointment, meeting with Ruben Montenegro, confrontation with Henry, baby reveal with Henry, and spilling everything to Nico.
She’d taken the day off. She deserved it and the cars could wait.
“It’ll be fine.” Megan rubbed her back. “This is your baby. She’s gonna be a tough cookie.”
“Oh God.” She covered her face. “What if it’s a boy? I don’t think I can handle raising a Dusi male. What if the baby is like my brother and Nico and all my boy cousins?”
“Well…” Megan had no words of comfort for that because of course there were none.
Katherine must have caught the tail end of the conversation when she returned. “Genetically, the baby has a fifty percent chance of taking after Henry,” she