Hate to Date You (Dating #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,68

life. I’m glad I did it. Made settling down with the love of my life that much easier.”

“At the age of seventeen, you knew he was the love of your life?” I can’t imagine. At seventeen, all I cared about was sneaking beers and passing a joint around with my friends. Oh, and girls. Plural. Settling down at that age?

No way.

“I was eighteen by then, and yes. I knew. I told that to my children when they were younger, and I tell my grandchildren now. When you know, you know.” Her gaze turns shrewd again. “And I think deep in your heart, Mr. Carter Abbott, you know.”

Twenty-Three

Stella

“Stella, I’d like to talk to you.”

I’m in the kitchen of Sweet Dreams, about to grab my sweater and get out of here for the day since my shift is over, when my father makes an appearance, a serious expression on his always serious face.

Unease slips down my spine as I contemplate telling him I have somewhere to be. But doing that sort of thing just prolongs the inevitable, and I may as well get this talk over with.

“Right now?” I ask him.

He inclines his head toward the tiny office behind me. “If you don’t mind.”

If I don’t mind. What would he say if I admitted that yes indeed, Daddy, I definitely mind? He’d tell me tough shit and make me talk to him anyway.

I follow after him to the small office, squeezing in between the desk and the set of two chairs that are placed against the wall. I settle in, tempted to whip out my phone and check my notifications, but I know that’ll just make him angry.

So I repress the urge and focus on my father as he sits in his chair.

“What’s up?” I ask, keeping my voice light. Like this little father/daughter meeting is no big deal.

“I spoke with your grandmother this morning. She told me she wants to—give you something.”

Well. Isn’t he being mysterious?

“What does she want to give me? And why didn’t she just tell me so herself?” My nonna and I have a great relationship. So great, I confessed to her that Carter and I are living together—though that’s all the detail I gave her. I have to ease into this, one step at a time. I know my secrets are safe with her. They always have been.

That’s why I feel so shitty for writing off her hopes to live in a condo versus her house she’s been in forever. I wish I would’ve listened to her sooner. Thank goodness for Carter.

“She wanted to discuss things with me first, since what she wants to give you involves…me. And your mother. The entire family, as a matter of fact,” he says.

What in the world is he talking about? “Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Your nonna wants you to have her house.” He rests his arms on top of his desk, linking his hands together. “Despite the fact that she has twelve other grandchildren who might want it, she is very specific in her request. She believes you deserve the house. And that you’ll take care of it in the exact way she wants.”

I’m in shock.

“Wait a minute. She wants me to have her house?” It’s something I never expected. Like my father just said, there are thirteen of us grandchildren total, not to mention her actual children and their spouses. Yes, everyone in the family is independently wealthy. They are all land and business owners in the area. My uncle Sal, we like to call him the slumlord, though the apartment buildings he owns are actually really nice and always have a waiting list for tenants who want to live there.

Dad nods. “She’s meeting with her lawyer and he’s going to draw up official documents to turn the deed over into your name.”

I blink at him. “What about everyone else?”

“She said they’ll be fine. She’s speaking with my brothers and sisters, letting them know what she’s doing. She told me to tell you to not worry about it.”

“This doesn’t seem fair to the family.” I can only imagine what my cousins will say. Oh God, Sabina. She’ll be so pissed. And she’s pissed off enough already.

“Your nonna doesn’t give a fig about being fair. She told me you are her favorite.” He lowers his voice, as if other family members are lurking about. Which they could be. Sabina’s working the front counter at this very moment. “That you two have been close since you were a baby, and