kind of shitty that I hadn’t paid closer attention when she was explaining it. “And it’s only getting worse, so she wants to try getting pregnant sooner rather than later. She was going to use a sperm donor, but she said her family was totally against the idea and she didn’t love the thought of a total stranger being her baby’s father.”
“But she loves the thought of you?” Again, Cole shook his head. “This is just so weird. You guys do nothing but bicker and poke at each other when you’re in the same room.”
“We’re working on that,” I said, although it wasn’t really true. “And she apologized for the thing she said about my dick being small.”
“Well, I guess that’s all that matters,” Cole said, laughing.
“Listen, I know it sounds a little extreme, but she and I are in agreement on this. We each have a goal, and we’re helping each other reach those goals. And when it’s done, we’ll part as friends and work out the arrangements for co-parenting the baby.”
Cole did not look convinced.
“What we need from our friends is unconditional support,” I went on, a little aggravated that I wasn’t getting it. “We understand that this isn’t the way most people would go about getting what they want, but maybe most people aren’t as”—I struggled for a word—“as brave as we are. As determined. As willing to do whatever it takes to get where we want to be. We’re not getting any younger, you know.”
“I know,” he said.
“And good for you and for Griffin that you found the real thing with someone, but Bianca and I haven’t.”
Cole cocked a brow. “Have you even tried?”
“That’s not the point,” I said, running a hand over my hair. “The point is that this is what we’re doing, and we need our friends and family to support us.”
“You’re going to tell your family the truth?” He looked shocked and confused.
“Hell no! The only people who will know the truth are Bianca’s sister Ellie and you. That’s in the contract.”
Cole groaned. “Fuck, Moretti. You know I’m shit at lying. My lip does that weird thing, and I get all sweaty.”
“You won’t have to lie,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “You just have to keep a secret. And be excited for me.”
“I can manage that. Actually,” he went on, a grin tugging at his mouth. “I might enjoy this.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he said, laughing now. “I know you. And her. She’s going to drive you crazy.”
Grimacing, I lifted my beer to my lips for a long drink.
I had a feeling he was right.
Four
Bianca
ONE MONTH LATER
“You ready?”
“I think so.” Enzo’s voice cracked.
“Don’t be nervous. We’re totally prepared for this.”
“Are we?”
We were sitting in his car outside DiFiore’s working up our nerve to go in and announce our engagement to our families. We had a seven o’clock reservation, and it was already six fifty-five, so everyone was probably already waiting inside: Mr. and Mrs. Moretti, my parents and Grandma Vinnie, Ellie and Sierra, my twenty-six-year-old brother JJ, who worked construction for Moretti & Sons, Enzo’s brother Pietro and his wife Lynne, his brother Carlo, and his sisters Eve, Talia, and Cat. My thirty-third birthday had been Tuesday, so the guise was that this was a birthday celebration Enzo had planned for me.
“We are, Enzo. As far as our families know, we’ve been dating for over a month. We spend all our time together. We can’t get enough.”
In reality, all the evenings we’d been spending together had been dedicated to learning as much as possible about each other so we could be more convincing. We’d watched each other’s favorite movies and TV series—I’d probably enjoyed the Bond flicks and The Sopranos more than he’d liked The Notebook and Fleabag, but we were glad to discover a shared affinity for Schitt’s Creek, Judd Apatow movies, and (what else?), I Love Lucy.
But our efforts hardly mattered—our families were overjoyed at our sudden love affair and barely questioned it.
“Right,” he said. “Can’t get enough.”
“What’s my middle name?” I asked.
“Jane. What’s mine?”
“Thomas. Where did I go to college?”
“Columbia. How long have I worked for my dad?”
“Since you were fourteen. What instrument did I play in high school?”
“Violin. What position do I play on the Bellamy Creek Bulldogs?”
I smiled. “Oh, yes. Can’t forget old man baseball. You’re the second baseman.”
“And the fastest runner,” he added. “I stole home in the championship game against the Mason City Mavericks last year, which gave us the lead. We won by one run.” He held