“We’re happy to have you here. And who’s this little guy?” I already knew he was her son, based on the things she’d told me about him. I kneeled down in front of him, giving him a friendly smile to make him feel welcome.
The boy was shy, giving me half a grin before he waved. “Luca.”
Carter placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Luca, this is my cousin, Vanessa. Show her what we learned.”
Luca extended his right hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you.”
I chuckled as I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Please come in.”
Carter walked inside with Luca, keeping his hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got a few other family members here I want to introduce you to.”
“Anyone my age?” Luca asked.
“No,” Carter answered. “But I have a new cousin that’s a baby.”
Luca shook his head. “I’m not friends with babies.”
Carter chuckled as he guided him farther into the house. “Alright, let’s start with my dad. He’s pretty cool.”
Mia watched the two of them walk away, emotion and joy in her eyes. She sighed as she watched them leave the hallway and join the rest of my family on the patio. Like she forgot I was there, it took her a few seconds before she turned back to me. “I hope we aren’t intruding—”
“Absolutely not.” In that short interaction, I gleaned everything I needed to know. Carter seemed to help Mia in the beginning out of the goodness of his heart, but based on this, there was nothing just friends about their relationship. Carter took Luca under his wing like a son, and Mia looked on as she watched the two men she loved get along so well. “You guys are family too.”
She turned back to me, her eyebrows slightly raised.
“I’m very happy for you.” I didn’t need to ask what had changed to understand the scene right in front of my eyes. There was a connection between the two of them, something that bonded them so close together that Carter, an infamous playboy, had taken a young boy under his wing. That was not something he would do for just anyone.
“Thank you.”
Twenty-Three
Carter
My parents had no idea that Mia and Luca would be joining us that evening. My invitation had been spontaneous, but since these two were so important to me, it seemed like they should be there. I didn’t want to leave them at home like they were some kind of dirty secret.
I walked up to my father with my hand resting on Luca’s shoulder.
“He seems scary,” Luca whispered.
Because he could be terrifying. “He’s not. Nothing to be afraid of.”
My father turned to me from where he stood next to my mother on the patio. His eyes were on me for barely a second before they flicked to the small boy beside me. An innate kindness entered his eyes, knowing exactly who the child was.
My mom smiled immediately, moisture entering her gaze. “Luca…” She kneeled down and extended her arms to him. “I know exactly who you are without ever seeing your face. Come here, sweetie.”
Luca left my embrace and moved into the stranger’s arms. He didn’t say anything as he hugged her back, but he probably figured out she was my mother. “Hi…”
Mom hugged him tightly and patted the back of his head. “You’re so cute. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Adelina, Carter’s mother.”
I looked at my father as Luca and my mother became acquainted.
He turned to me, a slight smile on his lips. “Cute kid.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“You two seem to get along pretty well.”
I never knew anything about kids or cared to spend time with one, but when I met Luca, everything clicked. We swam in the pool together, watched TV together, and when he went back to school, he asked me to help him with his math homework. “Yeah…we do. I never knew kids could be so cool.”
“They can be. You were, at least.”
“But not Carmen?” I teased.
He chuckled. “She was great too.”
Luca pulled away from my mom and turned to my father next. He extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you…Carter’s dad.”
My father chuckled before he shook his hand. “You’ve got a strong grip there. Where’d you learn that?”
Luca glanced at me. “Carter.”
“I taught him how to give a good handshake. I’m glad he passed that down to you.” My father dropped his hand then kneeled down so they were at eye level. “You can call me Cane, by the way.”
“Cane.” Luca nodded. “Got it.”
“So, how are you liking time with my son?” my father asked.
Luca glanced at me again. “I love it. He’s the coolest guy I’ve ever known…taught me how to swim.”
“Aww…” Mom looked at me, her eyes soft. She ran her fingers through his hair, cradling him just the way she used to with me. “You’re such a sweet little boy.”