I flip him off and he chuckles. “Do you want to get her up so she can eat? She didn’t have dinner last night.”
I rub her back, then move against her. She groans. “Five more minutes.”
“Babe, time to eat.”
“But you’re comfy. Come back, love.”
“Kon and the old man are here,” I say.
She cracks her eyes, then stretches. Charlie yips at Konstantin, begging for attention as if Juliana doesn’t spoil him rotten. Juliana gets up as I do and groans. “The food smells so good.”
We all gather around the table to eat. Max tells us all about the lawyer’s office, using colorful language to describe the man. Konstantin adds to the conversation and soon enough Juliana is smiling and laughing.
Her smile fuels me. Once we finish eating, she shakes her head and leans back in her chair. She looks us over and bites her bottom lip. “I really love you three. I can’t imagine better men for me.”
Max sets his fork down. “So. I’m retiring.”
“What?” I gape at him. “Now?”
“I’m tired of the business. I think I need to pursue my passion now before I get bitter and boring.”
“Impossible,” I say. “You’re the least bitter person I know.”
“That sounded like a compliment, Gio. Thanks.” Max says.
“What will you do?” Konstantin asks.
“I’m going to work with our lovely girlfriend.” Max leans towards Juliana. “First, painting the office, then seeing if anyone likes paintings of birds.”
“Lief might,” Konstantin muses.
We keep talking through dinner. Juliana is thrilled that she’s found someone to purchase art from Patricia and to deliver the news to her friend. After that, we watch a movie. It feels so normal that it throws me off a little. Konstantin conks out around the same time Charlie does. Max stretches his back.
“Can I take the guest room, doll?”
“Absolutely. Good night, handsome.” She gives him a soft goodnight kiss before he heads into the room. Juliana stretches and adjusts Kon, giving him a blanket, helping him lay down and making sure he has a pillow. “He’ll be sore tomorrow if I don’t.”
She knows us well, and takes care of us even when we don’t think about it. Sweet, sassy, successful. A good three-word description of her. I follow her to her room and notice Charlie lingers with Konstantin until he hears Juliana sit on the bed.
Then both dogs curl up in one of the two pillow-sized dog beds on the floor. I sit with Juliana on her bed. She lays back and pulls me with her. “Are you happy like this, Gio?”
“Thrilled.” I kiss her softly. “Especially since we get to have another sleepover.”
Juliana gets changed and it hits me, as she takes off the black dress, that we were at a funeral today. A funeral. Shouldn’t that be a horrifically sad day? Not an amazing one like we’ve had.
Juliana comes back and pulls my shirt off, then goes for my pants. I catch her hands. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She tries again.
“Are you holding out?”
She pauses. “No. I was trying to make you comfortable for bed. I just want to sleep, promise.”
“I mean with your feelings. You buried your dad today.” I remind her.
She freezes, then runs her fingers through her hair as her leg bounces. “I’m just trying not to think about it, honestly.”
“Why?” I lean back, lounging on the bed.