Better Be True (Harrison Campus 3)

“Um, technically the third and fourth brownstones are my parents’ house.”

“Third and fourth? Your family owns them both?”

“Yeah, and my grandparents own the next two.” Nico opened the gate to let Luke go first. “My great-great-grandfather bought this one first. Over time, my family bought the three next to them.”

“Holy shit!” Luke’s gaze swept up the front of the house and then moved down the block.

“Just a heads-up.” Nico stopped with his key out. “The first floor and the basement are semiconnected to my grandparents’ house. The bedrooms are on the second and third floors. People generally wander between the two, so don’t be surprised if my grandparents suddenly show up.”

“That must take some getting used to.”

Nico shrugged and slid the key into the lock. “I guess. This is how it’s been since before I was born, so it’s all I know.”

Nobody was home, at least not in his house. His mother had texted to say his father was at the bakery and she and Elisa had gone out shopping. Nonna, on the other hand, was home.

He led them down a narrow hallway into a formal dining room. They turned right and entered the huge double kitchen the two families shared. Standing in front of the stove, Nonna stirred a pot. She turned when they entered, and the smile split her face.

“Nico!” She wiped her hands on her apron and opened her arms.

Nico put his bag down and bent over to hug his nonna. “You look wonderful.”

She kissed him twice before cupping his face and staring at him. “My handsome boy. It’s so good to have you home.”

It was good to be home. Family meant everything to him, and Nonna was the rock of the family. He covered her hands with his. “I’ve missed you.”

“I always miss you when you’re not here. It’s not the same without you.”

“Maybe soon, I’ll be back.”

“Maybe?” She wagged her finger at him. “There is no maybe, Nico.”

“Yes, Nonna.” He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. Keeping hold of her, he took a half step back. “Nonna, this is Luke.”

“Welcome, Luke. Rosa Marie Amato.” She opened her arms, and fortunately Luke went with the moment and let her hug him. “You’re taller than I thought you’d be, but that’s good since my Nico is so tall.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Amato. Nico always smiles when he talks about you, so I’m glad to finally meet you.”

Nonna pinched Luke’s cheek. “He makes me smile too. Come. Sit. Are you hungry?”

Pulling them both in, she directed them to the table.

“We’re good. You promised me peppers and eggs for lunch, so I’m going to wait.”

She frowned and shifted her attention to Luke. “You bought one of those awful things on the train, didn’t you?”

“No, ma’am. Nico warned me not to try them.”

“We ate before we left Philadelphia, and before we got on the subway we split a bagel.”

“Better than train food . . . barely.” She picked up a wooden spoon and returned to the stove. “Go put your bags away and come back. I just put the coffee on. It will be done soon.”

“Sure.” Nico stood and nodded back the way they’d come. “Did Mama say which room she put Luke in?”

Nonna turned and eyed them both for a second. “Luke is staying in the guest room next to yours.”

“Great. Be back in a few minutes.” He snagged the straps to his bag and hustled Luke out of the kitchen.

Luke

Coury: How’s the visit with your fake boyfriend’s family?

Luke: STFU.

Coury: What? Why you hating on me? Seriously, how’s it going?

Luke: It’s going.

Luke pushed his phone into his pocket, still burning with embarrassment. Embarrassment even the fresh garden air couldn’t lessen. He slumped onto a wooden bench and ground his palms against his forehead.

He’d tried to engage in the family conversation over dinner, but how was he supposed to know Nico’s family pronounced marinara, “madanad?” Or that calling it pasta sauce was borderline insulting to his grandmother? And what the hell was gabagool? Even Elliott knew the right way to say things in the Amato house, and he wasn’t an ounce Italian.

“Hey.” Nico shut the back door and sat next to Luke, handing him a glass of wine. “Here. It’s a full-bodied zinfandel.”

“Thanks.” More cluelessness. What made the wine full-bodied? “Sorry.”

“For what?” Nico set his drink down and gently rubbed Luke’s back. “I thought things went well.”

The smooth motion soothed some of Luke’s anxiety. He leaned into the massage.

“Clearly I didn’t study the right things.”

Nico’s hand paused on his back. “You studied to come here?”

“Just food stuff. I didn’t want to sound stupid.”

Nico’s hand drifted up and kneaded the tight muscles in Luke’s neck. “That’s . . . really considerate of you. Thank you.”

Luke tasted his wine, and Nico removed his hand. Once gone, Luke missed the contact. Not that he could ask Nico to keep doing it. “Yeah, well it didn’t help. I still looked stupid, and your family thinks I’m an idiot.”