Ma’s face pinches, and she looks hurt. “Now that’s not fair. Chloe and Franco are perfect together. That might not even have happened if I hadn’t made sure your brother met the new girl in town. Now, honey, I’m not judging. I just…”

  “Ma.” I hold a hand up. “You did not wake me up on my day off to quiz me about my love life, did you? What’s the tape for? You going to tape me to a chair until I confess I’m dating Eden?”

  “You are.” My mom looks so happy at that, all I can do is roll my eyes. “Son, ever since Michelle…”

  “Don’t finish that sentence.” This time, my voice has a warning edge to it. Before I can say anything more, Pops comes up the stairs and makes his way down the hallway.

  “Son, you’re up? I told your mother I was going to head out. I didn’t think you’d be vertical this early.”

  I yawn and shake my head. “I wasn’t.” My mother opens her mouth to complain, but I hold up a hand. “I’m up now. Where you off to, Pops?”

  Mario Bianchi is dressed, showered, and shaved. He’s shoved his glasses up on his head, and the silver hair that looks exactly like mine will in about thirty years is perfectly styled. He takes the tape roller from my mom’s hand like it’s a loaded weapon and shakes his head.

  “Your mother’s friends are taking Eden’s move very seriously. I’m on box duty. Lucia is sending me out to the grocery stores to see if I can get some free cardboard boxes so Eden doesn’t have to pay for them.”

  I shake my head and try not to laugh. “Ma, did you ask Eden about any of this? You realize she’d hardly unpacked when she had to move out of her rental. Most of her stuff is still in the moving boxes they came in from LA.”

  My mother gives me the most shit-eating grin and crosses her arms over her chest now that her hands are free. “How would you know that?”

  I roll my eyes like I’m fifteen again. “I was on the engine that responded the night of the house fire, remember?”

  I wave my hands at my parents, both of whom are now crowded into my childhood bedroom. “Okay, look out. Both of you. I need a cup of coffee and a shower. Then I’ll run errands with Dad and pick up boxes, body bags, whatever your friends want.”

  My mother pads across my room and flags me down with those blood-red nails. I lean down, and she kisses my cheek. “Make it a quick shower, honey. The ladies will be here soon.”

  I snort and meet my dad’s eyes, but he just shrugs. He’s as whipped by my mother as he was the day they met back in high school. As she brushes past him, he cops a feel of her ass, and I shout, “Pops! It’s too early for that shit.”

  But Pops just looks back at me and waggles his eyebrows, then follows my ma back downstairs, closing my door behind them. I grab a towel and head into the bathroom that I shared with my sister Gracie until she moved in with her husband, Ryder.

  While I love the extra space, I have to admit, I miss having my sister around all the time. Things are definitely different being the last kid living at home.

  I turn the water to scalding and climb under the spray, grinning about the secret that Eden and I’ve got going. We agreed to keep the fact that we’re seeing each other quiet for now.

  Shit’s new, and until she’s settled in her house, it’s not like we’re dating dating. Dinners at her place or walks with Juniper on my days off aren’t exactly hot dates. But it’s been more fun than I expected getting to know them while she waits to move into her new place.

  It’s been nice being excited about something for a change.

  The shit at work hasn’t changed, and that shit won’t change unless I do something about it. I know what I have to do, but I’m just not sure I’m willing to do what it takes.

  A fucking college degree.

  I wouldn’t even know how to do that. Show up with a goddamn backpack? What if the classes I need to take are on days I have to work?

  By the time I get off my shift, all I want to do is sleep, do laundry, and catch up with Eden.

  If I’d had the energy to think about going back to school before, now, things are changing. I’ve never dated anyone with a kid, and I can see from just the last month that having a kid is a full-time job.

  I don’t know how the hell my sister still does tattoos, manages to keep a house clean, cooks, and does everything else that needs to be done with three.

  I decide to ask my pops about that when we’re alone.

  “You ready, son?”

  Pops is twisting the lid on a travel mug of coffee when I clomp down the stairs.

  “If that’s for me, I am.” I reach out my hand for the coffee, and Pops nods. “Thank you.”

  Ma is sitting at the dining room table, a bunch of lists and paperwork spread out. She’s taking this move more seriously than Eden is, but I don’t say a word. I kiss the top of her hair and realize that Ma’s whole life has been about her kids and the people she loves.

  She never went to college, never worked outside the home. All the energy and intelligence she has, she gives away. Whether she’s volunteering at the animal shelter, babysitting her grandkids, or pounding on my door at an ungodly early hour of the morning, Lucia Bianchi is a force to be reckoned with. Glittery nails and all.

  I wrap the arm that’s not holding the coffee around her neck and bend down toward her ear. “You’re a fucking angel, you know that?”

  Ma looks up at me in surprise, her pretty eyes heavy with mascara and liner. My words seem to hit her, and I can see every emotion cross her face. “Vito, language.” She playfully swats at me, then blows a kiss at my father. “Don’t dillydally,” she reminds us.

  “Oh, I’m going to dilly, baby.” Pops is putting on a pair of work boots by the front door. “But I promise not to let V dally.”

  He grabs his keys, and I slide my feet into my running shoes and follow Pops out the front door. His truck’s parked in the driveway, which means he probably cleaned it and gassed up even earlier this morning. Even though he’s retired, he still gets up early, takes care of his truck like it’s one of his kids, and never, ever complains, no matter what wild-goose chase Ma sends him on.

  I buckle in and drink the scalding-hot coffee with cream and sugar, just the way I like it. “This is good, Pops. Thanks.”

  My dad nods, but I’m feeling shit today, so I got to say something more.

  “How do you know exactly how I like my coffee?” I ask.

  Pops shrugs. “Son, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve been living under my roof long enough, I’d have to be a dead man not to pick up on some of your habits.”

  He cracks himself up and I grin, but then he grows serious. “You know how I take my coffee,” he reasons. “It’s what families do. We pay attention to the small shit.”

  That gets me thinking.

  I didn’t notice Ma’s new nails. Maybe it’s because she’s my mother, or maybe it’s because she gets her nails done so often I can’t keep up. Maybe I take a lot of things for granted. That question’s got me feeling hot and uncomfortable.

  “Was it hard?” I ask, swallowing a perfect sip of coffee. “Raising four of us? Ma always made it look so easy.”

  Pops chuckles. “I’m glad you think she did,” he says. “But hell yeah, it was hard. But worth every second of the work. And that’s what it is, kiddo. Work. But it’s the best job on the planet if you’ve got people you love to do it with.”

  “What about work? Did Ma ever think about working outside the home? I never felt like we were struggling for money, but raising four kids… That shit ain’t cheap.”

  Pops nods. “I could have moved up into management if I’d just had that stupid piece of paper.” He shrugs. “I could have gone to school at night, but your mother and I decided I’d rather make less and be around more.” He takes his eyes off the road for a split second to meet my eyes. “I sometimes worry we should have pushed you kids harder on the college thing. I always assumed my kids would go, but I was no help in that department.”

  “You did more than enough,” I tell him, and it’s true.

  My parents cooked, kept a safe home, and never once let us worry about things that we had no business worrying about.

  I grew up totally unlike Eden did, and while I’ve always appreciated my family and my upbringing, I’m starting to think I never really got how much having these two people as my parents made my life what it is.

  It’s a life I love, and no matter how lost I feel at times, with Mario and Lucia behind me, my siblings beside me, I can look to the future and know I can handle whatever I set my mind to.

  I just have to make up my mind.

  “So, Pops,” I say, “what do you think about stopping for breakfast after we get Ma’s boxes? My treat.”

  My dad shoots me a look. “Double bacon breakfast sandwiches, and you got a deal.”

  I lean back in the passenger seat and finish off the coffee my pops made. “You got a deal.”

  Some decisions in my life have been hard, but I think one just got a lot easier.

  10

  Eden

  “Eden?”

  I bounce Juniper on my knee and look up at the woman who’s just called my name. “Hi,” I call out, waving my hand so she knows who I am. I secure the diaper bag over my shoulder and follow the nicely dressed woman into an incredibly small office.

  “Have a seat,” she says, motioning to the chairs on the opposite side of her desk.

  “I hope you don’t mind I brought my daughter,” I say, stating the obvious. “I wasn’t able to line up childcare, but that’s part of what I’m hoping to learn about today. If doing this is realistic for a single parent.”

  “Absolutely. Not a problem at all.” The woman reaches over her desk to shake my hand. “I’m Catherine Jones, and I’m an admissions counselor. I can answer any questions you have about the programs we offer, tuition costs, things like that. If I need to refer you to one of my colleagues in student life or financial aid, we can probably get everything you need before you leave today.”

  “Oh, okay. Great. Thank you.” I shake her hand and sit down, giving Juniper a teething toy shaped like a little banana with soft plastic bristles at one end. She jams it in her mouth and chews contentedly on my lap.

  “My nieces had one of those.” Catherine points at the banana. “So cute.” She’s pulling up a file on her computer while she talks. “Your application materials are complete, and everything looks good. What specific questions can I answer for you today?”

  I bite my lower lip and think through the laundry list of worries I have. I start with the easiest question first. “You saw my high school transcripts. I’m a little worried about how much time I’ll need to spend on general education requirements before I can apply to a four-year college.”

  Catherine nods. “Very understandable. You were interested in finance?”

  I nod. “I think so. I know I want to learn about money—accounting, bookkeeping, and investments.”

  “That’s what makes the community college model so effective.” She goes on to explain that this community college offers a lot of free webinars in different disciplines so that enrolled students can learn a bit about each field of study and the careers that students can pursue.

  “We also offer some of our upper-level courses online. Most of the foundations are still offered in person, but you might be able to take up to half the classes you need online from home.”

  “And if I want to get a degree from a four-year college or university later, those online classes transfer?”

  She nods. “Most advisers will help you plan out a curriculum so that you can successfully transfer most if not all of the credits you earn here.” She tells me about two colleges in the area that offer transfer incentives to students who have earned associate degrees from area community colleges.

  “You know what I might recommend for you?” she says, cocking her head. “Sit in on a class as a guest. We have a new instructor, and she’s fantastic. While I can’t make any promises, she might be willing to talk with you after class a bit about jobs and her career path.” She gives Junie a grin. “You would need to line up a babysitter for that, though.”

  I nod. “How soon do you think I could sit in?” The back of my SUV is loaded with empty boxes, thanks to Lucia and her friends getting me ready to move. If all goes as planned, I’ll be closing on my brand-new house tomorrow. That means weeks of unpacking and getting settled.

  I’d like to visit a class as soon as possible so I can spend the coming month thinking about the next big decision—not just where I want to set down roots for my future, but what I want to be when I grow up. And whether getting a degree and going back to school may be part of that plan.

  Catherine is tapping away at her keyboard. “Hmm,” she says. “Well, this is short notice, but the class I had in mind for you meets tonight on campus at seven and is three hours long. You don’t have to stay for the whole class, but if you do, you might catch a few minutes with the instructor.” She continues tapping and changing screens. “We have a class taught by a different instructor that might be good for you as well, and that one is tomorrow at noon.”

  I can’t do that one. I know that for sure. I’m supposed to do the final walk-through on the house tomorrow at noon. I’ve already lined up my aunt Shirley to watch Junie until she has to head into work at three. I can’t very well ask her to come over tonight too.

  I worry my lip between my teeth. There is someone else who might be willing to watch Juniper. Someone whom I trust with my daughter completely. But this is a big ask. A very big ask.

  Then something occurs to me. “Catherine,” I say, “do you think I can leave class early without insulting the instructor? I might be able to get a babysitter on short notice, but not for the whole evening.”

  Catherine smiles. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem. Why don’t you arrive a few minutes early and see if you can mention it? Then just sit toward the back of the class and slip out quietly. Most three-hour classes break midway through anyway.”

  “Okay, one second.” I grab my phone and stare at it. Vito and I have only known each other about six weeks. Is it way too soon to ask for this kind of help? I don’t know, but it’s better to find out sooner rather than later how he feels about things like this.

  Me: Is there any chance I could ask you for a huge favor tonight? If you can spare an hour or two to help me with Junie, I promise I will pay you back any way you’d like…

  I add some kissy lips emojis, hit send, and then type out one more text.

  Me: But seriously, if tonight’s not good, it’s okay. I can make other…

  Before I even finish typing the message, I have a reply. Two thumbs-up emojis.

  Vito: Where and when, babe? Just tell me where to be.

  My heart flips over in my chest. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t hesitate.

  Something breaks open inside me, and suddenly, I’m feeling excited. Confident, even. Maybe all of this is truly the life I was meant to have.

  Supportive people.

  A man who cares enough about me to show up without asking questions. Not a man who shows up armed with a team of lawyers and confidentiality agreements.

  I look at Catherine and let the first real ray of hope I’ve felt since I moved to Star Falls brighten my smile. “I have childcare,” I say. “What do I need to do?”

  “Oh, wonderful.” She taps a message into her computer and then prints off a form for me. “I’ve alerted the instructor through our messaging portal, but take this to class.”

  I take the form and tuck it into my diaper bag then tap out a message to Vito.

  Me: Meet me at my place around 6:15? I can’t wait to pay you back for this.

  I add a whole line of kiss emojis, and I toss in a couple of eggplants and peaches just for fun. Then I thank Catherine, double-check I have the form I need for tonight, and head to my car with a stupid grin on my face.

  Who’d have imagined when I packed up and moved away from the noise and hustle of LA that my dreams weren’t where I always thought they were?

  If you’d told me four years ago that taking a community college class would get me feeling so hopeful, I would have laughed. But now, I’m about to have the home of my dreams and a plan for a possible career. And that’s got me feeling giddy.

  The life I’ve always wanted has never been closer.

  “I fed her dinner and changed her diaper.” Vito is holding Junie in his arms, following me through the maze of boxes in my hotel room. “If she cries or drools a lot, try a teething ring from the freezer first.”

  I am moving at warp speed through the instructions, but as the minutes tick away, I’m feeling less and less confident in this plan.

  All the excitement of the afternoon comes crashing down as I realize that just because Vito may be willing to do this doesn’t mean I’m ready.

  “Teething ring first,” he repeats, a small smile on his face.

  He looks more gorgeous than ever, wearing a soft gray T-shirt under a well-broken-in blue flannel shirt. He’s got on distressed dark blue jeans and running shoes, and he smells so good, I seriously rethink my whole plan.

  “You know what?” I say, backpedaling so fast I’m feeling dizzy. “This was too much. I’m closing on the house tomorrow, and Junie is teething. I’m not going to go.”

  Vito slides a hand along my hip and gives me a reassuring squeeze. “First of all, I am trained in lifesaving procedures,” he says. “Your daughter will be safe with me. But you still haven’t told me what’s got you so frazzled. Where are you going? Why do you seem more terrified to leave me alone with your daughter than you did to put in an offer on a house? I’ve been alone with kids, Eden.”

  “Oh no. It’s not that. I trust you completely.” I’d told Vito what time to come by, but I haven’t yet explained where I am going and why. “I’m feeling super insecure about this all of a sudden. It’s stupid. I was excited all day, but now that it’s, like, real…” I sigh.

  He sets Juniper down on her playmat and makes sure she grabs a toy before pulling me close. “Babe,” he says, his voice low against my ear. “Whatever this is, I’m here for it. Babysitting, moral support.”