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I swat at his arm before standing up straighter. My back is aching, my rounded belly only adding to the discomfort. "All right, let's go to Nonna's and see what we can whip up that won't make her stomach turn."
Jacob steps aside and gestures for me to walk through. "Lead the way, chef."
"You better be ready to eat your words when I make a delicious meal."
"You know I'm always ready to eat, especially when it comes to you."
He grins, a single dimple making an appearance that makes me weak in the knees. It’s an act that reminds me of just how much I'll miss that smile.
If Nonna's hospital stay and his fight with Jacob have taught me anything, it's that my family means everything in the world to me.
It's the one reason why I never wanted to get involved with Jacob in the first place.
As a ladies' man through and through, I wasn't sure I could trust him with my heart. Now, I realize that I might be willing to put my heart on the line for Jacob Walker.
But my family's hearts? That's another matter entirely.
I'd broken my own rules when it came to Jacob. It was time to put them back in place before things got too complicated. "I'll make the pasta, you can work on the sauce."
"Deal." He holds out his hand and I take it without hesitation.
Without another word, I walk past Jacob toward the exit with him on my heels and tears in my eyes that I try not to let fall.
Chapter 23
Jacob
Walking up to Nonna’s front door, a mix of nostalgia and anxiety bubbles in my chest, just like the sauce I'm about to make.
Every creak of the old wooden floorboards of the porch takes me back to childhood days spent with Gio and Gabi.
I think of the countless summers we climbed up to that rickety treehouse behind Nonna's house, spinning wild tales together about the adventurous lives we'd lead as grown-ups.
Never in those stories, though, did we factor in the bitter tang of grown-up conflict or the complexity that now stains my relationship with my best friend's sister.
Now here I am. Standing at a crossroads where my connection with the De Luca family could either deepen or shatter.
Nonna’s house, once a sanctuary of carefree laughter and secret whispers, is now a battleground for my damn heart.
If losing Gio’s friendship wasn’t bad enough, the thought of losing my place in this family is almost unbearable. I’ve dared to step into uncharted territory with Gabi, and the stakes have never been higher.
As I step into the kitchen, the familiar aroma of basil and tomatoes hits me like a nostalgic wave, momentarily soothing my nerves.
I watch Gabi move with purpose, a maestro in her grandmother’s domain, already working on the pasta.
With a sigh, I turn to my own task—preparing the lasagna sauce, a recipe I've adapted from Nonna’s own recipe. It’s a recipe I swear by.
If only the sauce could cure other things besides hunger.
"All right, sauce genius, don’t let me down now," I mutter under my breath as I start chopping onions.
On the other side of the kitchen counter, Gabi shoots me a sideways glance. “Talking to your ingredients again, Jacob?”
"Just making sure it turns out perfect."
My knife hits the cutting board rhythmically—chop, chop, chop—with my mind swirling just as fast.
"Perfection or madness, the line seems pretty thin, Jacob," Gabi quips, lifting her eyes from her work to gauge my reaction.
