Kiss and Tell (Italian Stallions #8)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

“ W hat a place!” Joey Moretti did a complete three-sixty, spinning around to take in the gorgeous views surrounding him. The large wooden sign with the colorful words Stormy Weather Farm—the t’s in stormy and weather shaped like lightning strikes—told them they had arrived at their destination.

He and his cohost Miles Williams had just made the three-and-a-half-hour drive from Philadelphia to Gracemont in Northern Virginia, as they prepared to start filming a new episode of their show. He could hardly believe that he and Miles were already hard at work on their third season of ManPower .

When he’d first landed the gig hosting a cable show, Joey had no idea ManPower would become so popular. These days, it was rare that he could go out in public without being recognized by people. Just yesterday, his sister Layla had texted him a picture of herself standing in the grocery store checkout line, posing with a copy of a home improvement magazine featuring him and Miles on the cover.

Along with the selfie, she’d included a one-word text.

Squeeeeeeee!!!!

Joey felt like he’d stepped back into the past as he took in the giant white farmhouse with large navy-blue shutters, surrounded by countless well-kept outbuildings, including an honest-to-God red barn. The place was storybook perfect, with rolling hills, a vibrant view of leaves currently in the height of changing colors, and at least fifteen different-size pumpkins adorning the house’s wraparound porch, intermingled with bright yellow mums.

In addition to this farmhouse, there were two other homes situated on Stormy Weather Farm’s two-hundred-plus acres, as well as several businesses—Rain or Shine Brewery, Lightning in a Bottle Winery, and some rental cabins.

“Shit, man. That was some climb. I wasn’t sure the car was going to make it,” Miles muttered. “We’re not in Philly anymore, Toto.”

Joey chuckled, though he agreed the climb had been white-knuckle steep. The rest of the ManPower crew would be arriving tomorrow, but he and Miles had made plans to arrive a day early to meet Levi Storm and his brewmaster, Lou, this afternoon for a tour of Stormy Weather Farm.

Joey had done quite a bit of research on the farm in preparation for the show. The Storm family had settled here four generations ago, and they’d created an amazing legacy in the decades since.

After the tour, Levi, the oldest of the latest generation of Storms, had promised them a home-cooked dinner and a chance to meet the rest of his siblings and cousins. Joey and Levi had spoken on the phone a few times in preparation for the filming, and the man had mentioned the fact he had six brothers. Joey, who was one of five siblings, felt a kinship with Levi instantly. It was apparent the man was as close to his family as Joey was to his own, and the branches on the Storm family tree were as weighted down by countless relatives as the Moretti’s.

Levi reminded Joey a lot of his older brother, Tony—confident and take-charge. The kind of guy who never met a stranger. For most of Tony’s adult life, the family had called him the mayor because the dude seriously seemed to know every single person in Philadelphia. He suspected the same was likely true of Levi, though to be fair, the population of Gracemont probably didn’t reach four digits, while Philadelphia boasted of close to two million inhabitants.

“Never gave much thought to the farming lifestyle but, damn, Miles, imagine waking up here every morning of your life.” Joey stared into the distance, amazed by just how many colors Mother Nature had in her palette. The mountain was awash in golden and neon yellows, vibrant reds and bright purples, deep oranges, and at least three different shades of green.

“No thanks,” Miles growled.

Joey rolled his eyes, amused by the response though not surprised. Miles was taking in the same view he was, but his best friend was clearly much less impressed, especially when he pulled out his phone to check his text messages.

“Reception sucks up here,” he muttered. A city boy from the word go, Miles viewed the mountains and woods and, well, nature in general as space simply waiting to be “civilized” with houses, stores, restaurants, and a fucking Starbucks on every corner.

Miles had grown up in the Ridgewood section of Queens, his playgrounds made of concrete. Joey had spent his childhood in two large cities as well—Philadelphia and, for a time, Baltimore. However, his family had always resided in the suburbs, so he had a working knowledge of how to mow grass, unlike Miles.

When he was little, Joey helped Nonna and Aunt Berta plant seeds in the raised-bed gardens in their backyards every summer. He’d loved watching the tomatoes grow big and turn red, enjoyed searching the sprawling vines for the green beans that Nonna would cook for dinner, and picking the strawberries that never seemed to make it from the yard to the house because he ate them all before he got inside.

Levi had mentioned during one of their calls that on a clear day, they could see all the way to Washington, D.C., the view from here completely unencumbered by other houses or trees. Joey found himself searching the horizon to see if that was true. They were so high, he could almost believe that if he was only an inch or two taller, he’d bump his head on the sky.

Miles scowled at the cell screen, clearly upset, before stuffing his phone back in his pocket.

“Bad text?” Joey asked.

Miles had been uncharacteristically quiet on the drive. He shook his head, then took another cursory glance at the landscape Joey couldn’t take his eyes off of. They hadn’t made it more than a few feet from the truck because the view had literally stopped him in his tracks. “Should we go knock on the door?”

Before Joey could respond, they heard a female voice calling to them from the porch of the house.

“You’re here!”

Joey spun around, blinking several times and even shaking his head. His shocked gasp was audible, drawing Miles’s attention.

“You okay, man?”

“It’s her,” Joey whispered.

“Her who?”

Joey watched as the petite strawberry-blonde woman descended the stairs, walking in their direction, intent on greeting them. She wore faded overalls over a hot-pink long-sleeved tee and her long hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, though a chunk of it had fallen out on one side. She tucked it behind her ear each time the breeze blew it loose again. She wore the girliest Doc Martens he’d ever seen, the boots covered in pink and purple flowers.

She was smiling as she approached—and Joey knew without a doubt, he’d never seen a more beautiful woman in his life.

“Joey?” Miles prodded. “Who is she?”

Joey grinned, unable to look away from her. “The woman I’m going to marry,” he replied, only half joking.

Miles turned to look at him, snorting…until he saw Joey’s face. Then he looked confused. “You know her?”

“Never met her.”

“Jesus,” Miles muttered, but before he could give him shit for saying crazy stuff, the woman reached them.

“I can’t believe you’re both really here,” she gushed. “When Levi told us ManPower wanted to film a show about Rain or Shine Brewery, we thought he was pulling our leg. Although to be honest, Levi isn’t usually the joking type. That honor falls to my youngest cousin, Jace, who’s always pulling pranks and cracking us up with his farfetched stories. We’re all—the whole family, I mean—big fans of the show. I especially liked the episode where you went lobster fishing in Maine and that big storm rolled up. Oh my God! I suffered some serious secondhand anxiety watching that.”

Joey wasn’t sure what part of this one-sided conversation he enjoyed more, listening to the woman talk or watching Miles’s expressions, which ranged anywhere from awe to horror.

“That was a good show,” Joey interjected, amused by how fast the woman was talking. “And terrifying.” He crooked his thumb at Miles. “This guy was in danger of puking his guts out the whole time.”

Miles grunted because the truth was, they were both green around the gills by the end of filming, and the first thing Joey had done when he got off the boat was beg for ginger ale and saltines to settle his stomach.

“I can imagine. I’ve seen all the ManPower episodes a few times and I still can’t watch that one without freaking out. And I know how it ends!” she added, eyes wide with humor. “Oh crap, I’m rambling, aren’t I? My grandma always said I was blessed with the gift of gab, but there were times when I’m pretty sure she substituted the word ‘cursed’ with ‘blessed’ to soften the blow. She was kind of wonderful like that.” The beautiful woman laughed, and Joey couldn’t help but join in.

Miles, who hadn’t said anything—probably because he couldn’t find a break in the conversation—was studying her with furrowed brows. His best friend was a happy-go-lucky guy overall, but during times when he was stressed out or upset, his resting bitch face was fierce. It was in full force right now.

“Well,” Joey said. “Obviously, I’m Joey Moretti, and this is Miles Williams.”

The woman threw up her arms. “Dear God, I’m an idiot. Just pounced right on you, didn’t I? Completely forgot to introduce myself. I’m Lucy Storm, one of the brewmasters.”

“Lucy,” Joey repeated, surprised. “Wait. You’re Lou?”

When Levi informed him that Rain or Shine Brewery had two brewmasters, Sam and Lou, Joey had assumed they were both men.

“You thought I was a guy, didn’t you?” she asked. “Lu is short for Lucy, which is the nickname my family insists on using. Fortunately it’s not contagious, because everyone else in Gracemont calls me Lucy.”

Joey laughed. “I tried for years to get people to call me Joe, but my family refused to conform, and their insistence on adding that damn y was contagious. Eventually, I just gave up and embraced it, though every now and then, Miles treats me to the shortened version because he’s kind of wonderful like that,” he said, repeating her joke.

“How about you?” Lucy looked at Miles. “Any dreaded nicknames?”

Miles shrugged. “My name is straightforward, without much room for creativity.”

“That’s true, I suppose,” she said, her smile wavering at Miles’s uncharacteristically gruff tone.

“You have a beautiful home,” Joey said.

Lucy looked over her shoulder. “This farmhouse belongs to my cousins, seven guys in one place. My sister, Remi, calls it the frat house.”

Joey hadn’t lived with his brothers since they were all old enough to move out of their dad’s house. He’d roomed with his oldest brother Tony for a time, but that hadn’t worked for long as Tony was a neat freak and Joey was cleaning challenged. Or, as his family put it, “a fucking slob.”

“I know Levi said he would give you a tour, but he had some trouble with a tractor this morning, so he’s elbow-deep in machine parts, trying to figure out what’s wrong with it. I volunteered to take charge.” She pointed to a beat-up truck that looked older than Joey with the words Farm Use spray-painted on the door. “The property is quite large and spread out. How are you guys for steps?” she asked.

“Steps?” Miles repeated, confused.

She grinned as she pointed to her Apple Watch. “You know, the step counter?”

Miles frowned, his tone downright sarcastic. “We’ve been in the car all morning.”

Joey shot his friend a look, wondering where this asshole attitude was coming from. “Miles and I are gym rats most of the time, so steps aren’t something we usually look at.”

“Oh. I got this Apple Watch last year for Christmas, and I’ve become obsessed with hitting a certain number of steps every day. I’m too competitive for my own good, even if I’m only competing with myself. I set these ridiculous goals. Drives Sam crazy when we’re at work because we’ll be sitting down discussing something, my watch will beep, and then, well, I have to get up and start moving,” she said, as if that should be obvious. “So…a gym, huh? You mean like weights, or are you treadmill guys?”

“Mainly weights,” Joey said, but before he could elaborate, Lucy continued speaking.

“I have to admit, I’ve never stepped foot in a gym—except the one in my high school. Wouldn’t have a clue how to use all those weight machines. Life on a farm is its own workout.”

Joey loved Lucy’s voice. It was a weird thing to be thinking, but there was something about it that made him want to smile…like nonstop. There was a cheerful lilt to it, and she had the tiniest bit of a southern accent that he found adorable. “I bet it is.”

“Anyway…” Lucy started walking toward the ancient pickup. “I think we’d better take the truck. Otherwise, we’ll end up walking a hundred miles, trying to take everything in. Why don’t you follow me in your vehicle to the first stop, which is the cabin where you’ll be staying. We can drop off your suitcases and leave your car there.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Joey looked at Miles, tossing the keys to his car to him. “You can drive, Miles, while I ride with our beautiful tour guide.”

Miles rolled his eyes but didn’t argue.

Joey crossed around the back of the truck, claiming the passenger seat, grinning when he realized the thing had a long bucket in the front and no backseat at all. He mentally dibsed the middle spot for himself once Miles rejoined them. He liked the idea of spending a few hours sitting pressed close to Lucy.

God, she smelled good, he thought as soon as the two of them were closed in the cab of the truck. Like lilacs and apples, a perfect blend of the best of spring and fall.

“The cabins aren’t far.” Lucy glanced in the rearview mirror, checking that Miles was behind them before shifting into drive and starting down the dirt lane. “If you guys are tired, we can delay the tour. Maybe Miles wants some time to unwind?”

Obviously, Lucy had picked up on Miles’s bad mood. Joey wasn’t sure what the hell had gotten into his friend. While he’d been quiet on the drive from Philadelphia to Virginia, he hadn’t been the downright grumpy ass he was acting like right now. Miles was no fan of the mountains, but they’d spent a lot of time in places more remote than this during the filming of the show and he’d been just fine.

No. Miles’s mood had darkened when he’d looked at his cellphone. And it had only gotten worse since Lucy appeared. Which didn’t make a damn bit of sense, because she was charming and sweet.

“We’re good to go on the tour,” Joey replied.

“Cool.” Lucy gave him a sideways glance. “I guess I should warn you. I tend to talk a lot when I’m excited or nervous, and at the moment, I’m both. I’m going to try to settle down.”

Joey chuckled, loving how open, honest, and even self-deprecating Lucy was. There was no pretense with her, no putting on airs.

Lately, Joey had been dating the same type of women—all around his age, professionals in their chosen careers, sophisticated and worldly. He’d been on a dozen dates in the past few months and not one of them had ended in the bedroom, because Joey hadn’t felt any spark or connection to the women. Now it was starting to occur to him that perhaps he’d been seeking out the wrong women to date…which might also account for his failed attempts at finding “the one.”

Miles would roll his eyes hard if he heard Joey rambling on about “the one” again, but ever since his only other single sibling, Luca, had found his life partners—Conor and Harper—Joey had become even more determined than ever to find the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Not that he was so determined that he’d settle for just anyone, of course. Joey had witnessed too many examples of true love in his family to ever settle for less.

Aaaaand that was another concept Miles would give him shit for. Because Miles did not believe in true love or soul mates or love at first sight or any of those things Joey knew for a fact existed.

Glancing at Lucy, Joey felt a slight stir in his heart and his pants. Both had lain dormant for too long, but now they were suddenly waking up.

“Do me a favor, Lucy. Don’t stop talking. I like the sound of your voice.”

She blushed as she grinned widely. “Okay, but you might regret that request later.”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t. Have to admit, I’m looking forward to seeing the farm, seeing where you work. What made you decide to become a brewmaster?”

Lucy lifted one shoulder casually. “I guess a combination of things. I’ve always loved science, and the chemistry behind brewing beer is fascinating. Plus, there are countless chores and jobs that need to be done in order to run the farm and businesses efficiently. Most of the primary tasks fall to the family, though we certainly have a lot of employees who aren’t related to us. I’ve always been most interested in the brewery side, while my sisters tend to work in the winery most of the time.”

“Sisters?”

“I have three, all younger.”

“No brothers?”

Lucy shook her head. “Nope, but that’s probably a good thing, because with seven male cousins, I’m not sure I could have survived with one more overprotective man in my life.”

Joey winced playfully. “Damn. I might resemble that remark. My brothers and I have one little sister, Layla.”

Lucy laughed. “I’m going to need her phone number. At least I have my sisters to commiserate with when the guys pull their cavemen routine with our prospective dates, while it sounds like poor Layla is adrift and on her own.”

Joey snorted. “Not really. She did alright for herself. Settled into a pretty amazing happily ever after.”

“What?” Lucy asked, aghast. “You let a man into the inner sanctum?”

“ Two men,” Joey replied with a wink.

She pulled up in front of a cute cabin, also adorned with pumpkins and mums, celebrating the fact that fall had arrived and Halloween was just four days away. Joey wondered if the decorations had been Lucy’s doing.

Before they could continue the conversation, Miles was standing next to the passenger door, duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

Joey got out, retrieving his own bag from the car as Lucy climbed the three steps to the cabin’s porch and unlocked the door.

“My aunt Claire runs a B&B on the property with my sister, Mila. They also take care of the cabins. You have Mila to thank for the pumpkins and flowers, as well as the stocked refrigerator. She’s got an eye for design, and she loves to make everything pretty. One whole shed behind the farmhouse I share with my sisters is filled with every possible decoration for every conceivable holiday on the calendar.” Lucy led them inside as she spoke. “Levi told her she was probably taking it too far when she started decking the B&B in lightsabers, Death Star cutouts, and mini Yodas for Star Wars Day.”

Joey folded his hands in front of himself, trying to look like a somber Jedi. “May the Fourth be with you.”

“And also with you,” Lucy replied, giggling as she crossed herself.

“How many cabins are on the property?” Joey was impressed by the homey feel of the cabin they were going to call home for the next five days.

“There are ten, scattered around various places on the farm. The first three are tucked in the woods and were originally used as hunting cabins…many, many moons ago. When my grandfather took over the running of the farm, he started growing grapes with the intention of opening the winery. Once that happened, he stopped allowing people to hunt on the property. Aunt Claire was the one who suggested we refurbish those older cabins and build new ones to rent to guests, so Uncle Rex scoped out seven spots with amazing views. There aren’t many weeks that pass where at least half the cabins aren’t rented, and we sell out almost every week in the summer and fall, when the leaves are changing color.”

“I was admiring your colorful mountain when we arrived, wasn’t I, Miles?” Joey attempted to draw his friend into the conversation because, since entering the cabin, he’d been wandering around, looking completely distracted.

“Yep.” Miles jerked his thumb toward one of the bedroom doors. “I’m going to take that one, okay?”

Joey nodded, annoyed when Miles walked away from them.

“Um. Okay.” Lucy stumbled for a moment, clearly struggling to make this Miles fit with the man who appeared on her TV screen in every episode. That Miles was all smiles and easygoing, everybody’s pal, while today, his first impression screamed impatient asshole.

“Sounds like we were lucky to score a cabin then.” Joey tried to distract her from his best friend’s rudeness.

“Your producer set up the filming way back in early spring, so we made sure to save the best cabin for you. The other bedroom is over here.” Lucy pointed to the door behind her.

“Let me toss my bag in there really quick, then we can start the tour.”

Lucy nodded, but her smile wasn’t as bright as it had been a few minutes ago.

Joey gave his bedroom a cursory glance, placing his bag on the bed without unpacking before returning to Lucy. Miles had already emerged from his room, but neither he nor Lucy were talking to each other.

“Ready?” Lucy asked brightly, though her tone felt more forced than before.

“Can’t wait.” Joey reached out, clasping his hand with hers, tugging her along, hoping his enthusiasm would re-spark her own.

She laughed when he gallantly opened the driver’s side door for her, bowing as he did so. After she climbed in, he jogged around the hood, bumping Miles out of the way. “I’ll take the middle seat,” he said, acting as if he was making some sacrifice.

Miles nodded, looking annoyed.

Joey shot his buddy a glare, one that was greeted with a regretful sigh. At least Miles was aware of the fact he was acting like an ass.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Appeased, Joey slid into the truck, shifting until he was right next to Lucy. Then he rested his arm along the back of the seat, smiling at her as she shook her head at his obvious flirting.

She didn’t call him out for it though, which Joey took as a win. Especially when he realized her cheeks were turning pink again. God, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d dated a woman who blushed. It was endearing and cute as hell.

“Okay. First stop is the winery. We’ll drive by the grapevines as we go. Let me know if y’all have any questions about them,” she offered.

“We’re just focusing on the brewery for filming,” Miles pointed out, his tone less harsh. Not that it mattered, considering his scowl was still firmly in place.

“Oh. I, um, just meant questions in general. Or we can skip that part if?—”

“No, no,” Joey quickly interjected. “We want to see it all.” He narrowed his eyes at Miles. “Don’t we?”

“Yeah. We do.” Miles nodded and even attempted a smile. A weak one. Then his cell buzzed. He pulled it out and his frown returned. Joey tried to sneak a glance at the screen, but Miles tilted it away from him. He raised one eyebrow, curious about who was texting him.

Miles grimaced, then put his phone away.

Lucy pointed out various things along the way, her knowledge and love of the farm showing as she spoke. Joey was impressed by her intelligence, and by the time they reached the winery, even Miles had started to thaw a little, asking how they harvested the grapes.

“And here’s Lightning in a Bottle Winery. My cousins Maverick and Grayson are our winemakers. Maverick is certified in viticulture and winery tech and has over ten years of official experience, although he worked with our granddaddy from the time he was old enough to walk, learning everything he could from him about our vineyards. I thought I’d show you where we process it, the cellars, then take you to the tasting room to sample some.”

“Sounds great,” Joey said as they pulled up next to a beautiful building with a massive front porch containing an assortment of tables and Adirondacks, with yet another stellar view from the mountain.

They spent an hour walking through the winery with Lucy and Maverick, who took charge of that part of the tour since it was his domain. Then they enjoyed tasting four of the wines, served with a charcuterie board filled with an assortment of meats, cheeses, nuts, and crackers.

From there, they drove by several of the other rental cabins, then took a quick walk-through of the B&B—the second farmhouse—where they met Lucy’s sister, Mila, her aunt Claire, and her uncle Rex. According to Lucy, Claire had decided to turn her family’s home into an inn after the youngest of her sons, Jace, moved out. Apparently, after raising seven rambunctious boys, Claire found her empty nest too quiet for her liking.

Finally, they arrived at the brewhouse. Joey thought Lucy had been cheerful and happy all day, but once they entered her realm, she lit up brighter than the sun. She introduced them to two more cousins—her fellow brewmaster, Sam, and Theo, who was the brewhouse manager. During the two-hour walk-through of the brewhouse, Joey had been fascinated to learn about the process involved in brewing beer. He’d never considered it a hobby he wanted to try, but after listening to Sam and Lucy, he found himself thinking about buying a kit and giving it a whirl at home.

Just like at the end of the winery tour, Theo, Sam, and Lucy invited them to the tasting room, and the five of them sampled every beer made at Rain or Shine Brewery.

It was nearly six o’clock by the time Lucy drove him and Miles back to their cabin so they could change for dinner. She waited for them in the living room. Despite the fact it had been a whirlwind day, Joey was full of energy, something he was attributing to Lucy, who seemed truly tireless. He was feeding off her excitement and enthusiasm.

“I hope you’re ready for this,” Lucy said, as they pulled up in front of the third farmhouse on the property, the one she shared with her three sisters, Nora, Remi, and Mila—all of whom they’d been introduced to during their tour.

“Ready?” Miles asked.

“I tried to tell everyone it would be better for us to meet you in small groups. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, when Mila mentioned hosting the two of you for dinner your first night here, Aunt Claire hopped on the bandwagon, and then let it slip she was making her chili. After that, well…”

“The whole family invited themselves?” Joey asked, amused. Levi had told him about the dinner on the phone last night, but he’d forgotten to warn Miles.

She nodded.

“Sounds like the Morettis,” Joey replied, laughing. “The second we hear Nonna is making eggplant parmesan, we crawl out of the woodwork like ants.”

Lucy grinned. “Aunt Claire’s chili wins the local chili cookoff every single year, and Mila makes homemade cornbread that is literally to die for.”

“Sounds amazing.” Joey climbed out of the truck on Lucy’s side, the two of them waiting for Miles to cross around the front of the truck.

“Do you have a big family too, Miles?” Lucy asked.

While Miles had shed some of his early moodiness, he’d still been quiet and reserved. Joey planned to corner him tonight before they turned in to find out what the hell was wrong with him.

“No,” Miles responded. “My parents are divorced, so for most of my life it’s just been me, Mom, and my sister. I have an aunt, but she lives on the West Coast, and we don’t see her or my cousins more than once every few years.”

“Oh,” she murmured almost sadly.

Joey and Lucy definitely shared the same love for big families.

He’d been jerking Miles’s chain earlier when he said she was the one he was going to marry. He’d taken one look at the gorgeous woman and fallen head over heels in lust because every single molecule in his body was attracted to every molecule in hers.

However, that statement felt less like a joke the longer he’d spent with her today.

Joey wasn’t the type to debunk the idea of love at first sight because he’d witnessed it firsthand with his cousin, Aldo, and his best friend Kayden. Those two guys had fallen for their sweet nurse, Hazel, the second they saw her standing outside a burning motel, all of her possessions consumed in the fire. Luckily for them, she’d fallen right back.

Joey had never experienced it himself, but there was no denying he’d taken one look at Lucy and felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. Which was appropriate, considering they were standing in the middle of Stormy Weather Farm.

“Should we go in?” Joey wrapped his arm around Lucy’s shoulders, turning toward the house. He’d been infringing on her personal space most of the day, which was out of character for him. Joey respected boundaries, especially those of women he’d just met. But there was something about her that had him wanting to hold her hand, or tug on her ponytail playfully, or tuck her under his arm as they walked across the gravel drive and up the porch steps.

If she’d given him any indication she was uncomfortable with that, he would have backed off instantly, but so far, all she’d done—God help his libido—was lean closer.

Even better, he got the sense she felt the same attraction because she’d matched him touch for touch, grasping his forearm as she leaned close to be heard over the brewery equipment, lightly smacking his upper arm whenever he said something funny, and shoulder-bumping him in the truck to get his attention when they passed something she wanted him to see.

As they walked toward the house, Joey offered her some reassurance. “Don’t worry about Miles being overwhelmed, Lucy. He’s spent plenty of time with the Morettis. While the first couple of times were a shock to his system, I think we’ve worn him down enough that he’s prepared to meet your family.”

“It’s cute that you think I’m not still shocked by your family,” Miles said in a deadpan voice. It was his first joke of the day, and Joey and Lucy both laughed.

She reached out to Miles, and Joey was delighted when his friend took the hand she’d proffered. Joey was at ease with her after spending so many hours together, and he wanted Miles to be a part of that. The three of them walking side by side like this felt?—

Joey shut the thought down instantly. Because there were places he didn’t let himself go, not even in his own head.

They stopped just outside the front door, Lucy grinning at them. “Gird your loins, boys, because the Storm family is a force of nature.”