Chapter 12 After Hours Birthday #3
She moved into him. His hands stayed at his sides until she touched his chest. Then one hand came to her waist, light, waiting.
The kiss wasn’t like the first one. Still sweet and still careful.
But less surprised. Her mouth knew his now.
A little. Enough to make her brave for three seconds longer than last time.
Vinny made a soft sound against her mouth and then pulled back just enough to rest his forehead near hers without touching.
“Still studying tonight?” he asked, voice low.
Sophia laughed softly because of course he would ask that now.
“No. I finished before I came.”
“Good.”
“I told you. School first.”
“I remember.”
His thumb moved once at her waist, then stopped like he had caught himself. Sophia noticed. Wanted more. Didn’t ask for more. Not yet. He let her go before it became too much. Also before Gia found them and turned it into a public holiday. Sophia stepped back, cheeks warm.
“Steady kiss?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes because he looked too pleased and too nervous at the same time.
“Acceptable.”
His smile spread.
“Acceptable?”
“Very acceptable.”
“I’ll take it.”
Gia’s voice came from the dining room. “Why is the kitchen silent?”
Sophia and Vinny both stepped back like they had been caught doing something illegal. Gia appeared in the doorway and looked between them. Then at the cake knife. Then at Sophia’s face. Gia smiled slowly.
“Nope,” Sophia said.
Gia lifted both hands. “I said nothing.”
“You were about to.”
“I was absolutely about to.”
Antonia called, “Gia, leave them alone and take your gifts.”
Gia sighed. “Fine. But I know joy when I see it.”
Sophia covered her face. Vinny laughed under his breath.
By midnight, the party had ended. Brett walked Antonia to the office to help lock up.
Gia left with her tomato earrings already on and one arm around Victoria’s shoulders.
Victoria carried the soup container slowly in one hand and Sophia’s gift bag in the other.
At the door, Victoria paused and looked back at Vinny.
He stood near the bar with the cake box.
“Happy birthday,” he said. “From all of us. Or just from me, if that’s less weird.”
Victoria studied him. Then nodded once. “Thank you.”.
It wasn’t full approval. It was something. Sophia saw Vinny understand that too. Outside, Victoria hugged Sophia hard.
“Text me when you get home,” she said.
“I will.”
“And text him if you want. I am not managing that tonight.”
Sophia smiled. “I’m trying.”
“Don’t push it.”
Gia leaned out from the rideshare that had pulled up. “Are we done being responsible? I have earrings to take out into the world.”
Victoria rolled her eyes and got in. Sophia watched the car pull away.
Vinny came outside behind her. “You getting picked up?”
“My mom is two blocks away. She insisted.”
“That sounds like Constance.”
“You haven’t met her.”
“I know. I am preparing spiritually.”
Sophia laughed. He smiled. The street was soft around them.
Bella Luna glowed behind him. He smelled like sugar, coffee, and kitchen soap.
Tonight, she had seen him feed a room. Make Gia loud in the right way.
Make Victoria still in the right way. Step back when praise came too close.
Remember someone else’s sick mother without turning it into a scene.
She liked him more than she had yesterday.
That scared her. But not enough to make her want less.
Vinny tucked his hands in his pockets. “Today was strong.”
“Yes.”
“And you studied first.”
“I did.”
“Proud of you.”
Sophia looked at him. “You say that a lot.”
“Does it bother you?”
“No.”
“Kind. Because I mean it a lot.”
Her chest tightened. A car turned onto the block. Constance. Sophia stepped back, though she didn’t want to.
Vinny saw the car and nodded. “Go before your mom decides I’m hanging around too long.”
“She already thinks that.”
“Fair.”
Sophia smiled. “Goodnight, Vinny.”
“Goodnight, Sophia.”
She walked to the car. Constance rolled the passenger window down before Sophia reached it. Her eyes went from Sophia to Vinny to Sophia again.
“Did you have fun?” she asked.
Sophia opened the door and got in.
“Yes.”
Constance waited until Sophia buckled her seat belt. Then, because she was Constance, she looked through the windshield at Vinny one more time.
“He is tall.”
Sophia leaned her head back. “Mom.”
“What? That is information.”
Constance pulled away from the curb. Sophia looked back once. Vinny was still standing outside Bella Luna, one hand lifted in a slight wave. She lifted hers. Constance said nothing for half a block. A miracle.
Then she said, “You smell like cake.”
Sophia smiled at the window.
“It was a birthday.”
“And?”
Sophia thought about the lemonade, the cake, Victoria’s low face when Vinny gave her soup, the kitchen kiss, his hand light at her waist, and the way he had let go first.
“And it worked.”
Constance glanced over. Her expression softened.
“Good.”
Sophia looked out at the passing streetlights. School first. Vinny not never. Tonight, for once, both had fit.