Page 13 of Rebel Secrets (Devils Hockey #3)

“There he is. Handsome boy. You look like you’ve lost weight while you’ve been away. Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”

When someone said “Italian grandmother,” what picture comes to mind? Rosie Benanti was what you’d get. Dark hair peppered with silver, dark eyes, round everywhere and about five foot-nothing.

Mike and Rosie had been running Paolo’s restaurant for longer than I’d been alive. Their food was amazing, and they’d even been featured on a national television show about Italian restaurants in Pennsylvania not to miss.

They’d kept the Devils players in carbs for as long as the team had been around.

“Mama Rosie, you’re as beautiful as ever.”

Her smile widened as she grabbed me around the waist and squeezed hard enough to make my bones creak.

“And you’re still a charmer.”

Mike had to be pushing eighty, but he still worked the floor every night. He knew everyone in town by name and knew everyone’s favorite dish. And Rosie ran the kitchen, though now she had their son, daughter and son-in-law in there with her.

Rosie pulled back to look me up and down. “Mike’s right. We need to get some food in you. Sit down, sweetheart, and I’ll get you some lasagna to start.”

“Thanks, but I’m meeting someone so I’m gonna wait for her.”

I think a bomb exploding might have gotten more attention. Maybe.

Mama Rosie got a big smile, and Mike patted me on the back like was a kid who’d just passed a major test with flying colors.

“It’s not a date.”

And just that fast, their faces collapsed.

“Well, that’s okay.” Mike assured me. “I’m sure you’ll find some nice girl soon.”

If my parents had said that, I’d have told them that wasn’t going to happen. But this couple ranked as honorary grandparents. There was no way I was going to tell them I wasn’t even looking. Until Rosie got a look in her eye as she glanced at Mike.

“Doesn’t your niece Dani have a daughter about Rebel’s age? I should have thought of that before.”

Mike frowned. “Which one is that? Dani with an ‘I’ or Dana with an ‘a’?”

Oh shit. This was not good.

“Guys, I’m really not?—”

“Hi! Sorry I’m late, I got caught up a new recipe I’m trying and then I realized I had to take a shower because I was covered in flour and?—”

Erin stopped talking as if she’d flipped a switch.

You could practically see her brain connect with her mouth and tell it to shut.

Then she realized everyone had turned to stare at her.

Her cheeks flushed bright red, which made the freckles scattered across her cheeks stand out.

If I tried, I could count each one, they were so distinct.

Not sure I ever really noticed them before.

But then why would I? We’d spent the last few years studiously avoiding each other. She made me crazy.

Right?

“Erin!” Rosie wrapped Erin in a big hug, one that Erin returned wholeheartedly and without hesitation. And as naturally as if she were family. “How are you? You look like you could use a good meal. Are you here by yourself?”

The blush on her cheeks darkened. “Um, no, actually, I’m here to meet, um, Rebel.”

The expressions on Rosie and Mike’s faces were almost comically dumbfounded.

Probably should’ve picked another place to eat. Outside of town.

Everyone in town knew Erin and I weren’t exactly besties, as Brian’s niece, Maddy, would say. Which was why Mike and Rosie looked at us like they were caught between two stray cats fighting over turf. And that was just ridiculous. Where the fuck was my brain right now?

Still trying to figure out why I’d never noticed how adorable those freckles made her look.

Shit.

Finally, I shook my tongue loose. “We’re going over some stuff for the wedding.”

And that apparently made everything right in the world again.

Rosie nodded as if, of course, that was the reason, and Mike slapped me on the back.

“Coming up soon, yeah? Rosie and Raffi have been working on the rehearsal dinner with Tressy’s mom for weeks.

You two must have a lot to talk about so we’ll get out of your way.

Rosie, let’s feed these kids. Come on, you two, I reserved your regular table in the back, Reb.

Should be quiet enough for you to talk.”

Considering tonight’s crowd, that would be a good thing. I’d thought the restaurant wouldn’t be so crowded on a Monday night, but I’d thought wrong.

“It’s family night, so we get a bigger crowd, but you should be able to hold a conversation back here.”

Mike led us through the restaurant, Erin trailing behind me. Of course, she had to stop and say hi to someone every couple of tables, which made the walk across the room take twice as long.

Another night that might’ve annoyed me. Tonight, it gave me a little time to chill. The few people I knew by name I waved at but didn’t stop. Most did a double take when they saw Erin trailing behind me.

We lived in a too-fucking-small town. By tomorrow, the book club and the garden club members would all know Erin and I had had dinner together.

Which meant I’d get a call from my mom tomorrow morning.

And Rain would either call or just knock on my door and demand to know why I’d forced her best friend to go out with me.

Mike finally showed me to the table at the back of the small connecting dining room. The building had previously been a duplex home that the Benantis had converted into the restaurant by cutting two archways in the wall to create one large kitchen at the back and several separate dining areas.

We were in the only room that didn’t have anyone else in it tonight.

“How’s this for you? Quiet enough to talk, yeah?”

I nodded and forced my lips into a smile for Mike. “This is great. Thanks.”

He slapped me on the back again, his smile genuine. “Good to see you, kid. You’ll have to tell me how the big boys are treating you another night.”

After I promised Mike I would absolutely be back another night, he left, and I waited for Erin to finish making her rounds. Through the widened doorway, I saw her talking to a family with a couple of kids, one of which she picked up when the little girl held out her hands.

Leaning back in my chair, I watched her listen intently to whatever the little girl was saying then respond with an animated smile. When the little girl clapped her hands, Erin threw her head back and laughed then set her back into her seat, waving goodbye.

She looked happy. And when she caught me watching her, for a split second, she smiled at me the same way, wide and uninhibited. She lost it a second later. Too bad. It was a really nice smile.

And it was my fault. As my sister said, I had resting grump face, whatever the fuck that was. Rain had told me I should work on that. I hadn’t felt any need to. Until this second.

Now, Erin picked up the pace to get to the table.

“Sorry, I just had to say hi to Caroline. She’s the sweetest, and she hasn’t been feeling well. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong and?—”

“Erin. It’s not a problem. Seriously, you don’t need to apologize to me for anything.”

“Oh.” She slid into her chair, her quick smile a ghost of the one she’d had for the baby. “Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting. I’m sure you want to get this out of the way as quickly as possible.”

My brows rose as that flush burned her cheeks again. “Sorry. That didn’t come out right. I didn’t mean—I don’t mean to imply—Just forget I said that.”

“I think I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

Now her gaze met mine head on, eyes wide and her lips parted slightly. She had a really nice mouth. Something else I’d never noticed about her before. And shouldn’t be noticing now.

“I know I can be…” I considered using grumpy but knew that wasn’t the right word, “difficult and hard to talk to. I don’t want that to affect my brother’s wedding. And you and Erin are practically attached at the hip. I don’t want you think of me as the enemy.”

Her eyes widened even more. “I don’t feel that way about you.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

And then we sat there and stared at each other for a few seconds.

“Hey, Reb. Nice to have you back. Andy’ll wanna know when you’re coming over for beers. What can I get you guys to drink? Erin, you want a Cherry Coke?”

One of Mike and Rosie’s granddaughters, Luna, stood by the tableside, pad in hand ready to take our order.

She and her husband, Andy, and I had graduated high school together.

We’d been pretty close back then. Easy-going Andy had smoothed over my rough spots in our friends’ group.

He and I had played on the same high school team.

I’d majored in hockey in high school. Andy had gone to tech school and majored in cars.

He’d been a damn good hockey player back then. Probably could’ve made a career of it. Instead, he’d gotten married and went to work in a relative’s garage.

“Thanks, Luna, sounds good,” Erin said, her tone subdued, which got a side-eye from Luna.

“Your brother still mixing the sangria?”

Luna’s dark eyes flashed, and her mouth quirked up on one side. My mom always said Luna was her grandmother’s doppelganger. To which I always replied, “Mike did good.” Luna was a beauty.

“Frankie doesn’t let anyone else mess with the sangria, you know that.”

“Then I’ll have a glass of that.”

“You got it. Be right back.”

Luna walked out, dark hair swinging down her back, making me remember when I had the biggest crush on her.

“Did you used to date?”

My attention snapped back to Erin.

“What?”

“You and Luna? Did you date in high school?

I huffed out a laugh. “Mike would’ve broken my arms and legs. Maybe my hands, too. No, we were good friends in high school. I don’t get to see them much now that we’re old.”

Erin snorted, her eyes rolling. “You’re not exactly ancient.”

True, but… “Sometimes I feel like it.”

“Since you’re only a year older than me, I’m going to ignore that. If I don’t, that makes me old, too. And I refuse to consider myself old at twenty-nine.”