Page 140 of Until August

Yet another reason why I’d fallen in love with her. Nicola loved my son and was always looking for new ways to make him feel special. She did the same for me.

I took the crumpled tinfoil he handed me and stuffed it in the cooler bag. “Not today, buddy.”

His face fell. “But I have something I need to ask Nicola.”

Note to self:Don’t introduce your son to your girlfriend, who is already committed to another man.

“I think we’ll have to cut back on the restaurant visits.”

“But why?” He hopped off the tailgate, and I closed it. “I love going there.”

I sighed. “I don’t want to have to worry about you. A restaurant is a busy place.” But, judging by the crestfallen look on his face, it was the wrong thing to say.

“So you don’t even want me there? I thought you liked having me there.”

“I do. I love it. I love every minute I spend with you. I just think we might need to take a little break.” I checked the time on my phone. “Come on. We need to get you to school.” I nudged him toward the passenger door.

When we were in the truck and on the way to school, I asked, “What did you want to ask Nicola?”

“Nothing.”

“You can ask me anything.”

He side-eyed me. “I can’t. You’re not a girl.”

“So you need advice? About girls?” I guessed. Jesus. Eight was too young for all of this, wasn’t it?

“Yeah. Kind of.”

“Is this about Isla?”

“Maybe.”

“Did you ask your mom?”

Sage shook his head. “She still thinks I’m a baby. And she’sreallybusy with her new baby.”

I glanced at him when I pulled up behind the other cars at the school drop-off. “Do you feel like your mom’s not spending enough time with you?”

“No. It’s gotten worse.”

“What has? What’s gotten worse?”

He rolled his eyes like this was a huge imposition to answer all my questions. “She cries more. Like yesterday she was all like, Oh Sage, you’re getting so big. I love you so much. I want you to be my baby forever. Blah blah blah.”

I stifled a laugh. “Yeah, well, you remember what I told you. You’ll always be her baby. And having babies makes women….” I searched for the right word. “Emotional.”

“Yeah. Guess so. I gotta go now.” Before I could even respond, he grabbed his backpack, hopped out of the truck, and took off. I waited until he was inside the front door before I pulled away.

Then I went home and did a grueling workout before I went to work.

* * *

Nicola was in the kitchen talking to Luca when I arrived. It used to be that we were the first ones in and had the kitchen to ourselves in the morning, but now the others had started arriving earlier. Especially Luca, who had begun to take on more responsibility. He’d been trailing me for the past month, asking questions and taking notes, priming himself for the role of sous chef.

I think he saw the end before I did. He wanted to be prepared for the day when he’d be asked to step into my role.

Nicola joined me at the coffee machine. She wore frayed denim and an off-white sweatshirt with a vintage-looking surf scene painted across the front. One of Scarlett’s designs, no doubt. Not her usual work attire.