Page 78 of Love It or List It
His girl ambled through the snow, and Austin meandered after her, phone in hand so he could take pictures.Dog prints in the snow, big fat snowflakes, Pepa with snow on her muzzle, the trees, the house.
Pepa seemed to have had enough of the snow and was leading Austin on a meandering loop back toward the house when a voice behind Austin said, “Can’t say I blame her.”
Austin looked over his shoulder at Joe and grinned.“She was having fun, but her paws must be getting a bit frozen.”He shoved his phone back into his pocket and smiled.“It’s probably past time to bring her back in.”
Together they followed Pepa around the yard, when Joe suddenly stopped.“Is that Starling’s truck in Linda’s driveway?”
Austin followed his frozen gaze and, huh, yes, that indeed was Starling’s truck parked behind Linda’s Subaru.Well.Good for them.
“Did we accidentally set up my bestie with our new neighbour?”Joe sounded confused.
“Looks like it.”Austin had to admit that Linda and Starling made sense.They had similar senses of humor—and neither of them had time for Joe’s or Austin’s shit.
“What the fuck.”
He looked over at Joe’s gobsmacked face and chuckled.“You can’t say you’re that surprised.I mean, they did spend most of last night mocking us and getting on like a house on fire.”
“But….Linda… didn’t she say something about an ex-husband?”
Austin gave Joe a look.“Seriously?”
“Okay, yes, I know, this is a bad look on me.”Joe waved his arms a bit.“I’m just surprised.”
“So I see.”
“Oh, shut up.”Joe shoved his shoulder playfully.“I guess you knew Linda was bi, then, O wise one?”
Austin gave him a flat look.“Her favorite Christmas movie is an episode ofThe X-Files, Joe.”
“There’s no reason to be mean.”
“I don’t know why you’re having a crisis here.Don’t you want to live next door to your bestie?”
Joe spluttered.“Starling’s not moving in—is she?They just got together yesterday, right?”
Austin laughed and took Joe’s hand, then gently guided him away from their neighbor and back home.
The light mood carried them through the rest of their morning as they got ready to join the Romano family Christmas.
Austin had no idea what to expect from the event.It turned out that the Romano clan was huge.Nonna (“Do not call her Mrs.Romano, Austin, it’s Nonna—alwaysNonna”) hosted the event in her six-bedroom, four-bath mini mansion.Austin shot Joe a look when they pulled into the long driveway of the Amherstburg property.Austin was pretty sure he could see the golf course from the front yard.
“Joe, does your family have money?”
Joe coughed.“Nonno used to say he was ‘not rich, just comfortable.’He died a few years ago, but Nonna hasn’t exactly been a worried widow.”
“Riiight.I can see that.”
“Stop staring at my nonna’s driveway and help me carry stuff into the house.”The stuff in question was food, food, and more food, and also a beautiful wreath and potted plant for Nonna, who deserved a hostess gift.
Joe’s family didn’t otherwise do presents at this gathering.Austin was surprised, since he knew how much Joe enjoyed spoiling his own kids, but when he had asked about it a few days prior, Joe admitted that there were too many of them to try.
“How many young cousins do you have?”Austin asked, alarmed.
Joe’s answer was wry.“We’re Italian Catholics.”
Austin digested that information.“Is that your way of saying that you don’t actually know?”Joe didn’t answer; instead he walked away.“Joe?Joe, how many people are going to be at this event?Joe?”
Christmas with the Romanos was like being in a Christmas movie, Austin decided.The whole event was noise and laughter and food.Austin was barely in the front door before he realised trying to keep track of names was going to be impossible.
