CHAPTER 12: "8 OUT OF10"
755 Words
Nico’s car was too quiet. Too clean.
Summer was in the front seat, seatbelt off the second they pulled out of the parking lot, scrolling through Luna’s phone like it was her own. Luna was in the back, wedged between two shopping bags Summer had “needed” from the gift shop.
“So,” Summer said, turning around. “Rate the performance. 1 to 10. Be honest, Nico. Did we sell it?”
Nico kept his eyes on the road. “Eight.”
“Eight!” Summer gasped. “What was missing? More hand-holding? More longing stares? I can do that.”
“You can stop talking for two minutes,” Nico said dryly.
Luna snorted from the back. “See, that’s what I’m saying. That’s the real you. That’s convincing.”
Nico shot her a look in the rearview mirror. “Don’t encourage her.”
“Too late,” Summer said, grinning. “Hey brother-in-law—”
Nico’s jaw tightened. “Don’t.”
“—do you want me to pick out Luna’s side of the closet tomorrow? I have opinions. Strong ones.”
Luna kicked the back of his seat lightly. “She’s not picking my closet.”
“I’m just saying, green is your color,” Summer said. “It makes you look less like you want to murder him.”
“I don’t want to murder him,” Luna said.
“Not today,” Summer agreed.
Nico sighed, but his mouth twitched. He didn’t tell her to stop this time.
The car went quiet for a minute, just the hum of the engine and the city lights sliding past.
Luna leaned forward, resting her arms on the seat between them. “You were actually good in there, you know. With Marcus.”
Nico glanced at her. “You too.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t flinch when he said he was coming over unannounced. That’s CEO-level lying.”
“I don’t lie,” Nico said.
“You lie by omission,” Luna said. “It’s still lying.”
He didn’t deny it. He just said, “I don’t want him thinking you’re scared of him.”
Luna blinked. “Oh.”
Summer turned around slowly, eyes narrowed like she’d just caught something. “Did you two just… compliment each other? Without me forcing you?”
“No,” Luna said too fast.
“Absolutely not,” Nico said at the same time.
Summer sat back, satisfied. “Liars. Both of you. I’m putting this in the family group chat.”
“There is no family group chat,” Nico said.
“There is now,” Summer said, typing furiously.
Luna laughed, and it came out easier than it had all night. She looked at Nico again, catching his eyes in the mirror. He didn’t look away right away this time.
For half a second, it felt like it was just the two of them again. No act. No Marcus. Just quiet and something she didn’t have a name for yet.
Then Summer gasped. “Wait. Does this mean I get to call you ‘bro’ now? Like, ‘Yo bro, pass the salt’?”
Nico groaned. “No.”
“Bro,” Summer said again, testing it. “Brother-in-law. Bro. Brolin. Brolin-in-law.”
“Stop talking,” Nico said, but there was no heat in it.
Luna was still smiling when they pulled up to her building.
Nico killed the engine and turned around. “5 PM tomorrow. Don’t be late.”
Luna nodded. “Don’t be late yourself, CEO Grumpy Pants.”
Summer unbuckled and opened the door. “Night, lovebirds. Try not to rehearse holding hands before I get there.”
The door slammed shut.
For a beat, it was quiet again. Just Luna and Nico, and the awkward space between them that didn’t feel as bad as it had earlier.
“Thanks,” Luna said softly. “For today.”
Nico nodded. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow’s gonna be worse.”
“Can’t be worse than meeting your uncle,” Luna said.
Nico almost smiled. “Don’t say that.”
She got out of the car, but before she closed the door, she added, “And Nico?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t call me ‘wife’ in front of people unless I’m ready. I might actually slap you.”
He laughed. Low, quiet, and real.
“Noted.”
Luna shut the door and watched the car pull away, her cheeks warmer than they should’ve been.
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- Writer
