26. Stages

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Leo

Izzy honks even though she sees me approaching her car.

"Get in loser, we're going shopping."

Her curly hair is wild around her face, and her cheeks are dusted with freckles.

I get next to her in the passenger seat and secure my seat belt. Then I lean in to give both her cheeks a kiss.

"One, I'm not a loser." I lean back. "Two, are we going shopping?" I ask. "I think I'm in need of some new shirts."

"One," she pulls out way too fast. "I know you're not a loser. You're the coolest guy I know."

"Thanks."

"And two, no, we're not shopping. That's a quote from a movie called 'Mean Girls.'"

My brows furrow. "Is it about girls who are mean?"

"Actually, yes." She glances at me. "You've never seen it? It's a classic."

"Classic what?"

"Classic movie." She deadpans.

She stops the car along the side of Antonio's and Sara's place. Sara is already making her way to us, wearing a skirt that's to her mid thighs and a loose blouse. She has her blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, with big gold earrings dangling from her ears.

She gets in and hugs me from behind. "Hey,"

"Hey, blondie." I say as she gives my cheek a kiss, then Izzy's.

"How come she gets a nickname and I don't? Even though I'm your brother's wife." She pouts as she pulls away from her parking spot.

"You're not his wife, bitch." Sara laughs.

"Yet." Izzy says, confident Luca will propose to her in the near future. She's right, but I don't tell her that.

"Should I call you 'brunettie'?" I tease.

"You can do better than that." She switches lanes without even glancing at her rear-view mirror.

How does she have a driver's license?

"How about..." I ponder and glance at Sara for help. She shrugs. "Cutie pie?"

She gags. "Please, no."

"I hear people saying it all the time." I defend, even though I know it's not a cute nickname.

"Old, slimy men say that. So no."

I look at her. Her brown hair, defined jawline, with full cheeks. Her striking green eyes.

"I'll either call you 'Pear' or 'Chipmunk'. That's all I have." I raise my hands.

She lets out a cackle. "What?" She glances at me. "What does that even mean?"

"Well, 'pear' because your eyes remind me of that fruit. Or 'Chipmunk' because of your brown hair and full cheeks." I explain plainly.

She thinks it through.

"I prefer chipmunk. It's cute, I like it." She makes an impressed face. "Why didn't Luca think of that?"

"He calls you beautiful in Italian as a nickname." Sara tells her.

"You're right." She grins and gets a dreamy look. "He even calls me 'love'. How cute is that?"

"Very cute." I say in a bland voice. She smacks my chest and all three of us laugh.

•••

After we greet Carina and Nicole, who were waiting for us at the cafe, we sit down.

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