Page 123 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

He smiled as his heart raced. “Yes, it would. Mom, I’m really excited about this, but trying hard to reel it back. I know all the negatives. I know all the things that can go wrong.”

“Not even caring for the baby,” his mother said. “Just her being so young and pregnant. Do you have a medical history on her or the father of the baby?”

“I have a decent one on Taylor, not the father. And that might be with any child that is adopted. I can handle anything else.”

“I want this to work for you, Luca, and I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

“I don’t want to be hurt again either, but life isn’t always about everything being perfect either.”

“I’m happy if you are. And let me know if I can meet Gabriela.”

“I will.”

He hung up a few minutes later, confident that his mother didn’t think he was nuts, even if she was a little nervous.

Hell, he was too. He got it.

There was so much that could go wrong, and a smaller percentage of what could go right.

He didn’t want to think of those things though.

After he changed into his workout wear, he left for the gym, saw Gabriela already inside and by the treadmill.

“You’re early.” He walked closer to her and gave her a kiss.

They’d been doing that for months in the gym and yet it amazed him on an island this small that people just found out at work about them.

Though no one was actually saying anything to him about it.

He knew they were still wary of him. He wasn’t sure why.

It wasn’t as if he was a jerk or didn’t talk to the staff.

But he also wasn’t one who shared much of his personal life either.

It did seem that many got their information from grilling his girlfriend though.

“I was eager to see you,” she said, her arm around his waist. “And you’re smiling. I’m going to take that as you’re excited to see me too.” Her eyes dropped to his crotch. “Well, not as excited as I want you to be. Not yet.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re something else. I was on the phone with my mother. She’d like to talk to you. Or meet you via video if you’re agreeable.”

“I’m an agreeable person. You know that. Did you tell her about the rest?”

“I did. She’s on board. Holding back some excitement, which I get. We are too.”

“Yep. But it’s okay to let it sneak out of the cracks now and again.”

That was what he loved about her. She got it.

“I said the same. She offered to come stay a week when I’m working, giving me another month.”

“That’s great, Luca. And you know my parents will help. That part won’t be as hard as you might have thought.”

“There are still a lot of things in the air and anything can change. I think it’s setting in now and I’ll be good for a bit.”

“I feel the same. Now let’s work out and then we’ve got to make use of our alone time before we don’t get as much of it.”

An hour later, they pulled into Gabriela’s garage. But instead of heading inside, she darted into the front yard.