Kissed Blind (Hot Pursuit #2)(65)

Vance and I joined his nieces in the kitchen. Jina brought over a sippy cup for Isabella and set a glass of milk down in front of Arianna.

“What are you two doing in here with the kids?” Jina asked, not looking at us. “There’s plenty of room at one of the other tables, isn’t there?” She tucked a napkin into Arianna’s collar and fastened a bib around Isabella’s neck.

“After all these years, I think I deserve to be called an adult in front of Isa and Ari.” Vance shot a silly smile at the girls. It went over Isabella’s head but Arianna giggled. “No, the other tables are full.”

Jina smacked Vance’s shoulder. “All right, girls, it’s up to you to keep Vance and Diana in line, okay?”

Arianna sat up straight. “Yes, mama.”

“And no fighting.” She shook a finger at both of us and leaned down to kiss Vance on the cheek, whispering something in his ear.

He closed his eyes and nodded. “I know.”

Jina walked away, and two of Vance’s nephew’s joined us, Anthony and Dominic, rounding out our six person table. They set their plates on their place mats and sat iPads down in front of them. They flipped them open in their cases and turned them on.

“No, no, no.” Vance shook his finger at them. “Put those away. Dinner is for talking and spending time with family, not being absorbed in electronics.”

“But, Uncle Vance.” Anthony pouted. “We’re watching Minecraft videos, we’re learning.”

Vance tilted his head down. “Nice try. Close ‘em. And honestly, what would your mother say if she saw you?”

They both grimaced and closed their cases.

“Yes, Uncle Vance,” Dominic said, laying his iPad on the window sill.

I leaned into Vance’s ear. “Look at Uncle Vance dropping the hammer.”

“Someone has to. Give ‘em an inch, they take a mile.”

With a chuckle, I twirled my fork in the center of the creamy mound of fettuccine and shoved the generous bite into my mouth, barely caring as a greasy, garlicky noodle slapped against my chin.

“Don’t forget to breathe.” Vance snorted.

I closed my eyes and groaned. “Oh my God, this food is love.” When I was released from the food euphoria, all four children were staring at me. “What?”

Arianna’s eyelids fluttered while she looked from me, to Vance, and back to me. She tilted her head. “What does love taste like?”

Vance finished shoving in a bite of lasagna. He covered his mouth with his napkin, chuckling to himself while he continued to chew. “It’s just an expression, Ari. Love isn’t really a taste. It’s a feeling.” He smiled.

The little angel looked down with rosy cheeks.

I had to interject. “I don’t know. I think you might be wrong. Love can have a taste.”

Vance pushed his plate and crossed his hands on the table. “Listen up, boys and girls, this is going to be good. Please, go on.”

I laid my fork on my plate. “Love is absolutely a feeling, but it’s not only a feeling. Love can be a smell, a taste, the feeling you get from being wrapped in your favorite blanket fresh out of the dryer, a kiss on your forehead from your mom when you’re sick.” I glanced at all four children. “Who here loves that?” Everyone at the table raised their hands. “A lot of things can make up love. So I think love can definitely be a taste, but what love might taste like to you can be different from someone else’s.” I glanced at Isabella as her tiny fingers shoved bite-sized pieces of chicken in her chubby cheeks. I noticed Arianna’s plate had no chicken. “What’s your favorite food on your plate, Ari? Looks like your sister probably loves the chicken.”

She crinkled her brows and released them, scanning her plate. “The garlic bread. It’s so yummy.” She smiled big and wide.

“Then for you, love tastes like garlic bread. For me, this fettuccine is one of the things love tastes like. Hand’s down, it has to be.”

Arianna tilted her head toward Vance. “Uncle Vance, what does love taste like to you?”

Vance tapped his chin. “Hmm… that’s a tough one. It for sure includes grandma’s cooking.” He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and caught my eye for half a second. “And kisses from pretty girls. Those are some of the most delicious things in the world.”

An unexpected whirl of butterflies fluttered in my belly, but when Vance leaned over and puckered his lips next to Arianna, they settled. He closed his eyes, and she smiled, looking down before kissing him.

“See, I could never get enough of those sweet kisses.”

The boys gagged on the other side of the table.

“You better watch it fellas, or you’ll be next.”

Both boys dropped their forks and held up their hands in protest.

“Sorry, you signed your own death warrants when you gagged.” I snickered.

Vance rose from his seat and walked over to the boys. They hunched their shoulders and tucked their heads down as Vance wrapped his arms around both boys, drawing them together. “You’re too late boys, pucker up.” Vance tickled each boy in his ribs at the same time while they protested and laughed. The raucous laughter got the attention of Christina.

“What’s going on in here?” she asked with hands firmly planted on her hips.