The kitchen was warm and bright, filled with the smell of roast chicken and rosemary. Aurora moved between the counter and the dining table, laying out silverware while Izabel stirred a pot of sauce.

From the hallway came the sound of the front door opening, followed by Mateo’s voice — and then the unmistakable squeal of her nephew.

“Joško!” Ivano’s laugh echoed through the house.

Aurora glanced up just as Joško appeared in the doorway, carrying Ivano on one arm like he weighed nothing. In his free hand was a brown paper bag.

“Brought reinforcements,” he said, holding the bag out toward Izabel. “Mateo’s favorite bread from that bakery near the stadium.”

Izabel smiled warmly. “You’re going to spoil him. Put it over there.”

Aurora turned back to the table, trying to act unimpressed, but her eyes caught on the way his hoodie sleeves were pushed up, revealing strong forearms as he set the bread down. Ivano clung to him like a little koala, giggling when Joško gave him a bounce.

“Need help?” he asked, stepping closer to where Aurora was arranging plates.

“You’re holding a toddler,” she replied, keeping her eyes on the table.

“I can multitask,” he said with a grin, reaching past her for the stack of glasses in the cupboard. His arm brushed hers, and she caught the faint scent of his cologne — clean and warm.

Aurora’s grip on the cutlery tightened just slightly. She risked a glance up, only to find Izabel watching her with a small, knowing smirk.

Aurora immediately looked back down, pretending to adjust a fork that didn’t need adjusting.

Joško, oblivious — or maybe not — shifted Ivano to his other arm and nodded toward the table. “Where do you want me?”

“You can start by putting those glasses down,” she said, keeping her tone neutral, though the butterflies in her stomach were in full flight.

As he set the glasses in place, Ivano leaned toward her. “Teta, can Joško sit next to me?”

Aurora hesitated, but Joško was already smiling. “Guess I’ve been assigned a seat.”

And just like that, she knew lunch was going to feel a lot longer than usual.