The Next Best Thing. Kristan Higgins

and Marie, my in—laws. “Lucy!” they cry in delight as I struggle through the back door.

      “Hi, Marie, hi, Gianni,” I say, stopping to receive my kisses. Paolo, the sous chef and a vague relation from Rome, takes the loaves from me, as Micki, a prep chef, calls out a hello as she chops garlic and parsley. Kelly, a longtime waitress who went to school with me, waves as she talks on the phone.

      “How are you? The baby? Everyone healthy, please God?” Marie asks. I’d called them before going to the hospital—we’re very close.

      “She’s so beautiful,” I tell them, beaming. “My sister was a champ, too. Seventeen hours.”

      “Any tearing?” Marie asks, causing Gianni to wince.

      “Um, we didn’t cover that just yet,” I murmur.

      “We’ll send some food,” Gianni says. “A new baby’s such a blessing.”

      For a second, we fall silent. My eyes go to the shrine above the twelve—burner stove. Two candles, the red bandana Jimmy always wore while cooking and a photo of him taken on our wedding day. His broad, genial face grins at me, those amazing eyes sparkling. He favored the northern Italian side of the family…curly, dirty blond hair, eyes like the Mediterranean Sea and a smile that could power a small town. A big man, broad—shouldered and tall with a booming laugh, he made me feel protected and safe and utterly, completely loved.

      Dang it. My eyes seem to be filling with tears. Well. The Mirabellis don’t mind. Marie strokes my arm, her dark eyes filling, too, and Gianni pats my shoulder with a beefy hand.

      “Is Ethan coming home this weekend, do you know?” Marie asks me, wiping her eyes.

      I hesitate. “Um, I think so.” Knowing their son was down the street with my family would only hurt them.

      “That job of his,” Gianni mutters. “Foolishness. Ah!” He flaps his hands in disgust while I suppress a grin.

      Though Ethan once studied to be a chef at the same school I myself attended, he dropped out just before his senior year to work for a large food corporation. A company most famous for making Instead, a hugely popular drink that contains all the nutrition of a well—balanced meal without the inconvenience of actually having to eat. I think my in—laws would’ve preferred it if Ethan had become a drug dealer or porn star, frankly. After all, his company’s mission is basically to discourage sit—down dining, and they own a restaurant.

      My eyes go back to Jimmy’s picture. Now is not the time to tell the Mirabellis about my decision to get back on the horse. It can wait. Why ruin their weekend? Because while they wouldn’t begrudge me the comfort of husband and children, I know it won’t be easy to hear. Besides, I have some housekeeping to take care of first.

      Around nine that night, I’m playing a lively game of Scrabble with my computer, seventeen pounds of purring pet on my lap—my cat, Fat Mikey. A knock sounds on the door. “Come on in,” I call, knowing who it is.

      “Hey, Lucy,” Ethan says, opening the door. I rarely bother locking up—the building has a coded security system in the lobby, and Mackerly’s crime rate is practically nonexixtent.

      “Hi, Eth. How’s it going?” I tear myself away from the computer…was just about to play zenith, which would totally slay Maven, my archenemy computer foe, but humans come first. Or they should. I play the word discreetly, then close the lid of my computer. Take that, Maven!

      “Everything’s great.” Ethan, who has logged many hours in my apartment over the past five years, makes himself at home by opening the fridge. “Can I have one of these?” he calls.

      I swallow. “Sure. I made them for you.” Earlier in the evening, I did what I often do—created a fabulous dessert. Inside the fridge are six ramekins of pineapple mango mousse, each one topped with a raspberry glaze. I figured Ethan will eat at least three, and I need to be on his good side.

      “You want one?” he calls. I can tell he’s already eating.

      “No, thanks. They’re all yours.” I don’t eat my own desserts. Haven’t in years.

      “This is fantastic,” he says, coming into the living room.

      “Glad you like it,” I say, not meeting his eyes.

      “Hey, thanks for e—mailing those pictures of Nick,” he says, already scraping the ramekin clean.

      “Oh, you’re welcome. He sure looked cute.” Ethan and I grin at each other in a moment of mutual Nick adoration. On Wednesday, the nursery school put on a play about the life cycle of the butterfly. Nicky was a milkweed seed. It’s become my habit to photograph Nicky and e—mail pictures to Ethan while he’s traveling, since Parker, Nick’s mother, never seems to remember her camera.

      “Um, listen, Ethan, we need to talk,” I say, cringing a little.

      “Sure. Let me grab another one of these. They’re incredible.” He goes back into the kitchen, and I hear the fridge open again. “Actually I have something to tell you, too.” He returns to the living room “But ladies first.” Sitting in the easy chair, he smiles at me.

      Ethan looks nothing like his brother, which is both a comfort and a sorrow. Unlike Jimmy, Ethan is a bit…well, average. Nice—looking, but kind of unremarkable. Medium brown eyes, somewhat disheveled brown hair, average height, average weight. Kind of a vanilla type of guy. He has a neat little beard, the kind so many baseball players favor—three days of stubble, basically, which gives him an attractive edginess, but he’s…well, he’s Ethan. He looks a bit like an elf in some ways—not the squeaky North Pole elves, but like a cool elf, a Tolkien elf, mischievous eyebrows and sly grin.

      He regards me patiently. I swallow. Swallow again. It’s a nervous habit of mine. Fat Mikey jumps into Ethan’s lap and head butts him until Ethan obliges the bossy animal by scratching his chin. Ethan rescued him from the pound a few years back, saying no one would take the ugly beast, and gave him to me. Fat Mikey has never forgotten just who sprung him from prison, and now favors Ethan with a rusty purr.

      I clear my throat. “Well, listen. You know, ever since Jimmy died, you’ve been, just…well. Incredible. Such a good friend, Ethan.” It’s true. I don’t have the words to voice my gratitude.

      His mouth pulls up on one side. “Well. You’ve been great, too.”

      I force a smile. “Right. Um…well, here’s the thing, Ethan. You know that Corinne had a baby, of course. And it got me thinking that, well…” I clear my throat. “Well, I’d like to have a baby, too.” Gah! This isn’t coming out the way I want it to.

      His right eyebrow raises. “Really.”

      “Yeah. I’ve always wanted kids. You know. So, um…” Why am I so nervous? It’s just Ethan. He’ll understand. “So I guess I’m ready to…start dating. I want to get married again. Have a family.”

      Ethan leans forward, causing Fat Mikey to jump off his lap. “I see,” he says.

      I look at the floor for a second. “Right.” Risking a peek at Ethan, I add, “So we should probably stop sleeping together.”

       CHAPTER TWO

      ETHAN BLINKS. HIS EXPRESSION doesn’t change. “Okay,” he says after a beat.

      I open my mouth to brook his argument, then realize he hasn’t made one. “Okay. Great,” I mumble.

      Ethan sits back and looks toward the kitchen. “So seeing your new niece really got to you, huh?”

      “Yes. I guess so. I mean, I’ve always wanted…well, you know. Husband, kids, all that. I’ve been thinking about it lately, and then today-” I opt not to describe my whisker. “I guess it’s time.”

      “So is this theoretical, or do you have someone in mind?” he asks. Fat