Twenty-Six

 

Letting Someone In

 

Jon leaned against the doorway, watching Ariana smooth the throw blanket across the back of the couch for the third time. She didn’t need to—it wasn’t crooked, but it gave her hands something to do.

Then she checked the tray Lydia had set out: three mugs, coffee, hot water. All fine. She adjusted one of the carafes by half an inch anyway.

“Crash,” Jon said, arms folded. “You planning to fold that thing into submission?”

“Don’t tempt me,” she muttered, straightening the edge one last time.

He stepped closer, amused. “The place looks fine. It looks like people live here.”

“That’s the problem,” she said, sweeping a glance across the baby gear and scattered toys. “It’s a disaster zone.”

“It’s a family,” Jon corrected. “And you’re not auditioning for this woman, Ari. You’re interviewing her.”

The doorbell echoed through the house, a crisp chime that made Ariana’s shoulders pull tight. She didn’t jump, but Jon felt a shift under his hands.

“Easy,” he murmured, giving her shoulders a steady squeeze. “You’ve faced down worse than a yoga instructor.”

Ariana huffed a soft laugh and brushed at her shirt. “Big, tattooed roadies never cared if I smelled like mushed bananas. This one might.”

Together, they walked to the door. Ariana opened it to reveal a woman in her mid-fifties, slim but sturdy, with black hair tucked beneath a Yankees cap and sunglasses perched on top. She wore a navy hoodie that read Yoga GoGo, leggings, and the kind of no-nonsense sneakers that said she could walk ten miles without complaint.

“Gloria Tetrazzini?” Jon asked, voice warm.

“That’s me,” Gloria said with a grin. “You must be the rock star and the boss.”

“Depending on who you ask,” Ariana replied, arching a brow. Her smile was real this time, if cautious.

Jon chuckled and stepped aside. “Come on in.”

Gloria stepped into the foyer, taking in the framed photos along the wall. “Desiree said you two had your hands full, but this already feels like home. Lived in. Loud. My favorite kind.”

“You’ll fit right in,” Ariana said dryly, leading her toward the living room.

As they walked down the hallway, Gloria slowed her steps, eyes moving across the family photos that lined the walls. She paused in front of one in particular—Jon holding a little girl in one arm, mic in the other.

“You really are living the double life,” she said with a smile.

“We try,” Ariana replied. “Some days are more… successful than others.”

Gloria chuckled and moved to the next photo: four older kids crowded around the baby, faces streaked with frosting, a dog nosing in while one of the boys tried to hold the baby in his lap.

“This one’s my favorite so far,” Gloria said, tapping the glass gently. “Total mayhem. Zero apologies.”

“That was Jesse’s birthday,” Jon said. “Taken at the bar Ariana owns. It was exactly as loud as it looks.”

“Good. Families should be a little loud.”

They reached the end of the hall, and Ariana gestured toward the living room. A pack ’n play sat in one corner, a walker nearby, toys scattered in overlapping circles like a mini explosion of toddlerhood. Sunlight slanted through the tall windows, highlighting it all.

“Please, make yourself comfortable,” Ariana said.

Gloria set her bag down on the armchair near the window and eased into it like she belonged there. Not presumptuous. Just comfortable.

Jon leaned against the back of the couch, waiting for Ariana to sit first. She gave the throw blanket a final adjustment, more habit than worry now, then sat across from Gloria. Only then did Jon sit beside her, stretching one arm along the back of the couch.

Gloria settled comfortably in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. She looked around the room again. Not judging, just taking it in.

“You have a beautiful home,” she said. “Full of love. And for the record, a messy toy corner usually means happy kids and very tired parents. That’s a win in my book.”

Jon let out a laugh. “That’s the understatement of the year.”

Ariana exhaled, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I appreciate you saying that. I’m still getting used to what normal looks like around here.”

Gloria shrugged easily. “Normal’s overrated. I’ll take honest over perfect any day.”

She leaned forward slightly, hands resting on her knee. “Would it be alright if I shared a little more about myself—beyond the version Desiree gave you?”

“Please,” Ariana said. “We’d like that.”

“I’m Jersey born and raised,” Gloria began, that Jerz-alian lilt curling through her words. “Spent the last fifteen years running my yoga studio—Yoga GoGo, over in Shrewsbury. Taught classes, mentored teachers, did school outreach, even worked with seniors. It’s been good work, and it gave me something while my own kids were growing up.”

She paused, not awkward, just honest.

“I’ve been divorced about a year. My kids are grown and scattered, doing their own thing. It’s quiet now. Too quiet, honestly. I’m not built for that.”

Ariana nodded slowly, her posture softening just a bit.

“When Des told me what you were looking for, it didn’t sound crazy to me. It sounded… familiar. Messy schedules. Travel. The need to be two places at once. I’ve lived that version in my own way. So when she asked if I’d meet you, I said yes.”

Jon glanced toward Ariana but didn’t speak—this was her moment to lead.

Ariana leaned forward, forearms on her thighs, fingers laced together. She wasn’t hostile, just measured.

“I’ll be honest, Gloria, we weren’t sure we were going to hire anyone at all.”

Gloria nodded like she’d expected that.

“It’s not that we haven’t had help when we needed it,” Ariana continued. “But letting someone into the thick of it, into the day-to-day rhythm of our life… that’s different. That’s not easy for me.”

“It shouldn’t be,” Gloria said simply. “That kind of trust shouldn’t come easy.”

That landed.

Ariana held her gaze for a beat longer than necessary. Not testing. Just… seeing.

“I’m not here to take over your home,” Gloria added, her voice steady. “I’m here to support it. And support you. There’s a difference.”

Ariana didn’t smile. But her shoulders loosened, the kind of shift Jon had learned to recognize. The armor didn’t drop, but maybe the latch came undone.

A flicker of something crossed her face—surprise, maybe. Hope. She glanced at Jon, then back to Gloria.

“So, let’s talk about what this actually looks like.”

Gloria nodded. “Hit me.”

Ariana gave a small grin. “You asked for it.”

Jon shifted slightly, his arm still stretched along the back of the couch. “We’re on tour right now—not the kind of tour where we’re gone for months straight, but enough that we’re in a different city every few days. There are three months left in North America, then we head to Europe in June. That run lasts through the end of July.”

“And all this is with a baby and a dog,” Ariana added, “and depending on the week, four other kids in rotation. Two teenagers, one preteen, and a six-year-old who has more energy than all of us combined.”

Gloria let out a low whistle but smiled. “That’s a full house.”

Jon chuckled. “We should probably mention, Ariana’s production company is the one running the tour. So she’s handling all the business side too.”

“So, a lot of movement,” Gloria said.

“Constant,” Ariana confirmed. “You’d fly with us and our full team. That includes Gunnar—he’s Lily’s security detail.”

“On non-show days, you’d usually have the day off,” Jon added. “Unless one of us is pulled into something last minute—meetings, venue walkthroughs, promo, that kind of thing.”

“Not to mention, I’m six months pregnant. Baby number two is due in July while we’re on tour in Europe.”

Gloria blinked. “Okay, wow. That’s… a timeline.”

“Yeah,” Jon said dryly. “We don’t do boring.”

That earned a laugh from both Gloria and Ariana.

“Back home in Jersey, the schedule’s lighter. Fewer moving parts. You’d still be needed; it will just vary depending on what we have going on.”

“Some days, it’ll be a full shift,” Jon added. “Others, maybe just a few hours. Or when Mommy and Daddy need a night out.”

Gloria gave a thoughtful nod, her expression calm and collected. “Sounds like a lot, but not overwhelming. And it helps that you’re being up front. I appreciate that.”

“That’s how we work,” Jon said. “We don’t sugarcoat.”

“Good,” Gloria replied. “Because I don’t either.”

Jon glanced at Ariana, then back at Gloria. “That’s about the gist of things.”

Ariana nodded. “How about we give you a call later today? That’ll give us some time to talk, and you a chance to think over what the role would really look like.”

“And if it’s something you’re still interested in,” Jon added, “we’re home the next couple of days. We can work in some time for you to meet Lily.”

Gloria stood, slinging her canvas bag over her shoulder with a calm ease. “Sounds perfect.”

They walked her to the door together, the air between them easier now.

Jon opened the door, and the afternoon light spilled into the entryway. “Thanks for coming, Gloria.”

“Talk to you soon.” Ariana smiled this time without hesitation.

Gloria gave a small nod as she stepped outside. “Looking forward to it.”

When the door closed behind her, Ariana let out a long breath and leaned her shoulder into Jon’s.

“Well?” he asked.

“She didn’t run screaming.”

He laughed. “You didn’t either.”

“Not yet.”

Jon brushed his hand along her back. “We’ll figure it out.”