Chapter 32
Luca
Thealarmonmyphone goes off, jarring me from my writing and bringing me back to the real world and out of the one I’m creating.
I’ve been like a man on a mission this week, churning out words at a rapid pace. If I’m not sleeping or eating or working, I’m writing my ass off. I haven’t had a story come together this quickly in so long.
I finish typing the sentence and leave myself a couple of notes about what’s coming next, then shut my laptop and place it on the arm of the couch.
Poor Austin hasn’t had a home-cooked meal since before he gave me this laptop. Okay, well, that’s not entirely true. He hasn’t had a home-cooked meal he didn’t have to make since before he gaveme this laptop. Tonight, I want to get back into it. Or at leastfortonight.
There’s something so freeing about being with Austin. I clean when I want to clean. I cook when I want to cook. And if I don’t, he just does it himself. He’s not resentful. He doesn’t hurt me. He just talks to me while he washes the dishes, smiles as he reminds me I need to eat to write the next bestseller, and rubs my back when sitting too long makes me stiff and sore. Hell, we haven’t had sex in a week, and he doesn’t even care.
I mean, I’m sure hedoes,and God knows, I want to do it again. Soon. Tonight, preferably. But he doesn’t push for it. Doesn’t even act disappointed when I’ve stared at my computer so long that I can’t even keep my eyes open. He just kisses me and snuggles the shit out of me until we fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.
Austin has always been my safety, and now, that’s even…more.
After turning on some Christmas music with my phone, I start cooking dinner. I lose myself in the process, singing along to the music as I cut and toss veggies in the pot for a beef stew.
This was always one of my favorites for a cold day, but Damien never liked it and complained any time I made it. When the complaints turned into black eyes, I stopped making it.
I’ve just about finished it up and am putting some bread in the oven to crisp when Austin walks through the front door.
“Hey, you,” I say, smiling at him as he hangs up his coat and kicks his shoes off. “You’ll be pleased to know I left book world long enough to cook you dinner for once.”
When he turns around to look at me, the smile falls off my face at his expression. “We need to talk.”
Well, shit. “Okay.”
I place the oven mitt on the counter, cold acceptance washingover me. I can do this on my own. I’m strong and capable, and I don’t need Austin to survive. Wasn’t lying when I said I fucking wanted him for survival, though.
“Baby?” He rushes across the room. “Hey, whoa. We’re good. You and me? Solid. Not that. Holy shit.Neverthat.”
I let out a laugh, not really sure what else to do with all my nervous energy. “Okay. What’s going on, then?”
He sighs. “Can we sit down?”
Looking around the kitchen at all my hard work, I sigh. “Yeah, okay. It can’t wait until dinner’s done?”
Austin’s eyes scan his surroundings, almost like he didn’t even realize I was standing here cooking. “Oh. Uh—yeah, yes. That’s fine. It can wait.”
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for the bread to crisp because he’s a wreck the entire time—eyes darting all over, shaking his hands in front of him nervously. I’m honestly starting to get a little concerned about the state of our floors as he paces back and forth between the living room and kitchen.
I watch him while I scoop stew into bowls and grab each of us a piece of bread. “Ready?” I ask, gesturing toward him with the bowls.
Without a word, he takes both bowls out of my hands and heads into the living room. He’s actually making me a little weirded out. I’m not sure what to do with this version of him, and while I know and fully trust that he would never hurt me, his energy is setting me on edge.
We both sit down on the couch, and he places the bowls on the table in front of us.
“Okay, what’s going on?” I ask. God, I should have just had him tell me earlier. This is stressing me out.
“Have you heard from Damien?” he blurts out.
My eyebrows draw together. “Uh, no. I haven’t. Why?”
“Someone was in the diner asking about you. Ma thought it might have been him, but it wasn’t. I showed her a photo of him. Anyway, it’s got me freaked out, Luc. You haven’t heard from him at all?”
My heart speeds up a little, but I try to force it to stop. I inhale a deep breath. “No. I haven’t heard from him. I promise I’d tell you if I had.”
