“How are you, sweetie?” She reaches over and squeezes my arm.
I nod. “I’m good, Mum. I’m really good, in fact.”
She smiles warmly at me and I see her sparkling blue eyes. “I think that’s all down to that beautiful young woman.”
“Your guess would be right.” I beam.
“Young love. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this happiness. I never thought I’d see you with another woman again.”
I’ve never said it out loud to Harleigh, but I do love her. I know I do. I just don’t want to frighten her away with words too soon. I’d rather show her with my actions. I’ll take this relationship as slowly as possible. It will kill me if she decides a long-distance relationship isn’t going to work.
“You haven’t told her you love her, have you?”
I lean my arms on the table and look out into my garden. “I haven’t. She’s going home in less than two weeks. She’s been through so much, Mum.”
“When I first met her, I could see the pain in her eyes. But, each day that has passed, I’ve seen it less and less. You’re a good influence. Just like she’s a good influence on you. You can’t pass up that kind of friendship and love.”
I know the change I’ve witnessed in Harleigh, but to hear someone else say it is different. I’m glad she trusts me enough to let her guard down around me, but I don’t want to push too far too quickly. We’ve got our whole life ahead of us if we’re willing to give it a go.
“I’m so happy to see a genuine smile on your face.”
“I’m always happy, Mum.”
My mum scoffs and squeezes my arm tighter. “You might think you can fool me the way you fooled everyone else, but I saw the hurt and pain you’ve been harvesting over the last few years. It was going to take someone extremely special to get through that tough wall you built around yourself.”
I open my mouth to speak, but then close it again. I thought I had been a good actor, but clearly not.
“One day, when you have kids of your own, you’ll know what I mean when I say we see everything. A mother or father sees every little change in their child, no matter what age they are. Just like I can see how happy and in love you are today. I’m surprised you’re getting any work done knowing Harleigh is out there somewhere, on her own.”
My mum isn’t wrong. I’m trying to work, but all I have thought about is Harleigh. I’ve thought about calling her to make sure she’s got plenty of sunscreen on, making sure she’s keeping hydrated. But, most of all, I’m imagining her wrapped in my arms. The thought alone has got my dick stirring to life in my pants.
“I’ve never felt this way before.”
“My papa always used to tell me that when you findthe one,every piece of your heart is complete. Your soul is as bright as a star. And when that happens, you’re the strongest you can be. I can see that strength when you and Harleigh are together. I’m just sad you’ve both had to have heartache before you found one another.”
“Things happen for a reason, right?” I take the last bite of my sandwich and sit back in my seat.
“They sure do. When I met your dad, things were different. We didn’t have the time to court. We were married within six weeks of knowing each other. Now, you can build a relationship, watch and feel it grow, and nurture it to be strong and unbreakable. If you and Harleigh are meant to be together, you’ll figure it all out. You’ll find a way to make it work.”
“I hope you’re right, Mum.”
My mum stands up, leans across to me, and places a kiss on my forehead. “I’m always right, sweetheart.”
And with those parting words, she walks into the house, leaving me staring at her retreating back. I can always rely on my mum to tell it to me straight. She has always been a strong, independent woman that I look up to. She taught me to treat women right, to respect them.‘Never treat a woman the way you wouldn’t like being treated yourself.’
Without my mum, I don’t know where I’d be because my father is the complete opposite of her. He always provided for us financially, but he lacked parenting skills. Maybe that’s why he and Lucca butt heads at every turn. They lack a connection. Lucca and I are more like our mother. We feel things. We’re not your typical Italian males that provide for their family and leave the rest up to the woman. When, or if, I have kids, I want to be a hands-on father. Maybe I can thank my father for teaching me what not to do.
I gather up all my paperwork, make a neat pile, and get up to file it away for the day. I’ve done everything I set out to do. Now I’m ready to take some time for me.
I’m actually enjoying taking me time, and I never thought I’d hear myself say that.
Chapter 21
Harleigh
I’ve sat on the beach for about two hours, maybe even longer. Time just rolls away from me on days like today where I’m stuck in my own head. I’ve enjoyed this quiet time, just to gather up some thoughts and try to make sense of them. Not that it has worked, because my thoughts and feelings are still confusing the life out of me. My head and heart are not on the same page. My past is still colliding with my future, making it difficult to move on.
I give up trying to analyse everything now, because I’m just making myself sink further into a dark hole. A place I hate myself for sinking to, because I’ve spent too much of my life there already. I take out my book and get transported to another world by the marvellous Toya Richardson. Her new beach read series is the perfect escape from reality. But, reading this type of story lets me see that holiday romance can exist, not only in books, but real life too. The end of my holiday doesn’t need to mean the end of Giovani and me. Our holiday fling can be so much more if we want it to be. We just need to be open with one another and willing to work at a relationship. I need to stop being timid and just voice my thoughts and feelings.
