“I did! I bought flowers. I went to the school and asked her out, what more does she want?” I didn’t realise how bitter I was about the whole situation until I heard myself say it out loud.
It’d been ten days since I’d made a fool out of myself, and I was in no hurry to do it again anytime soon. Okay, maybe Elise wasn’t the one for me. But I’d taken the first step in putting myself out there. I might’ve been turned down, but I’d tried. Eventually I’d try again. I guess. Maybe.
“So what? You bought flowers. Have you thought about how she felt?”
“What do you mean?”
“You showed up at her work and basically ambushed her. Did you ask how her day was?”
“Yes. I’m not a complete Neanderthal.”
“And what did she say? What were her words, not what you thought you heard?”
Sienna was a bitch sometimes. I had half a mind to toss her over my shoulder then straight into the pool. I asked for her advice not her counselling.
“Well, I can’t remember exactly, but she wasn’t having a good day, I know that much.”
“Well there you go,” she said proudly as she stood up and dropped her wrap on the lounge before diving in without the hint of a splash.
“Wait! What? What do you mean, there you go? How’s that supposed to be helpful?” Frustrated, I stood up and tugged at my hair, needing the burn as the ends pulled my scalp.
“Think about it, dumbarse. She was having a shitty day. You show up unexpectedly and assume she can just drop everything that’s going on in her life and go out with you. She doesn’t even know you.”
I hated when Sienna was right. It was almost as annoying as admitting Isabella was right. That one was the queen of ‘I told ya so’.
“I’m a nice guy though. Aren’t I?” Now she had even me doubting it.
“Yeah, Luca, you’re a nice guy. But she doesn’t know you. Not really. And if she’s not into soccer, which I hate to break it to you, big brother, not all girls are, she may not even realise you’re a big deal.”
“Well, I am,” I huffed.
“You’re nice, Uncle Luca,” Phoebe confirmed with a wide smile that wrapped around my heart.
“Thanks, Princess. How’s that unicorn?” I asked, pushing all thoughts of others from my mind and concentrating on the most important and most beautiful girl in my world.
“I love it!”
“That’s great!”
“Thanks for letting me ride her.” I had no idea where Phoebe got her manners, certainly not from her mother who swore like a sailor most of the time. And her grandmother! She was the worst of all of us. She might pretend to be the sweet old lady who bakes the best cannoli around, but it was all a front for her filthy mouth.
“Anytime, Princess. She’s always here waiting for you.”
“See, Mummy?” she said, turning to face her mother who was shooting me the evil eye over her daughter’s head. “I told you Uncle Luca would let me swim whenever I want.”
“Well maybe next time Uncle Luca needs to find his board shorts and come in with you. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“That would be the best ever. Uncle Luca, will you swim with me?”
How the fuck was I supposed to say no to that? It was impossible. From her huge, pleading brown eyes staring up at me to the crooked smile and those pink spotty swimmers she wore, it was just not going to happen. Not with me anyway.
“Absolutely! Next time, count me in.”
Sienna laughed, and I waited until Phoebe spun around before flipping her the bird. For the next twenty minutes, I sat on the side of the pool, alternating between scrolling through my phone and watching them splash around. Sienna was an awesome mum, and I was so damn proud of hert. When Phoebe started complaining she was hungry, it was time to call it a day.
She climbed out of the pool before running over and launching herself into my arms, soaking my shirt. “Phoebe!” Sienna scolded as she climbed up the stairs and wrapped herself in a towel.
“Did you just wet me?” I asked Phoebe, ignoring Sienna.
