“I’m never too busy for you. Send me the address, and I’ll be there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Do it now.”
For the first time since I’d arrived, I felt like I could breathe properly.
“Thank you, Luca.”
“I’ll see you soon, Stevens.”
Luca: I’m here.
If he had driven fromhis house, he must have sped here to arrive so quickly. I wasted no time, pushing through the back door and storming into the kitchen. My mother and sister’s conversation stopped as I entered the room.
So they were bitching aboutme.
Just as I left through the front door, their footsteps echoed down the hallway as my sister shouted, “Where are you going?”
I spotted Luca’s car parked at the bottom of the drive. My shoulders relaxed, and the knot in my stomach eased with every step I took toward hiscar.
“Matilda!” My mother’s shout followed me down the drive. “Where are you going?”
As I got closer, Luca must have seen something in my face because he climbed out. His unwavering resolve did something to me, and another tear escaped, but this time in relief. I’d never felt so grateful to have someone so steadfast by my side.
“Come here.” He opened his arms, and I rushed into them, savoring his familiar scent. His arms enveloped me, an embrace thatspoke volumes. His warmth seeped into me as one arm wrapped around my shoulders, and the other cradled my head against his chest.
He held me for a second before pulling back an inch so he could search my face. His eyes flashed as he registered the tearstainson my cheeks and my swollen eyes.
“Is thatLuca?” My sister’s voice traveled down the drive.
“Can we go, please?” I whispered.
“Of course.” He pressed a quick kiss on my forehead before walking to the passenger side and holding the door open. I climbed in, sinking into the luxurious heated seat that Luca must have warmed on his way over.
The thought made me want to cry again.
Luca, whom I’d known for not even four months, cared for me more than my own family did. And I hadn’t even had to do anything to win his friendship other than be myself.
“I’ll get us out of here and then we can talk.” He squeezed my thigh before reversing. We drove for about five minutes, with only the radio breaking the silence. Luca’s knuckles remained tense and white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.
“Are you OK?” I turned to facehim.
“No.” He exhaled heavily before continuing, “I am reciting the list of reasons why I shouldn’t go back there and give your family what they deserve.”
“What’s on the list?”
“That your feelings are a lot more important.”
“What else?”
“Nothing—that’s it,” he deadpanned, but his hands were starting to loosen their grip.
“It’s not really a list, then, is it?” I joked, attempting to ignore how my heart skipped a beat at his words.
He glanced at me, a small, dimpled smile pulling up one side ofhis mouth. His soft eyes assessed me again, and I couldn’t quite believe this was the same man I’d met all those weeks ago. The same man who’d told me we’d never be friends and would barely look atme.
“What happened?”
