Edith shook her head. “He’s teasing you, hun. He always orders the burger.”
Ripping a napkin from the holder, I held it out to him. “I take back what I said. You are an asshole.”
That only made him laugh more. I hadn’t had that effect on anyone in a long time. “I’m sorry, Axel, but it was funny. I couldn’t resist.”
I looked up at the sweet lady waiting to take my order. “What do you recommend, since I can no longer trusthim?”
“Oh, honey. You can trust Luca with your life, but maybe not your dinner order. What are you in the mood for?”More laughter from him. More of everything from him to lighten my dark heart.
“The burger sounds good. With a green salad and chips.”
Luca handed her his menu. “Me too, please, Edith. And you mean fries, right?”
“Yes, yes, whatever.”
“Okay, boys, play nice until I get your dinner.”
Luca smirked but didn’t take his eyes off me. “Yes, ma’am.”
Pulling multiple napkins from the holder, I passed a stack to him before settling into my seat. “How did you find this place?”
Luca swiped at the condensation forming on his glass. “I used to live here. Without Edith and Henry, the owner, I might not have made it.”
I froze. That didn’t make sense. “What do you mean?”
He looked around the interior with a fond expression. “When I turned eighteen, CPS released me from the foster care system. I applied for a job here, doing whatever needed to be done. With no place to go, I slept in the park until Henry accidentally found out. He and Edith offered to let me stay with them. But I didn’t want to take advantage. So, he insisted I stay on the sofa in the office during the summer. He said it was for security reasons. I didn’t argue.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off him as his fingers worried the elastic band around his wrist. “What about your parents? Where were they?”
He shook his head. “Didn’t have any.”
Picking up my glass, I took a sip of water to give me time to think. As I drank, I searched for signs of pain and distress but found none. His expression never changed. “How long were you in foster care?”
“On and off my whole life. Permanently, when I turned six.”
“Was it terrible?”
He shrugged and continued to wipe at the glass. “Sometimes. But the bad homes weren’t the worst part. The good ones were. You start to believe you might get to stay.” He took a deep breath. “I stopped unpacking when I was twelve. There was no point. It was easier to move on and block it out when it was time to go.” Looking up at me, he stared unblinking. “I tried to be really good. Never caused problems.”
I couldn’t help myself. Reaching across the table, I put my hand on his. “It’s not your fault.”
Luca blinked, then looked down at where I was touching him. He pulled his hands away, then came back to me. “Yeah, I know.” His mask slipped back into place. “But I survived, and here I am.”
I swallowed. The brief moment of vulnerability he showed felt like a gift. Like he trusted me with part of his guarded life. But he really shouldn’t. “So how long did you have to sleep on the sofa back there?”
“I didn’thaveto, Axel. Ichoseto. I stayed here for four months before I went to school. It was great. And freeing. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have to worry about where or what would happen if I went to sleep. When September rolled around, my scholarship paid for room and board, and I worked my ass off to keep my grades up. I kept my job here until I graduated.” He looked at Edith, making coffee. “They’re the closest thing to a real family I’ve ever had. I’d do anything for them.”
Suddenly, my family issues were insignificant. My father may have been absent in body, but I never had to worry about the things Luca did. “I’m glad you have them.”Now you’re stuck with me.
“Me too. I’m a lucky man.”
I didn’t know how to respond. He had once lived on the streets and in the back room of a diner yet had more gratitude for those things than I did. One conversation and I knew he would change me for the better.
When Edith brought our food, I ordered more. “I’m hungrier than I thought. Could we get two more, please? And four to go.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Sure thing, hun. I’ll put the order in.”
Luca looked up at me with wide eyes. I shrugged. “What? Hockey players eat a lot. I need to bulk up before pre-season.”
