Chapter 13
Sabrina
“Can we go play now?” Jared asked Becky. She pointed at their half eaten bagels and then looked at me for confirmation. My slight nod had her saying, “Fine.” The two of them scrambled off their chairs and took off for Jared’s room. “No wrestling!” she called out in warning.
Becky took a sip of her coffee before saying, “I want details.” When I started circling the rim of my mug with my index finger she asked, “How’s Luca?”
I couldn’t control the natural smile that played on my lips thinking about our wonderful day yesterday. “He’s good. We went to an indoor soccer field to teach Mikey a few things, the man is a great soccer player. The things he can do with a ball are astounding.” Becky’s chin was propped up on her hand, and her eyes were in a dreamlike state. Ignoring her, I continued. “Then we went to an indoor waterpark.”
She let out a sigh. “I bet his body is spectacular in a swimsuit. He could probably be a swimwear model.”
When I thought about his rippled torso, strong arms and broad chest, I nodded. “He’s definitely a good-looking man.”
“Good-looking?” Becky quipped. “That is not what you call good-looking. That’s what you call sex on legs. The man has it going on, and even you can’t be that blind. Face it my friend, you landed a hottie.”
“I haven’t landed anyone. We’re just getting to know each other. Plus, I need to think of Mikey. I’m not ready to jump into a relationship quite yet.”
Becky’s eyebrows drew in leaving a tiny vertical crease above her nose. “Nope, I’m not buying it. I know you, and you’re overthinking this. From what I can tell, he’s great with Mikey. So, what is going on in that head of yours?”
“I’m not overthinking anything. It’s just…” I shrugged my right shoulder. “I don’t want Mikey to be disappointed. You’re right, Luca is great with him. He even rented an SUV because his car is only a two-seater.” Becky sighed. “Yes, I know… he’s perfect.”
We heard a crash from the other room followed by a, “We’re okay! Nothing’s broken!”
Becky and I both let out a long breath. “Boys.” She laughed. “What’s next on the agenda with you two? If you need me to watch Mikey while you and Luca… you know.” She winked. “I’m available. Hell, it’s easier with two of them. At least they occupy each other. We heard a loud thud and I arched a brow. Becky smiled. “I’ll go check on them.”
She left me at her table with a very vivid, very real visual of Luca in that damn bathing suit. When Mikey and I left the locker room, and found Luca waiting for us, I almost swallowed my own tongue. Needing to retreat quickly to catch my breath, I went off to get us towels as a pathetic attempt to pull myself together. I was a mother, for God’s sake.
As if my thoughts channeled him, my phone lit up with an incoming text.
Luca: Good morning. I hope you guys are well today and Mikey wasn’t up at the crack of dawn.
Me: Hi. lol. No, he was so tired, he never woke once until 8 this morning. Thanks again, he can’t stop chattering, and his friend Jared is sick of hearing about it.
Luca: Maybe next time Jared would like to come as well.
Me: Oh please do NOT mention that to Mikey yet. He WILL drive you crazy.
Luca: No worries. What are you up to today?
Me: Not much. Having breakfast with my friend Becky now. You?
Luca: My dumbass friend Kyle is forcing us to help him move his girlfriend into his apartment.
Me: Vanessa? That’s great they’re moving in together.
Luca: We’ll see. He’s a compulsive neat freak and she’s a slob.
I chuckled at his text, imagining it perfectly. Vanessa didn’t strike me as the type to be OCD about anything.
“What’s so funny?” Becky asked as she walked back into the kitchen. “They’re fine, by the way. My genius son tried to get something down from the top shelf in his closet and quickly discovered shoeboxes don’t make a sturdy ladder.”
“Oh, those boys. I swear every day I sprout another gray hair.”
She topped my coffee cup without asking. “So, what had you grinning?” Noticing the phone still in my hand she then asked, “Is that Mr. Sex On Legs?” Her singsong voice and the waggle of her eyebrows forced my eyes upward in exasperation. “What?”
“Yes, that was Luca.”
“He’s so smitten.”
“You don’t even know what the text said.”
“Doesn’t matter. I can tell by the dreamy look on your face that he either said something romantic or he wants to…” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Fuck you hard. Unless you’ve already done that and in that case he wants to fuck you hard, again.”
“Oh my God.” Another text chimed and we both eyeballed my phone at the same time.
Luca: Um… based on Mikey’s comment about your car being messy, I apologize if you are also a slob.
Me: Yeah, it’s me who’s sloppy. (I’m rolling my eyes).
Luca: LOL. Well enjoy your day. I have no idea when I’ll be done. I’ll touch base with you later?
Out of nowhere, Becky snatched my phone right out of my hand. Her fingers started moving over the screen and panic set in. “Give me that!”
“Relax. You clearly need help in seducing him.” She handed me my phone, and I instantly flushed.
Me: You can touch me anytime… anywhere… anyplace.
The response was immediate.
Luca: Good to know ;)
“Becky!” I tucked my phone into my back pocket mortified at what he must be thinking right now. Then again, his cheeky response instigated salacious thoughts to take hold in my mind.
While distracted over the things he had done to me on my couch last week, Becky cackled at my discomfort. “I’m guessing from your red cheeks you are imagining him doing just that. So, you’re welcome.”
Luca
I thought of Sabrina’s silky skin beneath my fingertips the entire way to Vanessa’s apartment. Her text felt a bit out of character, but I appreciated it just the same. The only problem was, I was stuck moving and unpacking because Kyle was ridiculous.
When I pulled up to Vanessa’s apartment, I spotted the small moving truck, Jude’s BMW, and Cassie standing behind it in an empty spot with her arms crossed. I couldn’t suppress a smile when I flipped on my turn signal.
Cassie scowled when I got out of my car. “Good morning, sunshine. Pleased to see me?” I clicked the fob to lock the doors.
“You’re late. So far, I’ve been yelled at, called a few choice names, had to flirt with a traffic cop, and got flipped off by someone on a motorcycle, all because I had to save this spot for you. Where have you been?”
I kissed her on the cheek. “Who told you to stand in the street to save a spot? That’s crazy.”
She glared at me. “No shit it’s crazy. Your insane friend Kyle asked me to, that’s who.”
“Lesson learned, never listen to Kyle.”
“Whatever.” Her eyes studied my car. “What is that? You bought a new car?”
“No, it’s a rental, Miss Crabby-pants. I took Sabrina and Mikey out yesterday, and my car wasn’t big enough.”
Like magic, Cassie’s scowl turned into a genuine smile. “I knew you two would hit it off.”
My phone chimed with an incoming text.
Kyle: Did you get lost?
I showed Cassie my phone. She let out a sigh. “That man has lost his mind. Vanessa better know what she’s getting into. By the way, he’s dusting before wrapping her stuff. He’s already unpacked and repacked some of her boxes. Maybe I should be thankful I was parking spot monitor.”
We both laughed, and I slung my arm around her shoulder. “Come on, we better get up there before Jude throws him out the window.”
Right when the elevator door slid open to Vanessa’s floor, we could hear the yelling from beyond the closed door. I opened it to find Jude yelling at Kyle, Brae’s hands on her husband’s chest, because she’d be able to stop him, and Kyle with his hands flailing in the air. Vanessa walked out of her bedroom carrying a small box.
“Maybe moving wasn’t a good idea,” she stated as she dropped the box on the floor with a thud. “I’ll call my landlord and see if I can stay.”
Jude’s head dropped forward, Brae’s hands fell limply, and Kyle acted like his world just stopped spinning.
“Hi, everyone!” I tossed my hand in the air. Four sets of eyes stared at me. “It seems like I got here just in time.” Examining the room, I saw a few boxes by the door next to a small hand cart.
“Hi, Luca.” Brae walked up to hug me. While in my arms she whispered, “Please separate them. Jude threatened to put Kyle in a moving box and ship him back to Canada.”
I did my best trying not to laugh at the image. Vanessa’s glistening eyes roamed around the room. “I’m really sorry I mixed up the date for the movers.” She sighed. “The only thing I have left to box up are the items in my bathroom. Aside from that, all boxes are packed and labeled.”
After taking a deep breath, Kyle walked up to Vanessa and took her into his arms. “Nessa, it’s okay. No one minds, really.” He kissed her, garnering the first smile I’d seen on anyone’s faces since I walked in. “I’ll start loading the truck with Jude and Luca. Why don’t you ladies finish packing what you need to and then we can head on over to my place.”
Once we had everything loaded up, we all got in our respective vehicles, Cassie went with me, and we headed over to Kyle’s apartment. It didn’t take as long to unload as it did to put everything in the truck.
Vanessa plopped herself down on the sofa followed by Brae and Cassie. “Thank you for helping me today. How about we leave the rest of the unpacking until another day, and we all head out for dinner and drinks… on Kyle.”
My pal’s apartment morphed from a designer’s dream to a hoarder’s nightmare, and I swear it caused him to twitch. But, in true I’m pussy whipped fashion, Kyle agreed with Vanessa’s suggestion.
I hadn’t heard from Sabrina since that text that still played over and over again in my brain. “Do you mind if I ask Sabrina to join us?”
Brae’s face lit up. “That sounds like a great idea. By the way, when did you get a bigger car?”
“Oh, I rented it for the weekend because I took Sabrina and her son out yesterday. He’s an awesome kid.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet, Luca.” Brae put her hand to her chest. “Isn’t it, honey?”
Jude glared at me. “Adorable. Can we go now? I’m starving.”
Brae swatted Jude on the shoulder. “Ignore my husband. He’s cranky when he’s hungry.”
“Don’t I know it.” I smirked at Jude. “Let’s go, I’ll call her from the car. Cass, want to come with me?”
Without any further discussion, we filed out of the apartment and headed out.
I started the car, pulled out of my spot and called Sabrina on my Bluetooth. “Hi. How’s moving going?” Her sweet voice filtered through the speaker.
“Hi, there. We’re done and heading out for dinner. How about I come and pick you and Mikey up and you can join us?”
“It’s late, Luca.”
I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. “It’s only six fifteen.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cassie cringe, but I had no idea why. “Isn’t Mikey off tomorrow?” I pulled up to a red light and now Cassie had her head in her hands. “By the way, say hi to Cassie. She’s in the car with me.”
Cassie mumbled. “Hi, Sabrina.”
“Hi, Cassie.” An audible sigh rang through the speaker. “Luca, Mikey is five years old. We’ve already had dinner, he needs to take a bath and be in bed by eight.” The sweet voice that started off this conversation was replaced with a deflated one.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I just thought…”
“No, I’m sorry I don’t mean to be rude.” The light changed and I pulled ahead remaining silent. “I really wish I could, but I can’t. It’s been a long day and the morning comes quick. Spring Break to a kid means nothing. He’ll still be up with the sun.”
“Okay. I’ll let you go. Good night, Sabrina.”
“Good night. Have fun with your friends. Bye, Cassie.”
Cassie gave me a tight grin before replying, “Bye, Sabrina.”
When the phone clicked off, I let out a breath. The steering wheel felt like steel as I gripped it tighter. “Shit.”
“Luca, don’t be upset, it’s hard with a five-year-old.”
“Yes, I know. I didn’t mean to insinuate it wasn’t. I just called to invite her to dinner, and now I feel bad.”
We pulled up to the restaurant, and even though I lost my appetite, we headed inside.