Page 45 of Luca

I begin to interrogate him over who might’ve signed for the items but instead keep staring at the familiar item protruding from his lips.

“What? I thought I’d try quitting too.”

I raise my brow, shocked. Miguel has smoked two packs of unfiltered cigarettes for as long as I’ve known him. Hell, I thought I was going to have to ask Jillian if she could help me locate an oxygen tank when I borrowed his car recently.

“My girl is pregnant. I can’t be doing this shit no more,” he mumbles around the candy.

For a few moments, I forget about the strange delivery and focus on my young employee. “No shit, Miguel. That’s awesome. Congratulations.”

“Thanks, man. She was afraid to tell me at first. She was worried I’d be upset. But I’m over the moon about it. I can’t wait to be a dad.”

I give him a brotherly pat on the back and try to ignore the fact I’m feeling a little jealous of his unexpected news. I’ll likely never marry or have kids of my own. And with this thought, the short-lived joy I felt for Miguel has dissipated. Like a balloon popping at a kids’ party, there went my mood. “Miguel, did you sign for this?”

He eyes the stacks of packages in front of us. “No. I think the new guy you hired did.”

“What new guy?”

“I think he’s Sampson’s kid.”

Fuck. I don’t want to come down on him too hard until I can figure this out. I’m sure the kid was only trying to help. But I can’t continue to manage a successful business this way. “Okay, I’ll try to contact the number on the side of the boxes. But if you locate the shipping receipts, let me know.”

“Got it.” Miguel reaches for my back pocket, and I jump.

What the fuck?

“Chill, boss. I just needed one more to keep the edge off.” He chuckles as he waves a grape-flavored lollipop at me.

Okay, I admit it. I woke up edgy today. This is more than just my business getting out of control. I went to bed with a smile on my face and woke up to the reality that is my life. This thing with Jillian can’t continue.

Every single member of her family is genuine and kind. They’ve each suffered tremendous hardships. The most obvious being Jillian’s loss of her husband. In essence, she’d already lost the relationship with her father. But her mother has had to grieve too.

I feel like a stand-in parent for Antonia.And Mimmo. Watching their suffering has almost been too much at times. I’m sure it’s been no different for Cecilia.

Getting a taste of what life would be like with someone like Jillian, plus a house full of beautiful chaos with her boisterous kids all about, is a temptation I need to put a stop to. I’ll figure out this backyard party, then put some distance between us. Protecting my family and keeping this business afloat: those are my priorities. I can’t risk putting her or her children through any more pain than they’ve already had to endure.

Walking from the receiving area of the warehouse into the shop, I scan the talented group of men I’ve got working for me. Through the sparks of heated metal flying in the back corner of the room, Sampson stands almost a foot taller than the rest.

“Hey, looks good.” Sampson’s work could rival my own. It’s flawless. He can quickly knock out the more generic pieces of furniture on our list, but his talent lies in the detailed art he produces. He has a heart for getting lost in his creations. They’re distinctive, one of a kind. I feel it too. It’s what I love most. Creating something unique out of the unexpected. It’s like Steam Punk meets industrial metal.

My gaze roams over the incredible wall clock he’s working on. The circular piece sits atop a fluid dark copper background with several cracks in the metal. The fissures appear natural, as if they’ve developed due to time, the elements, or some strain against the shiny surface. Yet within those crevices, he’s forged multiple time pieces, large and small. There are small clock faces, time watches, and pocket watches filling the fractures of the metal. Each of them perfectly placed.

“Thank you.”

“It’s too good for these clients. This deserves to be in a museum, my friend.”

“One day. You and I will be standing tall together, Luke. Watching people marvel at our handiwork.”

I pat him on the arm. As precarious as my future is, this I feel strongly. That somehow my art will survive. That’s one thing I can always count on. “I needed to talk to you about your son.”

Sampson immediately removes his protective shield from his face. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“No. At least I don’t think so. And if it did, this is on me. I think he may have signed for some receivables I wasn’t expecting. There’s nothing on the log for the items. I’m not sure what they are or who ordered them.”

Sampson removes his gloves and drags a palm down his sweaty face.

“Look. I’m sure it’s a simple case of them not getting logged onto the clipboard. For all I know, I ordered them. I was just afraid to open the cartons until I knew so we didn’t get charged for something sent here accidentally.”

“I’ll talk to Marcus. He’s a good kid. I’m sure he was only trying to help.”

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