Page 35 of Wicked Healing

Luca breathed through his nose, tamping down his anger. “You are more than welcome to have your dinner party, but I won’t be there. I told you before that I’m not coming to Malibu.”

His mother’s cast-iron smile stayed in place. “Of course you are, dear. It’s not like you have any other options, unless you go to one of those dreadful halfway houses. You’re a man of means and I won’t allow you to go there.”

He scowled at her, then glanced at his father, looking for support. Tony stood to his right, hands in pockets as he allowed the two strongest personalities in the family to decide what was going on. For the most part Tony was okay with allowing Leona to make most of their decisions because it was easier than fighting her dominant personality. His father had told him more than once that Leona had the biggest balls he’d ever seen on any woman, and Luca tended to agree. But she wasn’t going to win this one and the sooner she got that through her head the quicker they could all get back to normal interactions.

“Maybe he has something else in mind,” Tony said carefully.

Luca appreciated the unexpected support from his dad. “I do, actually. I’m going to Arizona for a while.”

He knew there would be an explosion, but he didn’t expect his mother’s face to turn such an unhealthy shade of red.

“I told you I wouldn’t be coming home with you the other day,” he reminded her, “and I meant it.”

She scowled at him. “I thought you were just saying that because the woman was there.”

Luca shook his head. “I would have said it whether she was there or not, Mom. I love you and I appreciate the support you’ve given me over the past couple of months, but I’m not coming home with you.”

“Why Arizona?” she demanded. “There’s nothing there.”

He tipped his head in agreement. “That’s part of the reason. I want something completely different from my regular life. I need to find a career and possibly go to school.”

“You know we would take care of you,” she said, her words dying under his glare.

His dad rested a hand on her shoulder. “That’s not what he wants, Leona.”

She looked at her husband and Luca knew she was struggling with letting him go again. The last time she’d let him go he’d been hurt.

“I’m not going to be doing anything dangerous. Seriously. I’m going to be going to rehab and school and reconnecting with my dog.”

He knew he shouldn’t have mentioned that last part because her face immediately turned hard. “It all comes down to that dog, doesn’t it? I just don’t understand, Luca.”

“I know, Mom,” he said tiredly. “I wish you did.”

They didn’t have much to talk about after that and they left soon after. No one seemed in the mood for lunch. Luca’s dad gave him a big squeeze before he climbed in the car. “Give her time,” he whispered into Luca’s ear, before letting him go.

Luca didn’t know that time healed everything.

Paul knocked on his door later on that night.

“I was thinking about what you said about getting out of here and taking a vacation. This is a little unconventional, but would you mind if Hope and I drove down to see you in Phoenix later? I have an aunt down there I’d like to visit and I’d like Hope to meet, and I thought it would give her a chance to see Wicked again.”

Luca must have looked surprised because Paul laughed.

“I’ll understand if you’d prefer not to. Sometimes when the guys get out of rehab they want nothing to do with the people they left behind, but I like you Luca. And Hope responds to you both, which gives me hope for the future.”

Luca really looked at Paul and he could see that the guy had a decent heart. And he realized in that moment that he did consider him a friend, and that he wouldn’t mind seeing him outside of work. “I think that’s a great idea,” Luca told him. “Let me get settled in and I’ll send you a message. And I’m sure Erin would be happy to see you as well.”

When he called her, Erin was all for it. “That’s a fantastic idea! You’ll appreciate having someone down there you know, I’m sure. ”

“Yes.”

She told him about Wicked moping around, which made him smile, then she talked about one of the dogs she was boarding. Luca loved listening to the sound of her voice and it took him a minute to realize she’d asked him a question. What had that been? Oh, if they were still on for a Saturday pickup.

Luca sat in the chair thinking. The rehab release date had seemed so far away two days ago. Now, though, all these things were bombarding his brain that he wanted to do. And the more he thought about it the more he wanted to get his truck. If he had to he could even Uber across San Diego or something. It would be odd having to use his left foot for the gas pedal, but his occupational therapist had said that a second gas pedal could be added to a vehicle on the left side of the floorboard.

“I’m going to drive out,” he said before he could think better of it.

There was silence on the other end of the line. “Okay. Are you sure?”

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