Page 94 of The Sweet Spot

“They’re crazy.” He bites his lip, an affectionate smile warming his face. “But they mean well.”

“Everyone’s family is kinda crazy. I mean, look at my parents.” I look at the dark road ahead, the green glow of road signs blurring past. “Anyway, you obviously have a solid support system.”

“I do. Wasn’t always so solid, though.”

“Why?”

“I really went through it when my parents split up. I was pretty close to my dad back then, even though he worked twenty-four-seven, and it took me a while to get used to the fact that he was going to be gone and just…not home.”

My heart tugs as I imagine a much younger Luca dealing with his parents’ divorce. “I can’t even imagine. There’s only ever been me and my mom.”

“It was rough. Nico and Dom hit it off right away. Me, not so much. I spent a lot of nights at Logan’s when he moved in.”

I pause, chewing my lip. “Do you ever miss Logan?”

He’s quiet for a minute, navigating the twists and turns of the darkened road ahead. “Sometimes. He wasn’t always easy to love, honestly, but he was one of my oldest friends.”

Saira and I have been inseparable for as long as I can remember. It’s hard for me to envision us going through a fallout of this magnitude.

“Well, you and Dominic seem tight now,” I say, steering the topic back to safer waters.

“He’s the best. He has always been there for us, always been there forme.” Luca shakes his head. “He loves unconditionally.”

“Even when you screwed up at that one summer job?” I tease.

He barks a sharp laugh, glancing at me in surprise. “I can’t believe youremember that.”

“I told you, I remember everything you said.”

“Huh.” He rests his hand on my thigh and squeezes, the way he often does while we’re driving. I cover his hand with my own, and for a while, we’re quiet.

“Arlo’s leaving on Wednesday, right?” Luca asks.

“Yeah. I can’t believe it’s been nearly two weeks already.”

“Was it everything you hoped it would be?”

“It’s been better. I knew Arlo was accomplished and smart and talented and all that, but in the end, I just wanted him to benice. I was so afraid he’d be…I don’t know…hard to please.”

“That’s a valid fear,” says Luca, returning his hand to the wheel as we merge into busier traffic.

“I know. But it was unfounded, thankfully.”

Luca nods. “Yeah, he seems cool. Very down to earth.”

“He is.” An image of Arlo’s face floats to mind, the smile he gets when we’re digging in deep on some topic that lights one of us up. “He listens to me, like he’s interested.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but it doesn’t surprise me. He did reach out to you first.”

“Rationally, I know that. But I was still terrified.” I take a deep breath,exhaling slowly. “Anyway, it’s been good. We might try and meet up in New York this summer. I don’t want to get my hopes up, because it might fall through depending on where his next assignment takes him, but I’ve got my fingers crossed. I haven’t left Santa Cruz in forever!”

“I’ll cross mine for you, too,” he says with a grin.

“I promise I’ll send postcards,” I tease.

He chuckles. “You do that.”

“I’ll probably only be gone for a few weeks, though. You can still teach me to surf.”

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