Page 69 of Between the Lines

Theo just smiled.

Four frantic hours later, the circus had come to town. Rainbow flags snapped and danced in the early summer breeze, the garden crowded with excited locals and a hefty peppering of fans of Finn Callaghan and Josh Newton—or, as Miranda called them, “shippers.” She was there, too, wrangling the press and, of course, everything was being live-tweeted and Periscoped and God only knew what else. Luca left all of that to his genius partner and his assistant, and sat back on the fringes with his mom and Don.

“He’s quite something, isn’t he?” Jude said as they watched Theo giving orders in preparation for Finn and Josh’s arrival. They were only driving over from Hanworth Hall, but you’d think they were helicoptering in from LA, the amount of fuss it was causing.

Luca smiled. “Yeah, he really is.”

“I’m so pleased.” Jude took his hand, and hearing a wobble in her voice Luca turned to look at her. Wintering in Miami had done her the world of good: she’d gained some weight, and looked tanned and relaxed. Happy, too, despite the tears in her eyes. “This time last year, I’d never have dreamed of this... You, running the Majestic.” She waved her hand at the circus. “All of this. It’s like a dream, Luca. We’re so proud of you, aren’t we, Don?”

Don looked a little out of his depth, but smiled his agreement. He and Luca had reached a cautious détente over the past few months, and whatever Don’s thoughts about Luca and Theo’s vision for the Majestic, he hadn’t objected. And he was here, which said a lot. “Thanks,” Luca said, smiling. “Theo should take the credit, though. This is his brainchild.”

“Oh, we’re proud of both of you, honey. Theo...” She pressed her hands to her chest. “Well, I just love him.”

Tears sprang to Luca’s eyes, unexpected, like a flash flood. “Thank you,” he said when he could speak, surprised by how much it meant to hear those words. How much he’d been longing for them, for years, perhaps, in a way. “Mom, I love him, too.”

“Oh, Luca, I know you do.” She reached out and brushed a hand through his hair. “It’s written all over your face.” Smiling, she dashed away her tears. “I couldn’t be happier or prouder than I am right now.”

Impulsively, Luca hugged her, reveling in how much stronger she felt. “I love you, Mom.”

She squeezed him back, sniffed, and then laughed. “Now, you’re gonna make my mascara run.”

He let her go, rubbing at his eyes as Theo came over. He looked between them with concern, hesitating. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Luca held out a hand, and Theo took it, let himself be drawn closer. “Emotional, you know? About the hotel. Buthappyemotional.”

Theo’s expression cleared. “Ah, good.” He smiled at Jude and Don. “We’re so pleased you could both be here.” Then he squeezed Luca’s fingers. “Do you have a moment?”

“I guess I can fit you in. What do you need?”

Theo smiled an odd, nervous smile and tilted his head toward the Majestic. “I want to show you something.”

“Okay...” He gave Jude a helpless shrug and let Theo tow him away through the milling crowd. “You realize Finn and Josh are going to be here in about fifteen minutes, right?”

“I’m well aware, thank you.”

Theo said no more, but kept hold of Luca’s hand as he tugged him up onto the porch and around to the front of the hotel. It was quieter here, all the attention out back in the garden, but there were still people around. Theo said a few words to them, giving them an update on Finn’s arrival time, and then they slipped inside and behind the reception desk to the small office area. It had an actual twenty-first century computer now, complete with high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. Luca tried to forget his assertion, less than a year ago, that no guests at the Majestic would want Wi-Fi. What an ass he’d been.

When Theo closed the door behind them, Luca turned to look at him with feelings caught halfway between curiosity and amusement. “If you think we’ve got time for a quickie before Finn shows up, I’m willing, but...?”

Theo flushed, which Luca would never stop finding adorable. “Not quite what I had in mind.” He cleared his throat, tugged at his cuffs, and Luca felt a needle of anxiety.

“Theo, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. That is, it’s—Luca, these last ten months have been the best in my life. Working with you on the hotel, the refurbishment, the promotion—being here, living here with you... I feel like you’ve given me everything.”

Luca laughed. “Are you kidding? You’ve givenmeeverything. Everything I wanted and was too afraid to even imagine.”

“I feel the same,” Theo said, smiling. “God, I feel exactly the same. But there’s something that doesn’t feel right to me. It hasn’t from the start, and I want to make it right before we open.”

“What do you mean?” Luca said warily. “Everything feels right to me. Better than right. Perfect.”

Theo nodded, but didn’t answer as he walked over to the desk and pulled a file out of a drawer. Inside was a document and he held it out, chin lifted as if he expected a fight. “I’ve had your name added to the title deeds of the Majestic. You only need to sign it and we’ll be joint owners.”

Luca stared, astonished. “You’re giving me half the hotel?”

“Yes.”

He’d own the Majestic, like his mom. Hell, he wanted it, but... “I can’t. It’s too much. You invested everything in this, Theo, all your money. You can’t justgiveme half.”

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