Page 42 of Between the Lines

“Morning.” Theo smiled, too, despite feeling a little uncertain about where they stood. Last night had been intensely emotional. Not just the sex, which had been glorious, but that powerful moment of connection afterward. Christ, but it had felt transformative. To gaze into Luca’s eyes and see him looking back—really see him, see everything he felt, the whole churning mess of his emotions—had felt like a revelation. Like the start of something impossible, like a dream become real, and he’d fallen asleep in Luca’s arms effervescent with hope. But then he’d woken alone, only the sun warming the place where Luca had slept, and his hope had faded.

“Sleep well?” Luca brushed his fingers along Theo’s forearm, his touch raising gooseflesh.

“Yes, very.” He hesitated. “I didn’t hear you leave this morning.”

“I had to do the breakfasts, and you looked...” Luca glanced away, not quite meeting his eye. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“I wouldn’t have minded.”

Squeezing Theo’s arm, Luca smiled. “Come on, I’ll make you some fresh coffee. This stuff’s been here hours.”

They walked together into the kitchen, empty but for them. The back door stood wedged open with an old wooden block, heat already gathering outside. Luca headed to the counter to brew more coffee, leaving Theo at liberty to look around. It was hardly state of the art. If you were going to refurbish the place, turn it into a venue capable of catering weddings like Finn Callaghan’s, you’d need to sink a hunk of cash into the kitchen. But, still, it had its charms—he’d certainly keep the fine old wooden table Jude had been working at the other day.

“There you go, sleepy head.” Luca nudged a mug into his hand and Theo accepted it with relief, inhaling deeply before taking a sip. Nothing better—almost nothing better—than your first coffee of the day. When he looked up, he found Luca grinning at him. “Better?”

“Much. Why? Did I look like I needed it?”

“Maybe.” Luca leaned forward and brushed his lips over Theo’s, making him giddy with pleasure and warm to his bones. “Not a morning person, huh?”

Theo chased the kiss, capturing Luca’s lips again. Maybe he’d been wrong to doubt? Maybe last night had meant as much to Luca as it had to him? He smiled, hope rising. “I could think of ways they might be improved.”

“Yeah?” Luca lifted an eyebrow. “I—” He stopped, stiffened, and turned away as Don came in from outside, carrying a pallet of vegetables which he dropped onto the table.

“Don,” Theo said, politely. “Good morning.”

Don gave a tired nod. “Theo.” Then, “The delivery’s here, Luca. I’d appreciate a hand unloading.”

“Sure.” He cast Theo a look, then slipped out the back door leaving him alone with Don.

The silence felt enormous and Theo scrambled for something to fill it. All he could come up with was, “I hope Jude’s feeling better this morning?”

“Not much, no.” Don ran a hand over the top of his thinning hair. “Truth is, Jude’s not been right for a while, Theo. It’s this...” He gestured at the hotel, encompassing it all in one sweep of his arm. “The stress of it all, it’s too much for her. And Luca being so stubborn isn’t helping. Jude’s anxious all the time and it makes her very tired.”

Theo didn’t comment on Luca’s stubbornness. Their personal relationship aside, it wasn’t his place to interfere in family arguments. Instead, he said, “Well, I hope we can resolve it all in the next few days. I feel I’ve got to know New Milton much better and I hope I can convince Jude that Lux will be a worthy guardian of the Majestic’s legacy.”

“To be frank,” Don said, “I don’t give a fig about the Majestic’s legacy. All I care about is Jude, and the sooner I get her out of this place the better.”

“Then we have a common interest.”

“Do we?” Don frowned, his neck pinking. “Seems to me that Luca’s divertedyourinterest elsewhere. But if you think he’s the sort to stick around—”

Which was when Luca stepped in through the door, two stacked pallets in his arms. “One more,” he told Don as he carefully set the pallets down on the table.

With a grunt, Don disappeared back outside, leaving them alone. Luca watched him go. “He wasn’t giving you any shit, was he?”

Truth was, Don’s insinuation that Luca was distracting Theo had struck a nerve, but it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss. “I don’t think so,” he said instead, “but I don’t always notice. It can be useful.”

That made Luca smile, although only briefly. “Did he tell you my mom’s not well?”

“Yes.” Thank God. Had Jude agreed to tell Luca more about her reasons for selling? “He didn’t say what’s wrong with her, though...”

Luca turned to the vegetables, started unpacking them. “He told me she’s anxious about the whole situation—the sale, I guess. He said it’s making her sick.”

“He’s pretty protective of her.”

“Yeah.” Luca shook his head. “I don’t know, maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m being an asshole fighting the inevitable, but—”

A sound from outside startled them both, a car door slamming and a loud voice that made Luca glance at the door in surprise. It made Theo screw his eyes shut.“Shit.”

---