Page 85 of Trouble in Love
“Ahhh,” Tilly sighed, pointing back and forth between me and Luca. “Is that why you look so … what’s the word I’m looking for, Rory?” she teased as her husband sat opposite Luca, mirroring his around–the–shoulder tuck actions. It must have been a hockey boy thing.
“Relaxed? Refreshed? Rejuvenated?” he smirked.
“Nope, sated. That’s it. Sated.”
Snatching a breadstick from the largest collection of carbs ever amassed, I tore off a chunk and tossed it across the table. “Hey, Tori said I wasn’t the first to partake in a little …rejuvenationin the showers. I consider it a welcoming act.”
Luca huffed out a laugh. “I consider it damn-near unlawful and now absolutely necessary after each session. I’m going to stow you away in my kit bag and take you everywhere I go.”
“As tempting as living amongst your sweaty socks and jockstraps sounds, you can shove it. I have no time to travel around with you now that I have a job.”
“A job?” Luca dropped the forkful of chicken pasta he’d just picked up. “You found a job?”
“I did.” I nodded, “Well, Tilly did. Remember that day we went out and that asshole reporter leaked news of our wedding?”
Luca scoffed and rolled his eyes. “How could I forget?”
“Well, just before all hell broke loose, Tilly had mentioned Rory being so sweet and kind to the people she works with. Something about it buried in my brain and as soon as I remembered, I asked her what she did.”
Luca’s flirty blue eyes sparked, “You’re a speech therapist.” He pointed to Tilly.
“I am.”
“And you know Auslan and ASL,” he said, spinning back to me.
“I do.”
“You’re going to work with Tilly?”
“I am.” I giggled, my enthusiasm bubbling over in a most unlike me manner, “Tilly has an Australian family that needs support transitioning to ASL. I’m going to work with them and we’re going to develop a special cooking program to run at a few inclusive local schools.”
“No way,” Luca beamed down at me in a way no one ever had, that I was beginning to think I deserved.
“Yes way. We have a meeting on Monday with two school boards and I’m going to tour Tilly’s clinic after we leave here.”
“And after I drive you home to change into clothes that fit you,” insisted Tilly. I probably should have been embarrassed, but I wasn’t.
“Yeah, that too.”
“Shit, Princess,” Luca beamed, squeezing me even tighter, “I’m so damn proud of you. A few days in a new city and you already have a job and a new … shit.” His face paled, as he paused and ran his hand over his clenching jaw. “Ahh, what time do you think you’ll be done at the meeting?”
“We should only be an hour or two. Why? Is something wrong?” Then I remembered. “You had a surprise for me, didn’t you? Shit, I forgot.”
“It’s okay, Pol. This is more important. I have a few things I have to take care of anyway, so why don’t you go with Tilly and give me a call when you’re done?”
“Are you sure? We could reschedule. It’s just an informal—.”
“Nope. I am positive. Go and impress the fuck out of the board, then comehometo me.”
Hmm.There was a distinct difference in his tone when he smirked at the wordhomethat I probably should have followed up with. But the rate at which he was shoveling pasta into his mouth made me smile so hard that I forgot all about it.
With the meeting at Tilly’s workplace done and a long-forgotten feeling of pride swelling within me, it was, of course, the moment Mum decided to reach out. Using the noise of Tilly’s cute white Jeep as an excuse, I ignored the first call, but when she rang again and again, I knew the time had come to face the music. I turned to my new friend, who would hopefully remain so after the impending shit show.
“You haven’t known me for long, and you just got me a job, so I beg of you now. Please do not judge me for what I might say. This is not going to be pretty.”
“Polly, I have parents, too, and from the little you’ve told me, I think you need to talk to her. Even if you decide to cut her off, at least you can have your say.”
“I do.” I nodded while staring at my phone as though it may explode in my hand then sliding the ominous green button. “Hi, Mum.”
