Page 65 of Prideful Union
I chuck a napkin at him. It only floats to the table. “You saw me with Alexandria. I think I could kick some zombie butt.”
“I take back what I said. You’re right. You’d survive for a long time. You’re scrappy.”
“Damn straight I am.”
And we laugh. I’m glad Santino is realizing not everything has to be so serious to enjoy life. We can have fun, too.
But when I see Alexandria enter the café, my fun dwindles slightly. Santino notices.
Alexandria looks in our direction, then quickly looks away.
“Looks like you finally scared her off,” Santino muses.
“Good. I’m tired of her. I’m no longer wasting my time on people who don’t deserve it. People like Alexandria will always have a chip on their shoulders. I’m glad you got rid of yours.”
Santino’s eyes soften. “I was getting tired of it anyway.”
Alexandria quickly grabs her coffee and hurries out of the café. I watch her go, wondering if that’s the last time I’ll see her. Probably not, but if she comes at me again, I can just find other things to pour onto her. Is it petty? Yes. Do I care? No.
I’m living my life for me now, and that’s all that matters.
A little over a month later,Santino is finally able to get his cast taken off. I know it wasn’t easy for him to take it … well, easy during the weeks his ankle had to heal. We spent that time just getting to know one another. I deliberately put a pause on sex so we could focus on growing our other connection. Santino wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t complain.
After we return home from the hospital, Santino walks into the living room and turns the stereo on.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
He holds out his hand. “Dance with me.”
I can’t stop my heart from fluttering. Santino has never danced with me before. Not even on our wedding day. “I remember you telling me that first day we met you don’t dance.”
“I changed my mind. I want to dance with you. Are you in? Because I can turn this song off and?—”
“Nope,” I say, cutting him off. “I’m fully in.” I grab his hand.
Santino pulls me into him, and we sway together. I rest my head over his heart, feeling it beat steadily.
“I know things didn’t start off easy between us,” he says, holding me closer. “And I know a lot of that was my fault. But you’ve shown me there’s more to life than business meetings and being serious. That I can have fun, too. All those weeks ago when I told you I was maybe in love with you, I never should have said it.”
“Why not?”
He holds my gaze. “Because I should have waited until the day I could tell you I love you. No maybe about it. And that’s today. I love you, Lucia.”
“I love you, too.” The words are out before I can even think about them, but I know how true they are. Santino has changed so much in the past month. He stuck to his promise of a new beginning, and that’s what we got.
He smiles and gives me a lingering kiss. “Now, let me show you how to really dance.”
I laugh as he spins me out and back in. “No. I’ll showyouhow to really dance.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Are we really arguing about this?”
I shrug.
Santino chuckles as he pulls me back in. “Some things don’t change, do they?”
“Why would you want them to? You love my sass, admit it.”
“I’ll admit it when you say you love my stubbornness.”
