Page 138 of Pucking Tangled
“Okay, wereallyneed to go,” Owen said, passing a cup to Waylon.
“We’ll all be here when you get back,” Hannah said with a wave.
Waylon caught Mia letting out a groan.
“Yay!” She said, feigning enthusiasm.
He was tempted to kiss her goodbye, but his teammates didn’t, so he didn’t either. Her parents were cool with what was going on, but that didn’t mean they wanted to see their PDA.
FORTY-EIGHT
Luca
When they returneda few hours later, Luca hung back, watching as the door closed behind them.
He’d been putting off calling home since the news broke, but it was time.
He knew by now his parents must have heard the rumors and probably even watched his statement, but they still hadn’t called. Something told him that they were waiting on him to reach out instead.
Giving him space.
He sat on the edge of the front porch step, elbows on his knees. The air around him was thick with early evening heat, cicadas humming like static in the trees while Luca tried to remember how to breathe.
It would all be okay.
It had to be, he tried convincing himself.
Finally, he exhaled and tapped his mother’s name on his screen.
The phone rang twice.
“Luca, my baby boy,” his mom answered, her voice warm.
Familiar.
Unshaken.
“Hi, Momma.”
“We miss you. Your father and I thought you’d come home for a visit by now.”
Another beat of silence. No mention of the articles. No mention ofMia. Orthe others.
She was waiting.
“Yeah, Ma. I know.” He’d had big plans to visit after the season ended, but with everything going on, he’d been too distracted to actually make any arrangements. “There’s something I need to talk to you about first, though.”
“I’m listening.”
He closed his eyes, heart hammering.
“I’m seeing someone. Her name is Mia. She’s a law student.”
“I see,” she said softly after a brief pause. “Go on.”
“But it’s not, uh, just me and Mia. The guys. Casey. Owen. Waylon. She’s with all of us. It’s not a joke. It’s not fake. I care about them. All of them.”
He let the silence hang between them while he contemplated everything he didn’t know how to say. Were they poly? He was embarrassingly naïve and had no clue how to explain exactly what their relationship meant. How to define what they shared.
