Page 43 of State of Mind

“It wasn’t all morning. It was five minutes, maybe,” Luca defended, unwilling to lie.

At that, the other man’s eyes darkened for a second, and he took an imposing step forward. “We haven’t met. I’m Knox.”

Luca’s eyes widened as he extended his hand and felt his fingers near crushed in a firm shake. “Oh. Uh. Raphael mentioned you.”

“So, you and Raph are official?” Knox asked.

“Oh my God. No,” Luca said in a rush, pulling his hand back. “No, not…I was at the bakery with Wilder.”

Knox’s face didn’t show any ease. “Ah. Wilder’s a good guy.”

“Don’t,” Fitz warned him, and Knox scoffed. “Why don’t you get Ruiz and finish that trimming job Mrs. Winters was asking for.”

Knox rolled his eyes, then gave Luca another sharp look before he stormed off. When he was gone, Luca’s shoulders slumped, and he glanced away. He knew Knox wasn’t romantically interested, but it was very obvious he was protective—and that he didn’t like Luca much.

“He gets that way with everyone,” Fitz said, his tone surprisingly gentle. “I’ve only seen him loosen up around two guys before, and that’s because he wants to sleep with them, and they keep turning him down.”

Luca’s cheeks pinked. “I can’t tell if that’s supposed to make me feel better or insult me.”

Fitz chuckled. “Neither. He has specific taste. But for what it’s worth, Wilder was smiling this morning when I ran into him on my way to Adam’s truck, and I haven’t seen that look on him in…maybe ever.”

Luca’s stomach twisted with worry and pride. He liked that he could give Wilder something—but the pressure was a lot. “We’re not…I mean. It’s new.”

“I know,” Fitz said with a gentle smile. “I’m not trying to make it more than it is. I just want you to know that I noticed. And I’m happy for you both.”

Luca didn’t know what to make of that, but he thought it was probably time to stop searching for hidden meaning in people’s words. At least here, people didn’t play those same games as they did back in Malibu.

Which, really, was starting to feel less and less like home.

“So, you know the uh…farm?”

“Will’s place?” Fitz asked, the corner of his lips twitching.

Luca let out a heavy sigh. “So you know what happened.”

“Aksel is my best friend. And by that, I mean he’s been one of my soul mates since we were eight years old. So yes, I know.”

Luca wanted to be angry—it was private, medical information, and no one had the right. But Fitz wasn’t looking at him with pity, rather more sympathy and apology. And he just didn’t have the energy to care. “Do you think he’d mind if I went back there?”

Fitz laughed. “Who, Will?” When Luca nodded, Fitz dragged a hand down his face. “He would love it if you went back. I haven’t seen him around in a while, but he’s probably a mess about what happened. He’s a good guy, and he takes it pretty personally when people get hurt out there. Especially by Kevin. He doesn’t like when people are angry at him.”

“I’m not angry with him,” Luca said—and he meant it with every word. He had been in too much pain at the time to be disappointed that his trip to the farm had been cut short, but he was thinking about it now, as the entire day sat before him with nothing to occupy his time.

He was beyond the ridiculous idea that he could find himself by digging his hands into dirt, but he wanted to present himself as a person willing to bounce back when everything fell apart. He’d never done that before, and he needed to know he was capable.

“You good, man?” Fitz asked.

Luca smiled. “Actually, I think I am.”

CHAPTER 14

Wilder drummed his fingers on his leg, nervous energy rippling through him, threatening to trigger his vertigo, which was teetering on the edge of another attack. He hadn’t had a day like this in a while—not since he left home. Stress was one of his biggest triggers, but he had never considered how badly he could stress over getting something he wanted. Mostly, he thought with a sardonic, quiet laugh, because it rarely happened.

He was comfortable and settled in Savannah, but the city had never inspired such hunger or desperation in him before. In fact, he wasn’t sure he’d ever wanted something as badly as he wanted Luca—and the thought didn’t scare him as much as it should have. Luca had asked him not to cook, but Wilder hadn’t thought about his own restrictions until half an hour before Luca was supposed to show up.

Which was why he was standing outside of Adam’s truck waiting on a container of rice, saltless grilled chicken, and a couple of Israeli salads. He felt like an ass for picking up a plan B, but he didn’t want anything to ruin what the night might become. He wasn’t ready for everything—hell, he wasn’t ready for much—but he was ready to prove to himself that he could move on. That Scott hadn’t robbed him of a future with someone else.

Wilder started when the window slid open and Adam leaned out, a plastic bag looped around his wrist. ‘Finished,’ he signed.

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