you have and what you want is you.”
Wise words.
Luca's attention shifts to his phone he's pulled out. “Speaking of king of dicks...”
Quickly I deny, “I don't wanna see a dick pic.”
He laughs. “No. No. It's just my bank alerting me that my father's just sent me part of my allowance.”
“Impressive you're in your late twenties and still get an allowance. Do you still have to ask permission to go to the dance too?”
He shoots me a low middle finger. “I like to think of it as penance for all the shitty parenting over the years or better yet, lack thereof.”
“He wasn't around much?”
Luca opens his mouth to answer yet something stops him.
This is actually the longest we've ever talked about his family. Over the course of three years I know more about the guys he plays sports with than where he came from. We're talking bare basics here. His parents are divorced. He's an only child. He's half white and half Mexican. Up until today, I didn't know he grew up learning two languages, damn sure never knew how hard it was for him to read, and most importantly, had no clue he wasn't close to his father. Warren on the other hand? I could draw you a fucking family tree with three less than interesting facts about all of them.
“What about you?” He changes the subject. “What was your first kiss like?”
“Oh no.” I wag a finger at him. “No. No. No. We're not talking about that.”
Luca slides my plate to the other end of the table away from me. “Then you're not eating.”
I stretch my body to grab it back but he continues to move it further away. The playful battle continues with me scooting back and forth in the booth and him keeping it out of my reach. Eventually, I pout. “Give me my lunch back.”
“Give me my answer.”
“Bully.”
“Effective.”
I fold my arms firmly across my chest. “Fine. I was 15 and Josh kissed me in the hallway at the end of the day after sending me an ‘I like you text’. There. Ya happy?”
He hands me back my plate. “I wouldn't say happy. 15? Do you have any idea what I was doing at 15?”
“College grads?”
Luca grabs his soda and shoots me a wink as confirmation.
A disgusted grunt comes from me, which only makes Luca's gorgeous grin grow wider.
He never ceases to amaze and disgust me within what feels like the same breath. Most people only see this side of him. They're immediately given the charm and don't bother wondering what's underneath it. Knowing there's another level to him he doesn't flaunt makes me feel special. In all reality, he is Marcus. The popular kid. The one everyone wants to get a piece of yet he's never treated me like Andy. From the moment we started working together he saw something in me he trusted. Even if I hate to admit it at times, so did I. Whether we're out at a bar against my will, or a house party I'd rather burn down than actually attend, I know there's always a spot for me at his table. And I know I never have to ask.
Luca
“What do you mean you're not home? Where are you?”
“I'm allowed to have a life, mijo,” Ma sighs from the other end of the phone.
She is. But it's not a weekend. She's typically a home body during the week. This is...odd...
I run a hand through my hair. “Yeah.”
“Did you need something?”
“I was...I was just gonna swing by and check on you. Make sure you're alright.”
“I am not fragile, Luca. One minor concern at the doctor doesn't mean I need to stop living my life.”
Minor concern? Any not immediate clean bill of health is a major concern in my playbook. If my head coach is about to be out, I need to know why. I need to be prepared to assist, to trade places and become the head coach to keep this small family running strong.
“Ma-”
“They're running more tests. I'm sure everything is fine, mijo. Stop worrying.” As if she can
Wise words.
Luca's attention shifts to his phone he's pulled out. “Speaking of king of dicks...”
Quickly I deny, “I don't wanna see a dick pic.”
He laughs. “No. No. It's just my bank alerting me that my father's just sent me part of my allowance.”
“Impressive you're in your late twenties and still get an allowance. Do you still have to ask permission to go to the dance too?”
He shoots me a low middle finger. “I like to think of it as penance for all the shitty parenting over the years or better yet, lack thereof.”
“He wasn't around much?”
Luca opens his mouth to answer yet something stops him.
This is actually the longest we've ever talked about his family. Over the course of three years I know more about the guys he plays sports with than where he came from. We're talking bare basics here. His parents are divorced. He's an only child. He's half white and half Mexican. Up until today, I didn't know he grew up learning two languages, damn sure never knew how hard it was for him to read, and most importantly, had no clue he wasn't close to his father. Warren on the other hand? I could draw you a fucking family tree with three less than interesting facts about all of them.
“What about you?” He changes the subject. “What was your first kiss like?”
“Oh no.” I wag a finger at him. “No. No. No. We're not talking about that.”
Luca slides my plate to the other end of the table away from me. “Then you're not eating.”
I stretch my body to grab it back but he continues to move it further away. The playful battle continues with me scooting back and forth in the booth and him keeping it out of my reach. Eventually, I pout. “Give me my lunch back.”
“Give me my answer.”
“Bully.”
“Effective.”
I fold my arms firmly across my chest. “Fine. I was 15 and Josh kissed me in the hallway at the end of the day after sending me an ‘I like you text’. There. Ya happy?”
He hands me back my plate. “I wouldn't say happy. 15? Do you have any idea what I was doing at 15?”
“College grads?”
Luca grabs his soda and shoots me a wink as confirmation.
A disgusted grunt comes from me, which only makes Luca's gorgeous grin grow wider.
He never ceases to amaze and disgust me within what feels like the same breath. Most people only see this side of him. They're immediately given the charm and don't bother wondering what's underneath it. Knowing there's another level to him he doesn't flaunt makes me feel special. In all reality, he is Marcus. The popular kid. The one everyone wants to get a piece of yet he's never treated me like Andy. From the moment we started working together he saw something in me he trusted. Even if I hate to admit it at times, so did I. Whether we're out at a bar against my will, or a house party I'd rather burn down than actually attend, I know there's always a spot for me at his table. And I know I never have to ask.
Luca
“What do you mean you're not home? Where are you?”
“I'm allowed to have a life, mijo,” Ma sighs from the other end of the phone.
She is. But it's not a weekend. She's typically a home body during the week. This is...odd...
I run a hand through my hair. “Yeah.”
“Did you need something?”
“I was...I was just gonna swing by and check on you. Make sure you're alright.”
“I am not fragile, Luca. One minor concern at the doctor doesn't mean I need to stop living my life.”
Minor concern? Any not immediate clean bill of health is a major concern in my playbook. If my head coach is about to be out, I need to know why. I need to be prepared to assist, to trade places and become the head coach to keep this small family running strong.
“Ma-”
“They're running more tests. I'm sure everything is fine, mijo. Stop worrying.” As if she can
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