“It’s been bugging me since you said it so instead of letting it mess with my head for the rest of the night until you decide to put me out of my misery, I’m asking now.”
I gesture toward the elevator/stairwell leading upstairs to his condo.“We should get going.”
He nods, then reaches over and slips my purse off my shoulder, hooking it over his and reaching down to grab my hand.Then we’re moving forward but I still feel like my best friend has suddenly grown two heads.What the hell is wrong with him tonight?
“Uh, Luc?”I say as we start scaling the stairs.
“Uh, London?”
“Why are you holding my handandmy purse?”
“Because then you can’t fidget with anything to get out of telling me what I want to know.”
For the second time in as many minutes, I’ve been surprised by the man IthoughtI knew like the back of my hand.
I’m still frowning and confused when we reach his front door and he leads me inside, dumping my purse on the kitchen island and manhandling me onto a stool before he moves to the fridge and pulls out the bottle of wine.
He grabs a glass and pours it half full before sliding it across the counter toward me with a nod.“There’s your liquid courage, should you need it, although I don’t know why.Unless you’re about to tell me you’re moving to Antarctica or New York and leaving me—your beloved bestie behind—then there’s absolutely nothing to be so damn nervous about.Not with me, Lonnie.You can tell me anything, but I’d much prefer everything.”
“You’re making this out to be a bigger deal than it is,” I mumble.
He shrugs and spins around, moving to the stove where he dishes out the steaming-hot pasta into a bowl and sprinkles some waiting parmesan over the top, just how I like it.He walks back over and slides the plate across the counter in front of me before grabbing his own.
“God, that smells so good,” I moan, leaning down to get another hit of basil, chicken, garlic, and cheese goodness.
“Of course it is.I made it and Iknowit’s your favorite.”There’s no missing his smug tone, but as with most things Luca related, it’s more charming than arrogant.I glance up and roll my eyes at him.Can’t have his ego swellingtoomuch.It’s not until I’ve spooned my first mouthwatering taste between my lips that he presses again.“So ...packing?”
I put my fork down and wrap my fingers around the stem of my wine glass, lifting it to my mouth and toying with it a little as I look over the rim at a waiting Luca.I quirk a brow.“So as long as I’m not moving to Antarctica ...or New York, was it?You’ll be okay with it?”
“Beautiful, if you don’t put me out of my goddamn misery here, I can’t be responsible for what I might do.”
I take a sip of the fruity chardonnay before lowering my glass back to the counter and focusing on my plate again, sighing when I catch him looking my way.
I narrow my gaze and point my fork in his direction.“Don’t you look at me with that tone of voice, Luc,” I say.
His lips twitch.“Is it working?”
“Does it make you look sad and a little desperate?
He tilts his head.“Was that a rhetorical question or—”
“Luc ...God, I forgot how tenacious you are when you want something.”That’s how I’ve always known that I wasn’t on the list of things Luc wants to keep ...
He groans and throws his hands up in the air.“C’mon, Lonnie.Why are you packing?”
“Because I’m moving out of my parents’.”
His head jerks back and his eyes jump before a wide smile curves his lips and a “whoop” comes out of him.Then, before I know it, he’s moving around the counter and wrapping his arms around me in a sideways bear hug and giving me a kiss on the temple that leaves a searing burn in its wake.
“That’s amazing news, babe.I’m so happy for you.”He rounds the island and returns to his pasta, shoving a big spoonful in his mouth.“So, when are we going to start looking?”he says around his food.He drops his cutlery onto his plate and claps.“This is awesome.We can talk to Renee; she’ll know the right people to put you in contact with, and then we can make sure we look around and find you the perfect place.I mean, I would’ve offered you my spare room if you’d asked, but then again, you probably wouldn’t want to live withanotherfirefighter, let alone a messy one like me.”
I snort, laughing at him and his chin covered in pesto cream sauce.I hold up a napkin and gesture to his face, earning a toothy basil-laced grin before he wipes himself clean.My heart melts in my chest at his enthusiasm.I wasn’t sure how he’d react, but this is better than I could’ve hoped.Except for the fact I don’tneedany help finding a place.
“Well, lucky foryou,there’s no need to help me look.I’ve already signed a lease and I’m moving on Saturday.”
At my announcement, the air in the room changes.My best friend’s brows narrow into a pointed look that’s spearing straight through me.“What?”he whispers, his tone and expression inscrutable, but now my nerves are on edge and goose bumps—maybe the goodandbad kind—are spreading over my arms.
I return his frown, except mine is a confused one.“Renee showed me a condo that was owned by Cohen’s brothers.It was available and for let and is recently renovated,andit’s in my budget.They don’t want a security deposit either because Val and Renee vouched for me and obviously Skye’s married to Cohen too.I can move in straight away.”I shrug.“It’s a win-win.”