Luca’s words warmed me. My body trembled with excitement as I considered the next steps with Luca. At the end of February, my lease was up.
My hands slid up his chest, and they moved with the steady rise and fall of his breath. “Two months.”
“Until?”
I smiled, fisting his shirt. “Yet.”
TEN
Ashley set a box on the counter and gave me a funny look.
“What?” I tried to shove my dull rainbow sheathed knives into the cutlery drawer.
“Are you really going to keep those? Luca has professional-grade knives. I don’t think you need your cheap knives anymore.” She started pulling out novelty wine glass after novelty wine glass from the box.
“If the kitchen master didn’t want to house my more eccentric kitchen gear, he shouldn’t have left me to the unpacking. This is his punishment for going into the office on move-in day.”
Ashlaughed as she held up a wineglass that said: I’m not slurring. I’m speaking in cursive. “I can’t believe you’ve kept all of these. You’re a hoarder.”
Finally wedging the green butcher knife in between two expensive thingamabobs, I slammed the drawer closed. “I’m not a hoarder. I’m an appreciator. I’m sentimental.”
“You sure are mental . . .”
“Shut it.” I grabbed the glass from her hand and contemplated the open cabinets. Luca already had a complete set of any kind of glass you would need. My heart broke. There wasn’t any room for my precious keepsakes of drinking. “Just leave them there for now.”
Sighing, I went back to the living room and plopped down on the couch. Ashley followed close behind with two seltzers.
“How youdoin’ champ?” Her sweet face held an unnatural frown.
I took a sip of the wild cherry bubbly and tried to collect mythoughts. “I’mokay. A little disappointed Luca’s not here, but I get it. It’s just weird to think I live here now.”
Looking around the already decorated room, I wasn’t sure where my art was supposed to go.
“It’ll get easier once you make it more your own. Give it time.”
I nodded, not comfortable with how out of sorts I was feeling. The excitement of the day fell flat as soon as Luca left. He left me to figure out how to shoehorn my life into his. Without him there, it was easy for doubt to creep in.
Ashley placed her hand on my knee,drawing attention away from my morose musings. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“No. Not at all. I want to live with Luca. I just don’t know how all this works. I don’t know. I think I’m feeling weird about being here without him on day one. It’ll be fine when he gets home.”
With a cautious smile, Ashley finished her can and checked her phone. “If I’m going to be ready for my date, I need to head home. Are you sure you’re going to be okay alone?”
A Cheshire grin spread across my face. “I’ll be fine. What is this, date number three with the wonderful Theo?”
Standing up, Ashley blushed as she gathered up her coat and purse. “It is, and I need to make sure the apartment is ready for company.”
I followed her to the door. “Well, have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Ashsnorted and hugged me. “So, then nothing’s off the table. Noted.” Pulling away, she wrapped a scarf around her neck. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Will do. Now get out of here!”
Waving, I shut the door and locked it. Ryan rubbed against my ankles, purring. “Hey, buddy. Let’s find a place for your cat tree.”
Three hours and five drinks later, I was drunk and no closer to figuring out the cat tree situation. Luca texted every hour apologizing for his lateness, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him it was okay. It wasn’t okay. I was fucking pissed.
Sighing, I left the cat tree in the hallway and headed upstairs. I pulled on a silk chemise and roughly tugged out the tucked corners before slipping into bed. Ryan’s soft purring relaxed me, but sleep never came. Around threea.m.,a loud crash sounded downstairs.