We went back to the kitchen, and Luca pulled out the ingredients for the dough, and I hopped on a barstool at the island. “So, Adriana ended things with Marco.”
Luca looked up from the yeast he was measuring with a frown. “She didn’t.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, fuck.” He poured warm water over the yeast and leaned against the counter as it proofed. “Now’s not the time for his head to be a mess.”
“Luca.” I frowned.
“I know. That’s shitty, but I need Marco to be focused, and this will only distract him.”
Luca started chopping veggies for the toppings as I grated cheese.
“Maybe they’ll work it out.”
Luca mixed the dough, his brow furrowed, and his full lips pursed into a thin line. “I doubt it.”
“Why?”
“Watch your fingers.” He dipped his chin at the sharp grooves of the grater that my fingertips were dangerously close to being scraped against. “They did this before.”
“Oh.” I corrected my hold.
His forearms flexed as he kneaded the dough. Every fold and flip mesmerized me. There was nothing like Luca in the kitchen to arouse my every attention.
“Sasha?”
I looked up at Luca. “I’m sorry, what?”
He chuckled. “I asked you to grab a jar of pizza sauce from the pantry.”
“Got it.”
Luca jarred his own sauces in big batches, something I’d never considered until I lived with the ex-chef. Our shelves were lined with every kind of tomato product you could imagine.
“Did you know Beth won the election? I can’t believe I forgot to vote. I’ve never not voted.” I set the jar down next to his workspace and sat back on my stool. “She told me thegood newswhen I ran into her today.”
Luca popped open the jar, dipping a spoon in to take a small taste of the sauce. Nodding, he ladled it on the dough. “We donated to her challenger in the primary. Unfortunately, the Cooper name carries weight in this city.”
“Well, she was on the news talking about our casino and rethinking if the city really needs another.”
Luca grinned. “I’d like to see her try to stop us.”
“So, you’re not worried?”
He sprinkled cheese on and started to arrange the toppings. “Not in the least. The casino is a boon for the city. Jobs, tourism, the taxes? She’d be a fool to stand in our way.”
I sighed. “That’s what I’m worried about. You didn’t see how weird she was today. You’d think we broke up yesterday, not years ago.”
Luca’s black eyebrows pulled together as he focused on me. “She give you trouble?”
Waving him off, I picked up a pepperoni and tossed it at his picture-perfect pizza. “No, nothing like that. I just don’t think we should write her off.”
“You know her best. I’ll take your word for it and keep an eye on her.”
“Thank you.” I leaned across the countertop, careful not to dip my front in the pizza. “I love you.” I pecked his lips and fell back into my seat.
“I’m going to put this in. Why don’t you get changed? I’ll get Dante in here to help with the salad.”