L'amore: The Luminara Series (19 page)

“Good morning, Hazel,” Lucca says gingerly but leans over to double cheek kiss her. He’s met with a slap right across his jaw. I gasp and throw my hand over my mouth, watching Hazel wince, shaking her sore hand out.

“Shit, Hazel …?” He moans, rubbing his red cheek with his hand and then frowns. I’m shocked; I never thought she would go to the extent of actually slapping him. Maybe he deserved it, but he’s still mine and I don’t know how I feel that my man has been slapped.

“Don’t you,
good morning me
. Turns out, it’s not a bloody good morning, because
I’m
actually shattered. I had to come here in the middle of the night and hold my best friend while she cried all bloody night long, because she was
that
upset…” Hazel rants and jabs a finger in his chest “…and all because of you. For some reason, she seems to have unknowingly moved into the playboy mansion! And let me tell you this, if
you
think that it’s acceptable to be treated poorly at dinner by an employee you used to fuck and
then
discover a whore in your bed, then you are delusional. Frankly, if it were me, I’d have your cards marked and send you bloody packing.” She scoffs and shakes her head.

He runs his hand through his hair then gently lifts her hand away from his chest. “I agree, it is completely unacceptable and it will never happen again. Lexi and I need to talk and work this out. I know you are both angry, and you have every right to be. Jesus, do you not think that I am a mess right now seeing Lexi like this, and also infuriated about what happened last night? I hate to see Lexi hurt, and I am not giving up on convincing her that this will never happen again.” He cocks his head, rubbing his hand over his cheek and chin.

“Well good. You better grovel hard and sort this shit out.” Hazel softens her tone. Lucca’s hand has moved from his jaw his forehead, where pinches his brow with his middle finger and thumb.

He turns his pleading eyes to me, “Doc, please come home with me. I am not leaving here without you.” He winces before running his tongue back and forth over his bottom lip, sighs, and locks eyes with me again.

Walking forward, I reach for Hazel, hug her, and quietly talk near her ear. “Thank you for helping me, for caring, and for looking out for me. I’m going to go with Lucca, but I won’t talk to him until later, once I catch up on sleep and sort my head out. Don’t tell Cameron about what happened. He’ll go crazy and it’s complicated now that Anna’s in the mix.”

“Okay, I won’t. You sure you want to go with Lucca?” she asks. I nod and kiss her temple. “Remember what I said. Make him stew and suffer. Phone me or text if you want me to come and get you later on.”

“Okay.” I squeeze her hand finally.

Without saying another word, I brush past Lucca and head towards the car, open the passenger door, and slide in. I notice his body relax with relief that I’m going home with him. Hazel gives Lucca a final grilling because I see her lips moving, eyes narrowing, and head shaking before she gets in her little Renault Clio.

Lucca slides in the car and exhales the breath he’s been holding. He reaches for my face and cups it in both hands. “Lexi … thank you for coming home with me. Fuck! You have been crying this morning too. Baby, I am …” He pinches his eyes closed then wipes under my eyes with his thumbs. He breathes raggedly then leans over to try and kiss me.

“Don’t!” Pulling my face out of his hands, I wrap my arms around my chest, turn, and look out of the window. “I never slept last night and I need more time. I’m tired and I don’t want to talk just now.”

He inhales deeply through his nostrils, jaw clenching, and chest expanding. “Okay. Have you eaten anything?” He asks with concern.

“No.” One word that’s all he’s getting.

“Are you hungry?” I feel him study my body, scan every inch of me as if he is looking for signs … damages? Cuts? Bruises? I just don’t know. If he could see my heart, he’d find all the damage is there.

“No.” I sigh.

He starts the ignition, the radio switching on and breaking up a certain level of hostility. “Are your feet sore? Is the damage bad? Will you let me look at them when we get home?”

“No and no.” I know he’s trying to care for me and strike up conversation and I’m being dry. He’s lucky I’m talking to him at all. The atmosphere is thick with tension, a haunting feeling of unspoken words circling around us.

“Just drive, Lucca. I want to go to bed.” He looks out his own window, staring, collecting his thoughts, then returns his focus to driving. Other than the annoying pop song on the radio, the journey is silent. The next song to play is Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.” I have to scoff audibly at the irony. Lucca curses and switches it off. I was enjoying it too and hoped it was making him uncomfortable. It appears it was. He leans one arm against the window resting his fingers on his tilted head.

Reconciliations

Thankfully, Rose and Peter are out with Doris when we arrive home. Without another word, I storm upstairs holding my clutch bag and shiver looking at our bedroom door visualising what I found behind it last night.

I enter the second spare bedroom down the hall and slam the door. There is no way I’m sleeping in his bed after that slut has been there. I lock myself in the bathroom of the spare room, slide down the door, and lean against it. Lucca comes barging into the room, and bangs on the bathroom door, pleading for me to let him in.

“Lucca, unless you want me to sleep in a bathroom, you’d better get out of this room right now. I need space.” I hear him sigh, mumble, curse, and slide down the back of the door.

I fall asleep, cold and uncomfortable against the tiles of the bathroom floor. I don’t know how much time has passed when I wake up. I’m relieved Lucca isn’t on the other side of the bathroom door. I stumble back to the bedroom, lock the bedroom door this time, strip my dress off, pull the duvet back, and crawl in. Hours later, a knock at the door startles me.

“Lexi, petal, I have some food for you,” Rose says carefully.

“Thank you, Rose, but I’m not really hungry,” I croak lazily.

“Lexi, love, please eat something. Lucca has made you butternut squash soup and a black pudding, prawn, and chorizo salad. He says you like this.”

I sigh, thinking about Tuscany.
He remembered
.

“Rose, thank you for bringing it up, but I’m honestly not hungry.” Eating is the last thing on my mind.

Exhaustion takes over, my heavy lids falter, and then I’m sleeping again.

When I wake, I take my pill packet from the zipper compartment of my bag, swallow my pill with tap water from the bathroom, then switch my phone on. It’s buzzing frantically with text messages and about a billion missed calls. I check the time—4:30 p.m. I’ve slept the entire day away.

Lucca – Baby, can I come in yet? Xx

Lucca – Baby, are you awake? xx

Lucca – I love you, please talk to me? Xx

Lucca - Please do not shut me out. I love you xx

Lucca – Doc, seriously, you have been giving me the cold shoulder all day. I need to talk to you xx

Lucca - Why will you not eat anything? Ignoring me is one thing, but you need to eat. I am not happy with this. How much space do you need? Xx

Lucca - I am sorry. That was out of order, but please, baby, eat something. Come down the stairs to me xx

Lucca – I am going out of my mind down here. Doc, please. I love you xx

Lucca – Can I come in yet? Xx

Lucca – Tu sei il più bello e intrigante donna che abbia mai incontrato xx

Jess – Please text or call me. I’m worried about you. I hope you’re ok. I love you xxx

Hazel – Let me know everything is ok. Does Old Ted have diabetes? Xxx

What is Hazel going on about? I will need to check in on Mr. Carlin and his home help.

Me – Mr. Carlin is not diabetic, well, not that I’m aware of, and I’m fine. Been sleeping on-off. Xxx

Cameron – When are you going to call Mum? She’s been on the phone and not happy you haven’t contacted her. You better make up some excuse x

Me – Ok. Fine.
No kiss
.

I don’t have the energy or patience to call my mum today. It will need to wait.

Jane – Hi, hope you’re well. Do you fancy meeting for lunch next week? Xx

Mark – Lexi can you call me re: rescheduling client appointments. Hope you’re feeling better.

I’ll have to speak with Jane and Mark at some point regarding work at the clinic. I think I might just go back early as I need some independence and normality to my routine, even if my wrist isn’t up to massaging. I could sort out the administration. I could do with Mark having a go at my wrist—it’s worth a try.

Granny – Hi, darling, when are you hoping to come up for a visit? We miss you and love you. Granny xxxx

Granny is so bloody persistent.

Me – I’ll speak with Lucca and check when is convenient for a visit. Xx

Jess – Lex, r u ok? What’s going on? Xx

Lucca – I am sorry. I am so fucking sorry, you have no idea xx

Lucca – Can I bring you something to eat? Xx

Lucca – Doris is wrecking the front lawn. Can you come and get her? xx

He’s using Doris as an excuse to get me out of bed, well I’m not falling for it.

Samantha – Need to get coffee night arranged. When suits? Xxx

Rachel – Hey, would love to meet you for coffee to catch up on holiday chat xxx

Jess – Lex, let me know you’re ok please. I’m worried.

Me – I’m fine. Just having a relaxing day. Sorry about last night. All is good. Thanks for letting me stay. Speak soon. Love you. Xx

Lucca – Doc, if you do not reply, I am breaking the lock and coming in xx

I know he had nothing to do with the blonde bimbo showing up last night, but he does have a colourful past and I’m disgusted, to say the least. Plus, the Kimberley situation has ignited a blaze deep in my stomach.

Me – I’m not ready to talk yet. I’m tired and still angry.
No Kiss
.

Switching my phone off, I slip back to sleep.