hapter 9
I touched Luciano’s arm.
“Did you hear all that?”
“Yes.”
“Then are you annoyed that I talked so much to him?”
He cracked a smile. “No. It’s good to talk it out.
“I knew you wouldn’t do anything out of line.”
Unlike Rocco, who was mildly aggressive, Luciano was like warm spring sunshine.
I felt warm again and whispered, “Thank you, honey.”
“What?” Luciano stiffened.
I was too embarrassed to look at him, so I turned my head
away.
“Thank you, honey.”
I knew he was wondering if it was a dream, but the answer
was no.
Luciano asked in a shaky voice, “Can you call me that again?”
“You are annoying. Honey, honey, honey…
“Is that enough now?”
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Chapter 9
He blushed scarlet and didn’t know what to say.
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Seeing my mischievous look, he sped up and got into the room before me.
His walk became awkward.
In the next half–year, I’d been avoiding Rocco.
At parties our mutual friends threw, there would be only one of us.
Meanwhile, Luciano and I were getting closer.
The other day, he came to pick me up at work with a bunch of sunflowers as usual.
He was standing in front of his car, and the sun shone on him.
My heart missed a beat for that view.
“Don’t live in the second bedroom anymore,” I said.
In surprise, he took over my bag, opened the door for me, and sat in the driver’s seat.
Then, he turned to me with twinkling eyes.
“Honey, may I kiss you?”
I thought, “Excuse me? You don’t need to ask.”
That night, Luciano hugged me and refused to let go.
He looked mature in front of other people. But with me, he was like a needy child.
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Chapter 9
Joyce called me, so I tapped his hand.
“Get your hand off. I’ve got to take this.”
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On the phone, Joyce sobbed, “Lauren, I know I shouldn’t ask, but…
“Can you come and see my brother? He had a car crash.”
I paused when I heard about him again.
After the last time I saw him, he stopped being a womanizer.
But he formed a lot of bad habits, including drinking and speeding.
The day before yesterday, he was in low spirits, so he was speeding in a mountain.
But the brakes weren’t working and caused a car crash.
The doctor said that he could lose his legs.
“Rocco refused to go abroad for treatment. He said he deserved it.”
Joyce continued in a tearful voice, “Lauren, can you come and talk some sense into him?”
I was silent for a long while.
Luciano hugged me from behind and said in a flirtatious voice, “Honey.”
I gripped his hand. “Sorry, Joyce. I can’t.
“I don’t want to see him.”
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Chapter 9
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After a pause, I added, “Tell him that I’ve moved on and that he should too.”
Then, I hung up and looked at Luciano with a mischievous expression.
“Luciano, are you jealous?”
He nodded with an injured face.
“Yes.”
I wrapped my arms around Luciano’s waist, stood on my toes, and kissed his Adam’s apple.
“Are you jealous now?”
Longing filled his eyes, and he flipped off the light.
At that moment, there was no one else in our world.
The end.
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