Chapter 9
Luca
As I watched Axel disappear, the vibration of my idling car felt almost prophetic.
Every time we were within a few feet of one another, I felt an electrical undercurrent running between us.
Something about him gave me the courage to trust. He shook me from my well-padded comfort zone.
Usually, I stayed away from people who threw their money around, and he did that without question.
Taking him to the Silver Stream was supposed to make him finally back off and prove to him I wasn’t worth his time.
But that plan backfired. Rather than sending him running, the place and Edith had charmed him while pulling him closer.
To my horror, he had lulled me into opening up about my life.
Instead of the awkwardness I expected, dinner had been enlightening and fun.
If anything, it was nice to have company for a change.
Pulling out onto the street, I intended to go home, but ended up back at the diner. When I pulled in and parked by the door, Edith looked up and waved. Only a few customers remained when I slipped into the same booth we’d vacated a short time ago. “I thought you might come back.”
I ran my hands over my head. “Yeah. In case you were wondering, the tip was legit. You don’t have to worry about it not going through. He’s a Nighthawk.”
She waved her hand. “Oh, honey. I already did the Google with the picture thing you showed me. It’s a lifesaver.”
I chuckled. “I should have known. There’s no pulling the wool over your eyes.”
“Damn right. I’m a smart cookie. Besides, I wasn’t gonna let my Luca dine with just anyone. Did you know his family is high to do?”
Curling my lips, I tilted my head. “Yes, I know. But I don’t think he has anything to do with them. He only mentioned his brother, and I had to pull that out of him. He’s definitely his own man.” I paused, then tapped the table. “I just can’t figure out what he wants with me. I’m nothing special.”
Edith sat down in the booth and placed her hands over mine, settling me down. She was the closest thing I had to a mother. “How long have you known him?”
“About a week.” Regaling her with the brief history, the more I talked, the more she smirked. “What? What am I missing?”
“He sees the Luca we see. The one with the big heart. Did you ever consider that maybe he needs that in his life? It must be hard to find real friends. Maybe he needs more.”
I chuckled as my face heated. “Yeah, no. That last one is not gonna be me.”
She shrugged, but the smirk remained. “Okay, whatever you say.” She put her hand over her heart.
“But I can read people, and he reminds me of my Stan. Quiet but strong. A man of few words, but present, hanging onto every syllable. When we fell in love, he was almost hard to take. But that was just his way to show he cared.” She smiled wistfully. “I miss him every day.”
I squeezed her hand. “I know you do. I didn’t mean to bring you down.”
“You didn’t, sweets. You never will. What does your head tell you?”
I blew out a breath. “I don’t know yet. But I don’t think he’s dangerous.” At least not physically. “I’d better go. I need to work some before bed.”
“Okay.” She squeezed back. “It’s time for you to allow yourself some friends in your life, Luca. Something tells me he might need you as much as you need him.”
“I don’t know. I need to think about it.” Slipping from the booth, I kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Okay, sweets. Don’t be afraid to open this up,” she said, patting my chest over my heart. “Have a good week.” I walked out the door, mind now clear, and ready to work.
When I got home, I put the burgers in the fridge, then took a quick shower.
Crawling onto my bed, I took out my laptop and connected it to my hotspot to check my email.
I had a message from my advisor asking me to stop by to check in on my progress.
Just as I was about to reply with my new availability, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from Axel.
Swiping the screen, I answered. “Hello, boss. Firing me already?”
He snorted. “Not a chance, Vaughn.”
“Then why are you bothering me? I’m trying to get some work done after you carjacked me.”
He paused. “I did no such thing. If anything, you kidnapped me.”
“It’s impossible to kidnap someone who waits for you like a stalker, then climbs in your car and refuses to leave you alone until you agree to dinner.”
“Huh,” he said, pausing again. “When you put it that way, it does sound odd.”
“Odd is a word for it,” I mumbled. Maybe Edith was right. Maybe he was lonely. “I’ll call it relentless pursuit of a grossly unqualified person.”
“That’s quite an assessment. I didn’t expect someone like you to have self-esteem issues.”
I smirked. “I’m a realist, Hughes. People like you don’t hang out with public servants. You have a built-in group of friends with padded bank accounts.”
He huffed. “Are you saying you choose your friends based on their income?”
“Do you have friends who don’t have seven-figure bank accounts?”
Silence again, but I waited him out, making my point.
“See my point?”
“No. I do, in fact, have a friend without an income stipulation. You. But also like you, true friends outside of hockey are not something I have a lot of. Decker is the only one here that I know personally.”
The side of my mouth inched up. “He’s a good guy.”
“He is. His wife and kids are great. She used to try to feed me when we played in Germany.”
“Huh. That sounds like something you’d do. Case in point, the bag of burgers.”
“Whatever.”
“Thank you, by the way. I appreciate it.”
“Well, you took me someplace that failed to meet my daily spending criteria. You left me no choice. My accountant bitches about not having enough expenses to write off my taxes.” He was such a liar, but I let him live in his delusion.
“Really? You’ve been here ten days, and you’re already worried about your taxes? Are you some mogul or something, Hughes?”
“Something like that.”
He didn’t elaborate, so I went on. “So…” I extended the word. “Why did you call?”
“I need to know what time the driver should pick you up in the morning?”
I frowned. Fun Axel had been replaced by boss Axel. “What are you talking about? I don’t need a driver. I have a car. You rode in it, remember? Or did you block my sweet ride out of your mind?”
“That would be impossible. I’m well aware of your ride, as you call it. What time?”
I ran a hand over my face. “Axel, are you listening? I don’t need a driver.”
“Lu-ca,” he drew out. “This is part of those temporary changes I told you about. Please just humor me. I have reason. So, what time?”
“I have to drive my car. It’s part of my job to be available for my clients should they need me. Therefore, it needs to be with me in the parking lot.”
“That’s not a problem. He’ll wait.”
“All day?” I squeaked. It was unattractive. “Are you fucking insane? I’m going to hang up on you again. In fact, I’ll text you the names of some mental health professionals who can help you address your issues. You should start soon.”
“No. Do not hang up.” He was breathing more heavily. “Please.” It sounded like the word left a bitter taste behind. “You promised.”
I closed my eyes and breathed out. “Axel…” I whined. So unattractive.
He countered with his own emotional plea. “Please, Luca. Just allow me to do this for you. Think of it this way. You can also do your project in the car. How much time could you save by allowing someone else to do the driving?”
Motherfucker had me there. I was definitely going to have to get better at dealing with him.
My irritation waned as I tried to understand his need to control everything.
“Tell me why you think I need a driver? I’m having difficulty justifying his sitting all day. Some days I never leave the office.”
“Okay. It saves time, and that’s his job. George is not the only driver in New York to wait for his client. Would you want to take his job away, Luca? He probably has a family that relies on his income.”
Asshole. Would it be so bad to have a driver take me into the city?
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shook my head in disbelief.
He was exhausting. “You have a counterargument for everything, don’t you?
I bet you were in the Debate Club in high school.
Your opponent probably ran screaming when you stood up. ”
He huffed a reluctant laugh. But it was there. “No debate club. It wasn’t necessary. The why you so desperately seek is that I take care of the people around me. Especially my friends.”
“Fine. But only tomorrow.”
Of course, Axel had his own ideas. “I’ve already paid him for the week. You wouldn’t want me to have to ask for a refund, would you?”
I groaned. He had me there.
“That’s what I thought. When you’re finished at the office, he’ll bring you to my apartment.
I’ve pinpointed places to consider, but I want your opinion.
We can go out again, or order dinner in.
I’ll leave it up to you. Bring your computer and your books.
In fact, you can leave them in the car if you like. ”
I blinked rapidly as I listened to his plan. He was too much.
“For the third time, Luca, what time should he be there?”
I released my heaviest, most irritated sigh I could muster. “Seven. Sometimes there’s traffic.”
“Good. A black SUV will be waiting.”
“Fine.” I was ready to hang up.
“Oh, and Luca. Leave your car keys with the driver. I need to borrow your ride.”
I sat up, ready to fire back. But the asshole ended the call. And when I called back, five times over the next hour, he didn’t pick up. It went straight to voicemail. “That fucker blocked me,” I muttered to myself.
The next morning, I exited my building to find the black SUV waiting. When I approached, the driver got out and met me at the rear passenger door. “Mr. Vaughn?”
I hoped he was ready for the most boring week of his life. “Yes. Call me Luca.” I placed my keys in his outstretched palm. “I think you need these.”
“Yes, sir. Nice to meet you, Luca. I’m George. Mr. Hughes ordered a variety of breakfast and lunch choices for you this week. He left me with strict instructions to make sure you ate before allowing you to exit the car. And you’re supposed to take the insulated bag for later.”
All I could do was laugh. Axel was taking this entirely too far. “Of course he did.”
George held the door open and waited for me to get in. When I was seated, he didn’t close the door. “I’m to wait until you put on your seatbelt. He said to tell you to buckle up, butternut.”
“It’s buttercup.”
He snorted. “Yes, sir. I know.”
I tilted my head as I snapped the seatbelt in place.
As George closed the door and rounded the front of the car, I sank into the plush leather seat of the air-conditioned car.
The smell of leather and coffee permeated the air, making my stomach growl.
I had to admit, this was nice. Too nice.
Luxurious treatment was meant for people who were somebody, not me.
Edith’s words resurfaced in my mind. He didn’t need to buy my friendship.
There was something sad about that idea.
Deciding to lean into the luxury while it lasted, I looked at the bright side.
I wouldn’t go into work with disheveled hair or need to reapply my deodorant again. And I wouldn’t have PB&J for lunch.
Glancing at my choice of four beverages, I reached for the coffee. Taking a sip, I knew it was going to be perfect.
Taking out my phone, I sent him a text.
Me: You think of everything, don’t you?
Axel: I try. Have a good day.
Me: You too.
Placing my phone on the seat, I chose my breakfast and enjoyed the view of the city. It was a ride share. It couldn’t cost that much.