Chapter 34
Luca
“Morning, baby. Merry Christmas Eve.”
It’s always a good morning when I wake up snuggled against Austin. God, how did I go so long without him and his touch? Who knows.
I hum. “Mornin’. Merry Christmas Eve to you.”
Warm lips settle on mine, and I can’t help but smile. Snuggles and warmth and kisses are the best way to wake up.
“Did you sleep well?” Austin asks after our kiss.
“I always sleep well with you.” It’s the truth too. There isn’t a better sleep in the world than the sleep I get with him. “I need to get up and make breakfast.”
Austin laughs, and I peel my eyes open to look at him. He’s smiling at me, brown eyes twinkling. Fuck, I love him so much. “How about I make breakfast?”
“You don’t have to,” I argue, sitting up and stretching.
“I know, but I also know that I woke up at three in the morning and you were sitting up, just typing away.”
I can feel my cheeks heat. “Okay, yeah, I was.”
“I love it.” Austin kisses my forehead. “So, I’ll go make breakfast. You get showered for work. I’ll meet you on the couch, and then I’ll drive you.”
I will admit that it’s nice that Austin’s been driving me to work.
Not that I really need him to, but still.
It’s nice for him to be waiting on me at the end of a shift, the truck already warm, so even when the winter air freezes me half to death in the thirty seconds it takes to walk across the parking lot, I’m warmed right back up.
The time has become almost sacred. A time to talk about our days, to reminisce about the younger versions of ourselves. For anything, really.
With another kiss, Austin climbs out of bed. “See you soon, baby.”
It’s harder than it has any right to be to leave our sleep-warmed bed and make my way into the bathroom. Taking showers in the morning should be a crime, but I didn’t feel like leaving Austin’s arms to do it last night, and so this is the price I pay.
Worth it.
I’m quick in the shower, my growling stomach rushing me along more than anything else, and when I step out onto the bath mat, the scent of bacon reaches my nose.
My stomach growls again, so I dry off and get dressed, then head into the living room.
Austin’s already got breakfast waiting on the coffee table. “Oh, fuck yes.”
His laughter brings a smile to my face. “Just finishing up the coffee, and I’ll join you. Figured you could use a pick-me-up after last night.”
“I didn’t mean to stay up so late.” I sit down on the couch and pick up my plate, then take a bite of the crisp bacon after dipping it into my syrup. “I just woke up to River screaming at me, and I had to get up and get the laptop.”
A cup of coffee is placed on the table, and Austin sits down beside me. “I’m so glad your characters are talking to you, baby. Even if they do tend to hinder your sleep.”
“It’s definitely better than the alternative.”
Years and years of no motivation and no creativity. I almost forgot what it was like to have a brain teeming with life, stories floating around, and characters yelling for their chance to talk.
“You were right,” I add, glancing at Austin before cutting a piece off my syrup and toast and shoving it in my mouth.
He raises an eyebrow. “About what?”
“Damien didn’t break me.”
The look on Austin’s face has me giggling, and I’m actually a bit surprised he’s not taking a victory lap around the living room. “This might be my favorite ‘I told you so.’” He reaches over to give my thigh a little squeeze. “I knew you’d just need to see it for yourself.”
I’m still not sure it would have happened without him, honestly.
Sure, I did a lot of work to get to this point.
Every panic attack, every moment of self-doubt, and every hard day made me think it would never come.
But there were also days of kicking ass in self-defense and taking back my sexual power and doing nothing but sitting on the couch with my laptop without a worry in the world for what would happen when Austin got home.
“A lot of it is because of you, you know,” I say, looking up at him. “You gave me a safe place to thrive. You made me believe in love again.”
“Nah. That was all you, baby.”
Stubborn man.
“At any rate, I’m happy now. With you.”
His eyes light up. “I’m happy with you too. I love you so much.”
I couldn’t fight my smile if I tried. “I love you too.”
We finish our breakfast, then hit the road to go to the diner. It’s cold as hell today, and there’s still snow everywhere. It’s everything I hoped it would be. Quiet and peaceful. It’s pure white out here, only the tracks from people’s tires on the road marring the beauty. I missed this. Home.
When we pull into the diner, he leans across the console, smacking a loud, wet kiss on my lips. His grin is so goofy that I, honest to God, feel myself fall just a little deeper in love with him.
His gentle care is so fucking sweet, and I can’t wait to live with it for the rest of my life. He pulls on my scarf, covering my throat. Not to cover bruises, but to keep me warm. “Have the best day ever, Luc. I love you. I’ll see you after your shift.”
“I love you too.”
I climb out of the truck and head inside, giving Austin a final wave. He waves back, waiting until I’m safely behind the doors before blowing me a kiss and pulling out.
Ugh. Why does everything he does make me all stomach-fluttery and stuff?
Deb looks like she’s ready to head to war—apron on, hair pinned back off her face. “Are you ready for a busy day?”
“Sure am. Let’s do it. Arlo’s coming in early too, right?”
She nods. “We’ve got a lot of prep to do. If it’s anything like last year… shew, I’m just glad I have you boys around this year.”
I smile, following her into the kitchen. I’m pretty damn glad she has us around this year too. And she will. For this one, and all the ones to follow.
“It’s boring today.”
“You’re not wrong.”
Arlo sighs, slumping into a booth as we sit around the diner. Other than our lunch rush, we’ve been dead. Deb made a Christmas Eve special since we’re closed from tomorrow until after New Year’s, and I thought for sure that it would bring in more people.
“How was y’all’s last self-defense class?”
I sit down across from him. “It was good. Still sucks you didn’t go.”
He shrugs, his face turning pink. “I know. I was busy, though.”
“You know you can talk to me, right? If something’s going on.”
“Yeah.” Arlo stares up at the ceiling. “I know.”
I wait to see if he’s going to say more, and when he doesn’t, I decide to let it go. This really has been the most boring day known to man. I’m ready to close up and get home. Austin doesn’t get days off, not like I’m about to, but I’m still excited to be able to spend time at home.
“How’s your writing going?” Arlo asks, turning to face me.
“It’s really good, actually. I’m about to round out the third act. River is about to find out that Noah does have feelings for him after all, and it’s not just pretend for him anymore, either.”
Arlo sighs. “So romantic. I can’t wait to read it. I can’t believe I’m friends with a real-life author.”
Until Damien, I was always dreaming up stories and coming up with grand ideas. But it still feels strange to refer to myself as an author. “I wouldn’t go that far,” I say, laughing a bit.
“I would. I couldn’t write a story to save my life.”
“This is actually the first time I’ve written anything of this magnitude. When I was younger, I’d mostly do little short stories, and then while I was with Damien, I didn’t write at all. Wonder if I could get it published.”
“I don’t see why you couldn’t.”
Yeah, no harm in trying. I’ve gotta get it finished, of course, but hell, at the rate I’m going, I could have it done by the end of next month. Or at least the first draft. “Yeah, maybe I’ll see how I feel when it’s finished. Anyway, are you still coming over tomorrow afternoon?”
Arlo sits up, excitement flashing in his eyes. “Yeah, definitely.”
I fiddle with my fingers under the table. I’m not used to having friends. Austin is such a fixture in my life that he doesn’t really count, but Arlo snuck in and blindsided me with his dry humor and unwavering support. “Thank you.”
His brows draw together. “What for? You’re the one who invited me. I’d be alone if not for you.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Thank you for being my friend. I’m glad we found each other.”
Arlo laughs, but then sobers. “Thank you for being my friend. Until I came here, those were in short supply.”
I place a hand on the table, offering it to Arlo, who takes it and gives it a gentle squeeze. After smiling at him, I pull my hand away and stand. “Alright, let’s find something to get into. I’m bored out of my mind.”
“Let’s send Deb home. Let her spend some extra time with Art.”
It’s like he read my mind. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.”
Arlo and I go into the kitchen together and find Deb scrubbing the grill. “Hey, boys. You doing alright?”
“Yeah, we’re fine,” I answer. “We came to relieve you of your duties. Go home and spend the evening with your husband.”
She studies me for a second before glancing at Arlo. “And you’re staying here?”
I almost roll my eyes. They’ve all been treating me with kid gloves, and it’s grating on my nerves. It’s been almost three weeks since the mystery man showed his face asking questions, and just as I suspected, nothing has come of it.
“I’ll stay,” Arlo says, nodding.
“And you’re sure you can handle it if you get another rush?”
I look past her and out the window. The snow is coming down again, and it’s already getting dark. “We close in an hour anyway, and we’ve been dead for two. I can’t see us picking up now.”
She sighs, taking off her apron. I knew we’d talk her into it. “Alright, alright. But if you need anything, call me.”
We won’t need anything. “Will do.”
She gives me a hug, then Arlo, before grabbing her coat. “You boys be safe, and like I said, if you need me, call.”
“We will,” Arlo assures her, ushering her out the side door. “Be safe on your way home.”