43. Gigi
CHAPTER 43
Gigi
START OF THE NEW SEMESTER, A MONTH LATER.
“Luke, please open up!” I yell, banging on the door. “Please. I know I messed up. I’m here now.”
Music is blaring from inside his apartment. There is no way he’s not inside. Either he’s in there or Kai is in there. I turn on my heel, about to make my way down the hallway, thinking they probably can’t hear me, but then my mind decides to remind me of how Luke found Andrew.
Think of happy thoughts, Gigi. Picture the ocean. Picture the park. Picture…picture Luke holding you in his arms.
“Luke!” I knock again, my voice this time frantic. “Luke, please! It’s me. It’s G?—”
I’m both relieved and disappointed to see Kai open the door. Judging by the frown he’s wearing, he’s not all that happy to find me standing on the other side as well.
“Gigi,” he sighs out my name. “What’s up?”
“Is Luke in there?” I peer behind him, trying to find a mop of dirty blond locks in a small crowd of guys laughing and shoving pizza slices down their throats. “I need to speak to him. He’s not picking up my calls.”
“Yeah. He’s here.” Curt. Cold. Luke must have told him.
God, I fucked up. Flying to Dad. Telling Luke we need space. Shit. By the end of my trip, uneasiness started to come and go inside me and guilt racked up. Big time. But Luke wasn’t having it. My last week there, I texted him multiple times to say we should talk. His answer?
You want space. You got it.
The few weeks I spent in New York made me realize how I messed things up. On my flight and train ride back to Ravensfield, it was crystal clear to me how much of an idiot I was. I guess Luke came to the same conclusion.
“I need to talk to him, Kai.”
Kai presses his lips together. My puppy eyes are not working on him. “Give it some time, Gigi. He’s really upset with you.” Shit. “Like really upset,” Kai emphasizes.
“I know,” I whisper. “That’s why I’m here. I want to apologize.”
Luke’s best friend hesitates for a second, making sounds as if he’s debating letting me in. “Wait here a sec.”
Still in the doorway, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. My eyebrows scrunch when I see who’s calling. Michael Palmer . He never calls me.
“Hello,” I answer, cupping my other ear to make sure I can hear him with all this music.
“Gigi, how are you?”
“I’m fine.” Your wife blames me for your son’s death, but it’s cool. “Is something wrong? Did something happen with Vince or Becca?”
“No. No, dear. I was hoping we could talk.” My heart thuds in my chest. I feel it. Another confrontation is coming. He’s going to tell me how fucked up it is for me to date Luke. He’s about to rescind his blessing.
“Uh, okay.”
“With both you and Luke, actually. But Luke is not picking up my calls. He hasn’t been since…you know, what happened at the wedding.” His tone is somber. I appreciate that it’s not accusatory.
I’m tempted to tell Andrew’s dad that he might have a better chance of actually reaching Luke than me, but then I see Kai back at the door. “Can I call you back? I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of something.”
“Of course. Feel free to reach out to me whenever you’re available. Have a nice night, Giuliana.”
“So…” I look up at Kai feeling somewhat hopeful, putting my phone away. “What’s the verdict?”
He lifts his hands up in the air, blowing air out of his mouth. Kai’s smile is telling me he’s sorry. “I tried.”
I feel like I’m running out of air. This is it. He’s going to dump me. I let Judith’s words become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You might not mean it, but Luke will end up hurt.
“Thanks, Kai,” I manage to say.
“I’ll try talking to him again. He can’t keep this up forever. Take it easy, Gigi.”
“Yeah. You too.”
I bolt out of their building as fast as I could. I don’t want Kai to see my tears. I don’t even deserve to cry. This is all my doing. Luke was ready to risk it all and what did I do? I cowered.
Outside his building, I shoot Luke a text, pouring my heart out and hoping he’ll understand.
You already got a million of these, but I’m going to send another one. I love you, Luke. I’m sorry.
Luke
This might have worked a few days after you left. Hell, the week after that, even. But you went to your dad’s and gave me the bare minimum for a month, Gi. Do you seriously expect me to not be upset right now?
Well, I’m here now and I want to fix it. I know I did wrong. I really need to talk to you.
Have a taste of your own medicine.