61. Lucia
sixty-one
Lucia
I pace our living room in a panic, nerves and stress radiating through every part of my body.
“It’s going to be okay, Luc,” Ari tries to assure me.
I stop pacing and take a deep breath. “I don’t know if it is, though.”
He walks over to me now and wraps his arms around my lower back. “We’ve done nothing wrong. We’re allowed to be together.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about. But until Logan said it tonight, I never considered how this would reflect on me as I’m going for the promotion. I didn’t think about how it could look.”
Ari’s face falls. “I can back off if that’s what you need for your career.”
“What?” I say in disbelief. “Don’t you dare. That’s not what I’m saying.”
He looks slightly relieved now. “Okay then. So what do we do?”
My head falls back, and I sigh. “I’m going to have to talk to Dr. Coltrain. I want to get ahead of it. If that destroys my chances of becoming Head Trainer, then I can’t do much about it. I’m not letting you go.”
“You’re… choosing me?”
I smile and press my palm against his cheek. “I’m choosing you, Ari. I love my career, but I can still be fulfilled without getting that position. I won’t be fulfilled in my life if I don’t get to share it with you.”
“I’ve never been someone’s choice before.” His voice is so soft, so full of emotion.
“Well, you’re mine. And I will always choose you.”
His lips take mine in the sweetest kiss, and I can feel all the love he has for me within it.
I could never let this go.
“Thank you for choosing me, but I still want us to try to keep you in the running for Head Trainer. What do we do?”
“I’ll set up a meeting with Dr. Coltrain before the game tomorrow. I’ll tell him everything and hope for the best. It’s really out of my hands at that point.”
“Why don’t you reach out to him then and set that up?” Ari strokes his thumb over my cheek. “I’ve got an idea how to keep your mind off it for the rest of the night. And no, it’s not sex.”
I let out an involuntary chuckle and kiss him softly. “Thank you, baby.”
Ari smiles before leaving me to myself in the living room and walking toward his bedroom.
Maybe it’s our bedroom now.
We haven’t actually talked about that.
I take a deep breath and pull out my phone, shooting off a text to my boss.
Lucia
Hi, Dr. Coltrain
I’d call, but I know it’s late
I’d like to set up a meeting with you tomorrow before the game
I sit down on the sofa and wait to see if he’s going to reply tonight, and I’m actually surprised when he does.
Dr. Coltrain
Hello, Lucia
Strangely enough, I just got the same request from Logan
Lucia
That’s not surprising
If at all possible, I’d like to meet with you before him
Dr. Coltrain
Has something happened?
Lucia
Kind of
I’ll clear everything up when I talk to you tomorrow
Dr. Coltrain
I’m meeting with Logan at eleven-thirty
Why don’t you come by at eleven?
Lucia
That would be perfect
I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr. Coltrain
Dr. Coltrain
Good night, Lucia
I set my phone down beside me on the sofa and sigh.
I’m going to just have to wait and see how everything turns out tomorrow.
“Come here, Spitfire,” Ari says, walking up in front of me and helping me stand. “Did you get the meeting set up?”
“Eleven tomorrow.” He squeezes my hand and starts leading me to the bedroom. “I thought this wasn’t sex,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
Ari tickles my side, and I squirm underneath him. “It’s not sex. I’m just trying to help my girlfriend relax after a rough night.”
I smile and lean into him as he leads me toward the bathroom, and I see a tub full of steaming water when we walk in.
“A bath?” I ask, turning to look at him.
He kisses the top of my head. “Mhmm. You need to relax.”
“Candles can help, too.”
“I love how you think I own candles.”
I laugh lightly. “I have some in my room on the dresser.”
Ari’s nostrils flare. “Your room? You mean the room you haven’t slept in for over two months? That’s just where your things are until I can convince you to move them over to your actual bedroom, the one where you sleep beside me.”
“You… you want me to move into your room?”
He wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. “Our room, Lucia. I don’t want you sleeping anywhere else.”
“I guess I just wasn’t sure what the formal arrangement would be,” I say. “We haven’t talked about what our living situation looks like now that we’re together.”
“I’ll tell you what it looks like.” Ari lowers his eyes to mine, and all I feel is warmth.
“It looks like you continuing to live here. It looks like you never moving out. It looks like you turning this place from a bachelor pad into a fucking home.” He grasps my face in his hands.
“It looks like you always here because this is the only place you’re meant to be. ”
I melt against him and sigh in contentment. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He smiles at me, and everything feels a little more okay now. “Get into the tub, sweetheart. I’ll go grab one of your candles.”
He leaves the room, and I strip myself down before sinking into the hot water. He returns a moment later with a candle and a lighter. He lights the wick and then sits down beside me on the floor, leaning against the side of the tub.
“What scent did you grab?” I ask.
“The most Lucia scent I saw,” he chuckles. “Mint chocolate chip.”
I smile at him. “Thank you, Ari. I appreciate all of this.”
“Gotta keep my girl happy,” he grins.
“You’ve never done this before, but you sure know how to be a good boyfriend.”
“Thank goodness for romance novels.” We both laugh, and he leans over for a kiss before grabbing a cup and pouring water over my head.
“You gonna wash my hair now, too, Casanova?”
“Yes. Now hand me your shampoo.”
Ari spends the next several minutes shampooing my hair before adding the conditioner and rinsing it out.
Then we spend the rest of the night cuddled up in bed, talking about anything and everything.
I know he was right earlier; everything is going to be okay.
Whatever happens, I have him.
That’s all I need.