23. Luka
Luka
"It's an airplane." Penelope's voice echoes through my living room as she yells at Jake.
"How is it an airplane if you are flapping your arms?" Jake stands up off the couch, starring at me. "Why aren't you on my team? This is ridiculous." He walks off to the kitchen and Adrianna falls over laughing.
Penelope flops on the couch next to her. "Next time, you are going to be his partner."
Her serious face causes me to start laughing. "He is normally an amazing charades player."
She looks at me with a shocked look on her face and slaps her hand on her chest. "Rizzoli, are you saying it's me that is the problem?"
"He is absolutely saying it's you." Jake walks into the room with a new round of drinks, handing one to Adrianna and me. He holds out Penelope's drink to her. She scrunches up her nose and he shakes the cup at her. He tips his head back and sighs. "What?"
"Tell me that it isn't me." Penelope looks at him.
Jake sets her drink on the table and leans over her. Placing his hands on the back of the couch on either side of her head. He leans in close to her. "No."
I start laughing so hard I can't breathe.
Adrianna and I have been together every day I am home.
When I am not, she watches my away games with my family.
They have fallen in love with her. I know I have, but I haven't told her that yet.
I don't want her to run off. A couple of times, the paparazzi wouldn't leave her alone.
One time, she and CeCe were coming out of a restaurant with Gio and pounced.
CeCe ended up breaking the camera of one of the guys and Romeo wanted to go on a killing spree because the asshole scared Gio.
Adrianna felt so bad. So, I have kept my feelings from her.
I can't let hockey get in between us. I know in my heart I will walk away from it if I need to.
She might kill me for it, but I don't care.
I am finally able to catch my breath and I look at Adrianna, wondering what she will throw at Jake.
She absolutely hates it when he rides on Penelope.
I see her looking at her phone. I can see the glimpse of sadness in them before she masks it.
I am guessing it's her Mom. She has been messaging Adrianna nonstop since Adrianna blocked her Dad's number.
Her Mom even tried to get Adrianna's brother to reach out for their Dad.
He laughed when he told Adrianna that he told his Dad to deal with it himself.
I told her that I would do or say anything her Dad wanted me to do if it made her happy.
She always waves me off and changes the subject.
I pick her up off the couch, sit down and place her on my lap. "Everything okay, Gattina?"
"Yeah." She sighs and places her head on my shoulder. "Why do you call me that?"
I am shocked it has taken her so long to ask me that. "Because you are cute and small, like a kitten." She scoffs at me and tries to climb off my lap, so I pull her toward me.
"I knew it was because of that. I hate that."
I cup her cheeks. "It is also because you have claws. You aren't afraid to use them. You will protect those you love without a second thought. Like a new kitten. That you don't care what anyone thinks. You just do it because that is who you are." I lean in and place a kiss on her lips.
"Okay, I don't hate it anymore."
"Good. Because I wasn't going to quit using it." I laugh at her and we continue to play an awful game of charades.
The next morning, we are standing in front of my family's plane. "We are not riding to North Carolina in that." Adrianna grabs my hand and pulls me away from the steps.
"I don't know about you, but I am riding in it." Penelope takes her bag and runs up the steps. "Come on, Addy. Let's go."
"Baby, please take the plane. I would feel better knowing you were safe." I push a strand of her red hair behind her ear. "Please."
"Fine. I hate that you can't ride with us."
"Jake and I have to ride with the team, but I will see you as soon as I can." I kiss her. "But I have to go, Baby." I pause, and she looks up at me. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from telling her I love her. "Get on the plane."
"Okay, I will see you later." She kisses me again and climbs the stairs. I watch her wave out the window as they prepare the plane to leave.
"Come on, Rizzoli. We have to go." Jake pats my shoulder and we turn to head to the team meeting spot.
Our plane landed two hours later than expected.
It was something to do with plane maintenance.
I know that Adrianna and Penelope will be leaving the hotel soon to go to her brother's game and I don't want to miss them.
Thankfully, Coach makes us wear our suits while traveling, so I don't have to worry about changing.
I jump off the bus and head to the hotel lobby, praying I didn't miss her.
I step through the door and my girl is standing there looking amazing.
She is in the skin-tight jeans I love. She is in a dark blue jersey and her red hair is in a high ponytail.
She is wearing a pair of dark blue heels I bought her.
She turns to say something to Penelope, and I see the back of her jersey.
"Is it stupid that I hate she is wearing another name on her back? " I whisper to Jake.
"Yes, it's her brother's name, asshole." I know he is right, but I can't hate the feeling in my heart. Penelope turns around and she is wearing the same jersey with the same name. "Never mind, it's okay to hate it." He growls and slows down his steps while I quicken mine.
"Luka!" Adrianna finally sees me and I love how her face lights up.
"Hey, Gattina." I wrap my arms around her and pick her up.
"I didn't think I would see you before we left, " she says, burrowing her head into my neck. "Will I be able to see you after the game?" I set her down and kissed her forehead.
"We are going with you, Baby." She looks at me in shock.
"You are?"
"We are." I grab her hand and head to the door. "Hey, Pen. Like the plane?"
"It was amazing! Thank you so much for allowing us to take it. I don't think I will ever be able to ride commercial again."
We step outside to the awaiting SUV. Thankfully, Liam reached out to a local family here in Raleigh, and they not only offered up some vehicles but also protection.
Normally, I don't leave the hotel unless I am with the team, and even then, I don't really worry about anything.
But I am not taking any chances with Adrianna here with me.
We pull up to the side door of the stadium. Thousands of people are walking around, all in either dark blue or light blue. "This is a huge rivalry game, right?" I have never been a basketball fan, but I wanted to do some research about the team Adrianna's brother played on.
"Yeah, one of the biggest in the league. These games can be insane." Penelope says as she slides out behind Jake. I put my arm around Adrianna and Jake moves to the outside of Penelope. Keeping the girls between us makes me feel a little better walking toward the side door.
"We need to go this way to get inside." Adrianna pushes me toward the front of the building.
"Not a chance, Gattina." I push against her, leading her to the side door, where I show the guy standing outside my phone with our tickets.
"Someone inside will walk you to your seats." He holds the door open for us.
"No one has ever had to walk us to our seats before," Pen whispers as we walk through the door.
"That is probably because you have never had courtside seats before," Jake says as he moves her back between us.
"What?" Adrianna comes to an abrupt stop. "What courtside seats?"
"Baby, you don't think I would fly you out here to sit up in the stands to watch your brother play, did you?" I pull on her ponytail and chuckle. "Come on, if we are fast enough, you might catch him during warm-ups." I pull her hand to get her moving.
Penelope starts clapping. "Oh, this is going to be so good! I can not wait to see your brother's face."
"Sure." Adrianna starts walking while Jake tells the person standing by the entry where our seats are.
I pull her to a stop and tip her head so she is looking up at me. "Is this okay, Baby? I thought you would be happy about being able to sit so close to him. We can change seats if you want."
"No, it's okay, Luka. I just hope it isn't a distraction for him." She smiles one of her unsure smiles and it guts me.
"Let's change seats. I am sure someone will be willing to give up their seats for courtside. Where do you want to sit?" I pull Jake's arm to stop him from following the young kid out on the court.
"No, Luka. Really. My brother will love it. Thank you so much for doing this." She squeezes my arm and I nod to Jake.
We walk into the stadium, which is already filled with buzz. "Holy shit." Jake looks up into the stands. "It feels like a hockey game. This is insane."
"It's worse because of the rivalry," Penelope says as we get to our seats and the home team enters the tunnel to start warming up.
I see Adrianna's brother before she even has to point him out.
There is no way a boy with hair that color isn't her brother.
His eyes light up when he sees her and he says something to who I am assuming is his coach.
Adrianna is already on her feet when he jogs over to us and scoops her up into a hug.
"You made it! What in the hell are you doing down here? I thought the tickets I got you would put you in the nose bleeds." He spins her around and then sets her down gently on her feet.
"They probably were. Luka got us courtside seats. I hope that is okay?" She wraps her arms around his waist and smiles at me. "This is my baby brother Jackson."
"Hi Jackson, I am Luka." I stick out my hand to shake his. He tightens his grip on Adrianna but then shakes my hand.
"Nice to meet you, Man. Thanks for getting her here. I appreciate it." He squeezes Adrianna's shoulder again and then turns to Penelope.