6. Luca
LUCA
Wow, seeing Ro in person after all these years is not something I could have prepared myself for. It felt as though our time apart didn’t happen, yet I still experienced guilt and pain over how I left things after graduation.
While the Ro I knew in high school was like my other half, this Ro before me is no longer a girl trying to find her own way in life.
She’s a woman who has accomplished more than even her own dreams could fathom.
When I stepped out of my truck at the house, and it took her only a blink of an eye to come barreling toward me and jump into my arms, something inside me felt whole again.
A piece of my heart, or maybe even my soul, has been missing for years since I walked away from her and never looked back.
Now I’m trying to remind myself why I walked away and what’s at stake.
We never kept secrets from each other before, but things have changed.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Ro in my life this time, and if that means certain information stays hidden, then so be it.
I just need to pull it together long enough to get through this dinner and regroup my emotions when I get back to the hotel.
That will be easier said than done, considering how fast my heart is beating as I watch Ro walking toward me.
Focus, Luc—food first, then you can figure out the rest.
“Hey!” Ro says as she slowly approaches. She looks nervous, which is understandable, considering what a crazy day it’s been.
“Hey.” I give her a sheepish smile. “Should we head inside?”
“Yes, I’m starving! And I have so many questions I can barely contain them all.
Like, how is this even real? How are you here right now?
Where have you been for the past fifteen years?
Why didn’t you say goodbye? Why didn’t you reach out?
How did you even know to recommend me for a design job?
” Her voice gets higher, and the questions come faster with every second.
“Ro, I promise I’ll answer whatever questions you have as best I can, but let’s grab a table and get you some food since it feels like we might be here a while.
” I try my best to give her a reassuring look to set her nerves at ease, but I’m not sure she’s buying it yet.
She could always tell when I was lying or trying to evade a question, so tonight will be a testament to everything I’ve learned over the past several years if I get out of her inquisition unharmed.