Chapter 40 Luca
LUCA
It wasn’t easy convincing myself to stay in Toronto and finish my work here instead of flying home to Cedar Creek immediately following the imploding of all my plans. But I’m determined to make this microchip a reality, and I had full trust in Gabe and Dom to set everything up for me.
I’m still home a day earlier than I intended, however, when I finally drive back into town. And my heart is set on one thing: getting my wonder woman to forgive me. Which means fixing things with her son first.
It was surprisingly easy to get Charlie to agree to meet me for lunch today, made even more so by him having a day off from school. Even though secrets and surprises are what got me in this mess, I couldn’t avoid one more. Which is why I asked him not to tell his mom about our meeting.
I pick him up at their house, knowing Isla is at work.
The drive to the pizza parlour he wanted to eat at is quiet and tense.
Charlie answers my few questions with the shortest responses possible, staring out the window the whole way there.
By the time I pull into a parking spot, my nerves are shot.
I turn the engine off but make no move to get out of the car. After several seconds of silence, Charlie turns to me at last.
“Are we gonna eat?”
I nod. “We are, but I’m really hoping that when we sit down and have some food, you’re no longer hating my guts for missing the game.”
His head turns back to face the window. “Whatever. It’s fine. I’m not mad.”
“No, I guess maybe you’re not, and I could understand if you’re still hurt. I feel really bad about not seeing you pitch, Charlie. I made a stupid mistake and I missed something important to you.”
“So why were you in Toronto, anyway?”
I consider it a good thing that he’s at least willing to ask questions and not shutting me out, even if his tone is still borderline belligerent.
It’s hard to temper my expression. He’s hurting, and letting my excitement bleed through too early could backfire.
“Remember the night I came over for dinner and you had just got your attachment for your prosthesis?” He nods.
“You had some really good insight into why it wasn’t working exactly the way you wanted it to.
And I could see how easy it would be to feel frustrated by the limitations of the attachment the way it was.
I know Doc is awesome, and I’m sure he’s got lots of ideas, but that night, you gave me an idea. ”
Charlie’s face makes it clear he’s waiting for me to get to the point, so I hurry on.
“You know I told you about GaitSync? Well, that night I thought of something, another microchip, but one for arm prostheses. Something that could give real-time feedback via vibrations to help you know exactly how to adjust your movements to better mimic the natural feedback people get through their hands and wrists. It’s not just for athletes like you, but for anyone who wants more precision and control over how their arm works.
Instead of having to wait to work with someone like Doc on the changes. ”
“That sounds cool,” Charlie says slowly, and I can hear the fragile thread of interest in his voice. “But what does all that have to do with you going away?”
“I wanted to get back to Toronto, where my old lab and my former mentor were to see if we could hammer out an actual design concept for the microchip. I didn’t want to tell you or your mom about the idea until I knew it was possible.”
I take a chance and rest my hand on his shoulder.
Thank fuck, he doesn’t pull away. “Please trust me when I say, I wouldn’t have gone if I hadn’t put the date of your game in my calendar wrong.
I never would’ve left town and missed the game on purpose.
I’m really sorry, Charlie. I let you down, and I feel absolutely terrible about that.
There’s no good excuse; I screwed up and I hurt you.
The thing is, that happens in life. Everybody screws up sometimes.
There’s no avoiding it. So I’m here, doing the best I can by explaining what happened and asking if you can forgive me. ”
His stare is unflinching, and I don’t let myself look away. Then, underneath my hand, I feel his body let go of some of the tension. “Yeah. I guess I can. That chip thing sounds pretty cool.”
I sag back in my seat and let my smile break free. “I think it will be. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’ve got a plan so I can do it from here now.”
“You don’t wanna work on it at your old lab?”
“Are you and your mom going to move to Toronto?”
Charlie makes a face. “I hope not, but if she doesn’t find a job, then who knows.”
“Well, if you two are here, then I want to be here. You and your mom are the most important things in my life now. And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that to you both and hopefully earn a spot in your life for a very long time.”
There’s the barest hint of a smile on his face. “Cool. Mom deserves that. Someone who puts her first, I mean. And you’re a cool guy. So I guess I’d be okay with you sticking around.” That fraction of a smile falls. “But she’s been really upset all week. And I don’t think it’s ’cause of my game.”
I purse my lips and exhale. “It’s not. It’s because I screwed up with her, too. But I’m fixing it, I swear. In fact, I could use your help with the finishing touches, if you’re willing?”
He studies me with a narrowed gaze for several seconds before nodding. “I’ll help. But Luca, you gotta stop screwing up. This is strike one.” He winks.
I choke out a laugh. “Deal, kid.”
The next day, everything is ready. The charity game between the Cedar Creek Thunder and the Cedar Creek Little League team is in two days. I know for a fact Isla is still taking today off as planned, back before I screwed everything up and she thought I was coming home today.
I also know my assistant is an underpaid genius, because he somehow got her to agree to pop by the offices this morning on the pretense of there being a critical issue with one of the banners that was delivered recently.
Do I like tricking her, especially in a way that I know is stressing her out? Of course not. But for the plan Charlie and I came up with over pizza, she had to come to the offices alone. Well, sort of alone.
And that brings me to now. Waiting impatiently in the executive offices at the stadium.
“You’re gonna wear a hole in that brand-new carpet and trust me when I say, we don’t have the budget to replace it with your recent restructuring.”
I pivot on my good foot and glare at Dom. “Don’t make me regret putting you in charge.”
He just laughs, leaning against the door frame to my former office. “No going back now. The ink is dry and the paperwork filed, my friend.”
I smile, even as my fingers tap out an impatient pattern on my leg. “No going back. Just don’t sink the damn ship, okay?”
He tips his fingers in a mock salute, just as I get the text I’ve been waiting for. “They’re here.”
Dom flashes me a thumbs-up, then heads back to his office while I stand in front of the elevators. A couple of minutes later they open, but only Charlie emerges. “Where’s your mom?” I ask as he walks over to me, holding out his hand.
“On the concourse, trying to find the banner. She thinks I’m still in the car. Lemme see it?” I hand over the thin piece of metal, and he grins down at it. “Cool.”
His phone dings with a text, and he hands me back the plaque to pull it out of his pocket.
“It’s Mom, she wants to know where I am.”
“Tell her you’re inside, and you think you found the banner.”
He thumbs out the text, then pockets the phone.
“She’s on her way.” We take up our positions in front of the elevator doors, Charlie with his hand now behind his back, once again holding the piece of metal.
The doors open with a ding, and Isla steps out.
“Charlie? Where’s the—oh, Luca. What are you doing here?
I thought your flight didn’t get in till noon.
Wait, do you know where the banner is with the typo?
I can’t believe that happened.” She tugs at her ponytail, and I can’t take her being so stressed out a second longer.
I step forward and take her hand in mine, squeezing. “Breathe, wonder woman. There is no banner with a typo. I’m sorry, but I had Gabe lie to you to get you here.”
She stares at me in confusion. “What?”
I look back at Charlie and give him a subtle nod. He brings his hand round to the front and holds up the name plate I gave him moments ago.
Her face falls as she reads it. “What is that, Luca?”
I take it from Charlie and hold it out to her.
“I know I have a lot to explain. When you saw the paperwork on Gabe’s desk, you jumped to the right conclusion, but you didn’t know everything.
So this is exactly what it looks like. A name plate for an office door that says Isla Forrester, Marketing Director.
” I look up at her with a hopeful smile.
“It’s yours, Mom,” Charlie says excitedly. “Cool, right?”
But she’s shaking her head, her expression making her frustration clear and I know if I don’t explain everything, I’ll lose her. Suddenly, the elaborate plan Charlie and I came up with seems like a mistake. I should’ve just told her.
“Luca, why are you still forcing this on me? I won’t work for you and be in a relationship with you any longer.”
I take her hand and plead with her. “Please. Just come with me? Everything will make sense, I swear. I know what you want. And I want nothing more than to give it to you. Just please let me show you?”
She stares at me, indecision clear in her gaze.
“Mom, trust him. And me. We came up with this plan together and you’re gonna be happy, I swear.”
I owe that kid big time, because Charlie’s words are what finally have Isla relenting.
“Fine.”
Charlie goes ahead of us, already knowing exactly where to go. I can feel Isla resisting but she lets me lead her down the hall toward what she thinks is my office. But when we come to a stop outside the mostly closed door, I hear her gasp of surprise.
“This is the part you didn’t know about when you saw that paperwork on Gabe’s desk.
See, you won’t be working for me any longer.
There’s a new man in charge.” I knock on the door and push it open to show Dom seated behind my old desk, his damn collection of bobbleheads filling the shelves he had installed earlier in the week. He waves at us with a grin.
“Hey Isla, please forgive the idiot for not telling you about this. I need you. I don’t want my first job as general manager to be trying to find a new head of marketing.”
Isla is speechless, but I’m hoping the tears brimming in her eyes are tears of happiness. Pulling her into my side, I chance a kiss on the top of her head. “Can we show you one more thing?” I whisper, and I feel her nod, just barely.
“C’mon, Mom. This is the best part.” Charlie takes her other hand and tugs her a lot more strongly than I would have, back down the hall to where her old temporary office was.
Thanks to Dom and his budget, it was furnished sparsely, his theory being we could reuse the furniture in other places once we found a permanent marketing director who could furnish the space the way they wanted.
This is what I had Gabe working around the clock to achieve.
Charlie points to the empty slot on the door, where her new name plate belongs. “Put it right there, Mom.”
Isla looks from the door to me. And the relief that crashes over me at the cautious smile playing at her lips is intense.
Turning to Charlie, she says, “Why don’t you do it? My hands are shaky right now.”
He takes it eagerly and slides the thin sheet of metal in place.
“Looks good, doesn’t it,” I say casually, squeezing her into my side even tighter. “Meant to be, if you ask me.”
She looks up at me, tears that I hope like hell are happy ones making her eyes shine. “Are you sure about this? I thought the team was your dream.”
I shake my head. “No, it was a way to fill the time while I figured out my life. And when I realized the only life worth living was one with you and Charlie in it, I knew it was time to move on. Dom’s the right guy to take over.
I’ll still be a financial investor, and technically the owner, but you don’t report to me any longer.
I’m not your boss as of 4 pm yesterday when I signed the paperwork.
” I cup her cheek. “I do listen to you, Isla. Every single word. I’m sorry I was an idiot and didn’t explain everything about going to Toronto and making Dom the GM right from the start. ”
She lets out a small, shaky laugh. “Yeah, no more surprises, please.”
“Deal,” I promise. “I really missed you this week, wonder woman.”
“I missed you, too,” she whispers back and when she looks up at me, her gaze is heated, full of excitement and promise.
“Oh my God, stop being weird and just open the door.” Charlie’s impatient complaint has both of us grinning.
“Fine, fine,” Isla says, stepping away from my side. She places her hand on the door handle and pauses, looking back at me and Charlie. “Should I be worried that Dom is going to grumble about budgets?”
I shake my head. “Nope. This didn’t come from the team’s accounts.”
Her light laugh fills my heart. “Oh boy, somehow, I’m even more worried now.” Then, she opens the door and gasps. “Oh wow.”
We step inside her newly decorated office as a trio.
Isla moves farther in, her gaze sweeping across the space.
I recruited Juniper to help with a lot of the design choices, including the deep blue accent chairs and white marble-topped table that are in one corner, and the plants scattered throughout the space.
Isla walks slowly toward the white L-shaped desk, her fingertips trailing over the desk blotter and the rose-gold coloured stationary set on top. She drops down into the cream-coloured office chair and gives it a spin as she giggles.
“This is gorgeous.”
Charlie walks quickly to his mother’s side and starts pointing out other details in the space, the photos on the open shelving, the plants, the subtle placement of some of Isla’s favourite team merchandise. Meanwhile, I sit down in the chair across from her desk and watch the two of them.
Nothing in my life has ever felt so right as this moment. Every decision I’ve made over the last year, every step I’ve taken, has led to this.
The only thing that could top this would be making Isla mine forever.
And if I have it my way, that will happen soon enough.