Hearted conversations
IGAVE HAYLEE A?small smile as her best friend dragged me through the hallway toward their living room. She stood by the front door a moment longer, dumbfounded before she shoved it shut and followed us.
The living room had not changed since I first saw it on the day I brought Haylee’s mattress up here. Impressive antique furniture that likely had many stories to tell filled almost every available space, making manoeuvring through the room a dangerous task. One wrong move and something would go tumbling over.
If Glen had been worried about Drixie ruining something, she shouldn’t have, because the cat tiptoed through the minefield with impeccable ease. I, on the other hand, felt like an elephant in a porcelain store. Once I sat down on an armchair I was afraid would disintegrate under my weight, I swore not to move an inch more. Glen flopped down on a blanket-covered vintage couch, being much less mindful of her surroundings, and Haylee hovered by the doorway chipping paint off the framework with her index finger.
The image of her uncertain like that hit me harder than I expected. I blamed the videos now stored on my harddrive, as well as safely guarded by the new security I installed for Lewis & Walker law group. I didn’t want to even think about anyone else finding those files, let alone having them all over the internet. That must have been horrifying.
I pushed myself back to my feet. “Look, I can leave if you’d like me to,” I told Haylee, and Haylee alone. Glen was cool, and she probably meant well, but she hadn’t considered how inviting me in would make Red Cheeks feel. “I wouldn’t want to intrude if you’re not comfortable having me here.”
“No.” Haylee stepped further into the room, dropping her hand to her side. “No, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Her lower lip disappeared between her teeth as she dropped her eyes to the floor, avoiding mine when she mumbled almost inaudibly, “I’d like you to stay.”
Okay. Be cool. Chill.But I couldn’t stop the grin from stretching across my lips. My heartbeat played a rhythm of its own in my chest as she gracefully avoided all the obstacles in the room and sat down next to Glen, pulling her feet up on the couch and hiding them into the blanket. She looked so adorable, I regretted picking the armchair, because I wished I could wrap her in my arms and have her leaning her head on my shoulder. Yeah, I was far from being chill, that’s for sure.
I dropped my ass back on the armchair, surprised it held my weight this time around as well and took a deep breath. I couldn’t look away from Haylee even when the movie started playing. Her brown curls were wild and uncontrolled, framing her round rosy cheeks. Eyes darting between me and the TV screen, while her hands kept rolling up the blanket from one corner before smoothing it up again. Damn, she was beautiful.
Her eyes flicked to me again, and I turned my gaze to the movie, reminding myself that I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.Just don’t make her feel uncomfortable. Simple as that, right?Right.So pretend you’re really interested in the movie and not in the prospect of spending time in the same room as her.Perfectly normal, I’m sure.
“These look really good!” Glen exclaimed, ripping open the bag she’d snatched off my fingers. “What do you call them again?”
Glad to have a reason to look their way again, I discarded my pretense and cleared my throat. “Calzones.”
Without further explanation, she bit into one like a starved dog, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.
“Mr Umbrella,” Glen mumbled through a mouthful, “these are incredible!”
“Luke,” Haylee corrected her before she bit her lip.
“Luke,” Glen amended. “Luke Ombrello. Are you Italian? Luke doesn’t sound Italian to me. I couldn’t find you online.”
They both peered at me with curiosity that I could practically touch. I cleared my throat again, tapping at the arm of the chair. “My father’s side of the family is Italian, but my mother was American.”
“Was?” Haylee asked softly.
“Is,” I corrected, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Oh?” Glen chirped in. “I sense a story there.”
“Glen, don’t—”
“It’s okay, Red Cheeks, it’s not like it’s a secret. My mother left when I was very young.Nonnilikes to say that the Ombrello men are hopeless at love affairs. My father certainly was. I’ve still got my hopes up for myself, but it’s anyone’s guess how it’ll turn out.”
Glen let out a very long lasting “ooh” that only stopped after Haylee slapped her across her chest.
“I’m sorry you never knew your mother,” Haylee said. “Mine is disapproving in almost everything, but at least she’s been there... and very loud about it.”
Glen shook her head. “Sad topics are not allowed. Why don’t you tell us how your Italian family came up with this very not Italian name instead.”
“Ah, it’s Luca, actually. Luca Stefano Ombrello, but most people call me Luke.” Glen had her phone out already, typing my name in the search engine before I could say, “And, you don’t need to bother looking that up, I don’t have much of an online presence.”
“Why not? I have TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. It’s so much fun, look!” She pulled out one of her accounts and a clip of her and Haylee outside the apartment building came in view.
“You are tuning in with Hallie and Glen in the middle of a moving mayhem...” the Glen in the video spoke over whatever happened in the movie on the TV screen. Haylee looked all flustered and hot, just as she’d been the day I helped them with her mattress. I smiled at the memory as the clip kept playing before the phone was snatched away, and the Haylee on the couch made it stop.
“Looks like a lot of fun,” I murmured. “Haylee, you also have all those accounts, or...?”
