“Hanging in there,” I finally admit. “Being busy with school helps, but it’s worse at night. The nightmares come and go. But Uncle Trey has been amazing.”
Luca nods. “Thanks for telling me. Your dad was awesome, and I never want you to feel like you have to brush off your feelings about losing him with me.” He holds up his hand. “In fact, you better not or I’ll kick your ass.”
“Thanks.”
He rolls off me so that we’re lying next to each other. “So how about we kick each other’s asses for the next couple of hours, order a pizza, eat in our skivvies, and you tell me all about your week?”
I want to tell him everything, but I’m not sure how much I’m ready to put on the table yet. I definitely can’t tell him about the kiss. Or how Edge touched me. What would I tell him? And why do I feel the need to hold back secrets about that asshole from Luca of all people? “Sounds like the perfect plan.”
For the next two hours, we stretch, fight, kick each other’s asses with weapons, grapple, and beat the ever-loving shit out of each other. I’ve missed his familiar touch so badly that I haven’t even realized I was starving for him.
He spins, throwing out his leg, and swipes my feet out from under me. I go down hard. And lie on the mat, unable to move. He jumps on top of me, straddling me. He’s so proud of himself, he can’t help the enormous smile turning up his full mouth.
“Why do you have to be gay?” I cry.
He places his hands on my shoulders. “Why do you have to be a girl?”
I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration. “Fair point.”
We could be a couple if Luca were straight or I were a guy. There’d be no Edge, no impossible feelings, no difficulties.Life would be so simple. If only.
He grabs his phone out of his bag along with his water bottle. “The usual?”
Our usual consisted of a large pie, extra garlic, all the meats except anchovies, and all the veggies except black olives. “You know it.”
We clean up the dojo, putting away the mats and weapons. We throw our last hits as the pizza guy knocks on the door. Luca hands the guy cash, takes the pizza, and thanks him. I’m already on the one mat we purposely left out with our water bottles and napkins.
“Did you ever notice that there’s only a small selection of fine pizza delivery boys?” he asks.
I make a point of looking up to the ceiling. “Ah, no, I have failed to notice that tragedy.”
He plops down across from me. “And what a tragedy it is.”
He sets the pizza on the mat and opens the lid. The steaming pie loaded with meats and veggies smells incredible. He places a bag next to it. I grab for the unexpected treat.
“You better not,” Luca warns.
I hold the bag to my chest. “I have to. You’re not going to make me suffer, are you?”
“Fine.” He picks up a slice of pizza, folds it in half, and then takes a bite. His eyes roll up to the ceiling in delight.
I open the paper bag that has grease staining its bottom. Doused in powdered sugar, the fried dough balls call out to me with their sweet aroma. I take one out of the bag. Holding it between us, I place it in front of his mouth. He swallows the bite of pizza and dives forward for the dough ball, biting it in half.
He gives an exaggerated “Mmmm.”
The rest of the goodness melts in my mouth.
“Okay, so spill,” he says around a mouthful of food.
My stomach clenches. Here’s the moment I’ve been dreading. In any other universe, I have nothing to hide from Luca. Why can’t I just tell him? What if I do? What’s the worst that could happen? He wouldn’t judge me, but he wouldn’t completely support me, either. That’s the part that scares me—not having his support. Or worse, if he tries to talk me out of getting my revenge.
Having to give him something, I start with the easy stuff. “I met a couple of people I think I can consider friends. Eden and Bryce. They remind me of us. He’s gay. She’s an outcast.” I shrug.
He grips his chest. “Stop! They sound like our long-lost twins! Our doppelgängers.”
We laugh around mouths full of pizza.
“Actually, Eden is the chancellor’s daughter. But she’s turning out to be cool. She’s wound a little tighter than I’m used to, but Bryce evens her out. You would like him.”
