“Sounds like I would have liked her.”
He scoffs. “Everyone did.”
The pained look on his face is awful to look at. So I turn my gaze to look out the window.
“I called her Abby Rose just to be a dick. She hated it.” A faint, faraway smile blossoms over his mouth. “She always answered, though.”
Could this conversation be any more heart-wrenching?
His eyes have since moved from me to looking through the windshield at the convenience store. There’s a long moment of silence. “Want to drive?”
The mood in the car is as heavy as a freight train. It takes longer than usual for me to answer. The topic shift happens way too fast for my head.
“Yeah, sure,” I finally say. For some reason, I can tell it would please him if I did. I’m still asking why the hell I want to please Ashton Kade after the answer has already slipped out of my mouth. But the real reason is I can’t bring myself to deny him after his painful disclosure.
“I’ll be right back.” He goes for the handle of the door.
I lay my hand over the one still gripping the steering wheel. “I’m sorry, Kade. I won’t say it’s not your fault or that there was nothing you could do. I’m sure you’ve heard those things a thousand times.” He closes his eyes and then slowly opens them. “I’ll only say this… I’ll do whatever I can to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
And there it is, sprouting up like a new little budding flower, all on its own. A promise I didn’t intend to make.
He finally looks in my direction. “Be careful, Ninja.” He opens the door and climbs out of the car, closing it behind him.
I slide over the center console and into the driver’s seat.
Yesterday passed in a blur. I’m just happy it’s Saturday, and I get to see Luca. He’s taking me to pick out a Halloween costume. I’m still very unsure what in the actual fuck I’m doing, but it doesn’t seem like I’m thinking too clearly about anything these days. I wear my usual Docs, cut-off jean shorts, and an unimpressive self-made half-shirt. When he pulls up to my house, I climb into his car.
I lean over and give him the biggest hug I can manage in the small space. “Hey, you!”
We untangle. His disapproving eyes roam over my outfit. “Girl, I see you dressed up for me.”
“What? I’m wearing panties. What else do you want?”
He rolls his eyes as he puts the car in drive. “So, I’m thinking something masquerade-y.”
“Masquerade-y? Is that even a thing?”
He touches his chest. “Hell yes, it’s a thing. I’ll paint on your mask so you won’t have to worry about taking it off and putting it on a million times. That’s a pain in the ass.”
For the entire ride to the mall, he talks about how he’ll do my makeup and dress me. He spares no details on what he has planned.
Ugh… the mall. I used to love the place, but now I can’t stand it. Only because it’s Luca, I get out of the car. He waits for me and holds out his hand for me to take.
“I’m picturing a hot two-piece black dress that shows off your defined abs. Short skirt in the front and longer in the back, layers of sheer, delicate fabric, and heels to kill for. You’re going to besmashing.” He squeals like we already shopped and acquired all of those things.
“Sounds like you’re going to dress me up like a gag-me Barbie.” I follow him around the stores like a puppy wanting a treat and act halfway excited. The truth is, I just want to find something so we can leave and get meatball subs.
“Oh my God, there it is!”
The only dress I see in the large display window that fits his Barbie description doesn’t leave much to the imagination. But I have to admit, it is gorgeous.
I gasp and cover my mouth. “OMG, right! That’s exactly what I was thinking. Very masquerade-y,” I tease.
“I don’t think that’s a word, but let’s go with it, anyway.” He grabs my hand, drags me into the store, and tracks down a salesperson. She barely has a word out before he points to the window and says, “I need that dress in a size two.”
When I go outside to look at the black two-piece dress on the mannequin again, four figures come toward me.
“Dammit all to hell,” I mutter to myself. I hook my thumbs into the loops of my shorts and drop my head in hopes they don’t recognize me as I duck back into the store.
