“So, what does it mean for Gather?” I ask. “The restaurant?” My mind is spinning with all the unfinished business we have yet to wrap up.
“Well, hopefully nothing—except instead of Gather being my company, it’ll be a subsidiary of Whole Foods. I made sure Kelvin knows that our current team goes where he goes, if they want to. That includes you. As for the restaurant, we’re still moving forward with it. Same with the magazine feature.” He pauses. “I’m so proud of how far I’ve come, but I’m ready to let it go. Kelvin will continue with our vision, and there are amazing things in store for everyone involved.”
“That makes sense. You deserve a break.”
“Like I said, you aren’t losing your job. No one is. Gather is here if you need it, and if not, that’s fine too.”
I shrug. “I may have something else in the works,” I mutter, smiling.
He takes my hand. “Swear to me that you’ll follow your heart.” He sticks a pinky out.
I smile. “I swear on Buffy’s life.” I squeeze his hand twice—something we used to do as kids. Twice for two people—twice for twins.
“What will you do?” I ask, suddenly curious.
Luca shrugs and grins. “I have no idea. The buyout is substantial, so I have some time to think about it. When I started Gather, I was a totally different person. Nathan wants to backpack across Asia. I might go with him.” He looks at me. “I love him, Natalia. I didn’t want to admit it for so long, but he makes me happier than I thought possible.”
“You guys are adorable,” I answer, leaning into him. “I’m jealous.”
“What about you? Where will you go, if you don’t stay?”
I shrug, mimicking him. “My old co-worker and friend at Amour wants to start her own boutique literary agency. I have no idea what will happen, but it’s kind of exciting.”
Luca is quiet for a minute, and then he turns to face me. “When Mom and Dad died, I threw myself into work—I never took a vacation. I’m weary, you know? I’m excited for a future that isn’t planned out. That doesn’t—” he hesitates, and his voice breaks. “That doesn’t involve them.”
The lump in my throat grows. “I know,” I whisper, remembering how my dad was always the willing smoothie taster, and how my mom bought Luca his first Kitchen Aid mixer. In a way, he was so successful because he felt like heneededto be—like he needed to do it to honor their memories. “Life shouldn’t be lived for someone else, orbecauseof someone else. It should be lived for you. Because no matter how many relationships you form, or how many connections you make, at the end of the day, you only have yourself.”
He nods. “It’s scary. But I’m excited.”
We chat for a few more minutes, and then I go back to Anderson’s room as Nathan shows up with two coffees for us. I thank him, and then I sit in the chair next to Anderson. He’s not awake, but I take his hand anyway.
And I pull my phone out, getting lost in the world of fictional characters.
43
Anderson
I readKelvin’s email once.
Twice.
And then I respond, making sure Luca is still copied in.
Let’s meet soon to talk contracts.
I debate copying Natalia in, too, but this is really something we should tell her in person. She’s worked her ass off at Gather, and to know it is about to change, that Luca is changing directions and I am taking some time off… it might break her. I see the way her face lights up when she talks about the marketing side of this company. She needs the money after losing her job. That’s why it killed me to attend that meeting with Kelvin, to sit and talk to him about Gather’s future, and how Luca and I were ready to let it go. When I scheduled the meeting with Kelvin, Natalia hadn’t been such an important part of my life, and then all of a sudden, she was, and…
I scowl as I look out the hospital window. Everything fucking hurts—from my toes to my ass to my pounding head. I knew I had a concussion—knew it was serious when they rushed me into surgery. I remember telling the doctors to find her.
The tall, curvy woman with the long, brown hair.
The woman I’d fallen in love with.
As I’m about to buzz the nurse for more water, Natalia walks out of the bathroom. She’s wearing pajamas, and she’s holding a toothbrush. The fact that she’s here, that she had the foresight to pack pajamas and a toothbrush… Something twists deep inside my chest.
“Hi,” she says, taking a seat next to me. “The nurses let me stay. I begged them,” she says, laughing.
“I’m glad you’re staying.”
