“Fuck!” he suddenly roars, taking a giant step away from me. Shoving his hand through his hair, he shakes his head and angrily stalks over to his office windows.
My body trembles with pent-up adrenaline and there’s a part of me that wants to pick an argument and go to him so I can crowd his space again, just to fluster him more, but the rational side of me screams to leave and put the much needed space between us.
So that’s exactly what I do.
“Wait, you’re going to Spain this weekend?” Vinnie asks as she reaches for the bottle of wine at the center of the table to refill my glass. The bottle gently clinks against the rim of my wineglass as she pours it.
It’s been two days since I was with Luciano in his office, turning my world upside down even more so than it already is. I haven’t seen him, haven’t spoken to him, and now, as he sits across from me at his sister's antique oak dining room table, his scowl burns through my skin.
I don’t need to look at him again to know he’s glaring, so I focus all of my attention on the beautiful woman beside me. She’s glowing as she rubs her barely showing pregnant stomach affectionately while waiting for my answer.
We’re all at Vinnie and Sly’s apartment for dinner: me, Vinnie’s other friend Cecilia, Sly’s friends Sully and Nixon. Bi-weekly dinners are a newfound tradition for us, and something I look forward to wholeheartedly.
“Yeah, just a quick trip. I’ll only be there for three days, max.” I hardly finish my sentence before my phone vibrates in my lap.
“But why?” Vinnie asks before taking a bite of her ravioli. “It seems like a quickly decided trip, even for you.” There’s a hint of playfulness in her tone.
Beside me, Cecilia giggles at something Sully has said across the table. He’s been trying to charm her since they met, but Cecilia is on a different path than he is, so she’s friend-zoned him hard. A place Sully isn’t used to being with a woman.
There’s three different conversations happening at once and I wish I was wrapped up in a different one, not having to think of a way to lie to my best friend.
Instead of answering, I look down at my phone and read the message, stalling while I come up with some sort of answer.
Asshat Lawyer
What time does the flight leave tomorrow?
Clicking my phone into lock mode, I shake my head and smile up at Vinnie. “Just going to visit an old friend.”
“That’s so fun! I miss traveling.”
Breaking free from his conversation, Sly turns to his wife and kisses the side of her head. “Soon, piccola ladra. Once we reach the halfway mark, we will go somewhere special. Perhaps tropical this time?”
“Mmmm, that sounds nice.” Vinnie hums, closing her eyes as she basks in her husband's affections.
I take the pause in conversation to respond to Luciano’s question.
You don’t need to come with me.
From across the table, I hear a snicker, and a message comes immediately.
Asshat Lawyer
Don’t I though?
No, you need to be working on my case.
I’ll work from the plane.
“Raina?” Cecilia says as she places her hand on my forearm, trying not to startle me. She gives me a warm smile when my gaze snaps to hers. I’ve known Cecilia just as long as I’ve known Vinnie, since she used to be her nanny. Although we’re not as close as she and Vinnie are, I consider her a very close friend. Her maternal nature is comforting, grounding me now with just her smile and gentle touch. “Could you please pass the salad?”
Dropping my phone into my lap like it’s on fire, I reach for the salad bowl and hand it to her. My eyes are locked with Luciano’s the entire time, and there’s a sparkle in his eyes—like he’s enjoying this. He has a front row seat to watch me squirm.
“So what are we doing this weekend? Since Raina is ditching us,” Sully asks, ripping his bread apart with his teeth.
“We didn’t have plans, anyway,” I quip, leaning back in my chair.
“Weare not doing anything,” Nixon chimes in. “I have to work, remember? Some of us need to make money to survive.”
