“Luca is the young man you’re helping locate the missing girl.”
“You remembered. Can you help?”
Lynda gave her an indulgent look.
“We can’t interfere. We just keep tabs… But if you need our help desperately, we’ll step in. Nobody wants you getting killed while you’re trying to do the right thing.”
“I appreciate that.”
“And by the way, he’s a real hunk.” Lynda winked at her.
“I think so too. Trouble is he seems to be hung up on his ex-girlfriend.”
“Well, the operative part is ‘ex’. Besides, sometimes it takes guys a little longer to recognize a real wonder woman when they meet her.”
“Thanks, LC.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled and patted her hand. “Oh, this is my stop. Have fun today.” Lynda gave her a little wave and then hobbled out the door.
Dawn hoped Lynda was right, about everything.
* * *
“Hey, it’s me.”
“What do you want?”
“Good morning to you too, Lisa.”
“It’s Saturday morning. Most normal people are still asleep.”
Luca rolled his eyes. Lisa was definitely not a morning person. Her Saturdays consisted of getting up late, spending the afternoon at the spa, then going out and partying half the night.
That may have been fun while they were in college, but now that he was a cop, he had to focus on keeping a healthy routine.
“I just thought I’d check in and see how you’re doing.” After dropping the captain’s newspaper off, he’d gone home, grabbed a quick shower and a PowerBar, and decided to call Lisa, because he just had to know once and for all.
“I’m doing fine, Luca. Why are you really calling?”
“Look, this breakup is just weird and unexpected. Is there any chance you’ve changed your mind?”
A sigh at the other end of the phone was his answer. “It’s over. I’m already sleeping with someone else.”
He said nothing.
“I think what we had was fun when we were in school,” she continued. “It was exciting to sneak around behind our parents’ backs, but look, we’re not kids anymore. At some point, we either have to get serious or end things. And I’m not ready to get serious with anyone right now. I need freedom. Some space to figure out what I really want.”
Translation: You want to sleep around and party all night.
“I’m only twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college. I want to take some time off before I have to start looking for a job. This is the time to live my life before I have to settle down.”
Luca was becoming irritated. How could he have not seen it before? She was lucky she could afford to just laze around at home and hang out with her friends at night. The rest of the world had to get up and go to work.
“Besides, do you really think my father would have approved of you? You’re just a rookie cop. My dad expects me to marry an investment banker or a lawyer. Not a police officer who works a beat.”
“Your dad’s a cop.”
“He’s a sergeant, and of course he wants me to marry a sophisticated, wealthy man.”
