Page 35 of Effortless

“No, I mean … I go home because there, I’m not here. I’m not forcing her to keep a distance, or making her overthink. I’m not pushing anything on her there, or asking her for more than she is giving. We’re not playing some cat and mouse game. She’s got the idea of space, and I’ve got—”

“Not a whole hell of a lot.”

A damn chance.

“A new friend,” Tom said, grinning.

Cross chuckled. “Keep working that reverse psychology, man.”

“Not working anything, but if that’s what she wants, you know?”

“Always give them what they want, yeah.”

Exactly.

“Tommaso.”

“Hey, Ma.”

“Pretty sure your plane was supposed to land this morning.”

Tom kept half of his concentration on his mother, and the other half on the paperwork he was signing. “Something came up. I’ll be home in a few days.”

“In time for supper?”

“Depends on what you’re cooking.”

“I think I could pull out some pork chops for your spoiled self.”

“You know me too well, Ma.”

Abriella laughed. “You’ve been gone three weeks, Tommaso. I was looking forward to having you home again.”

“I’m on my way, Ma. I promise.”

“Better be.” Then, his mother moved the phone away with a sigh. “Fine, Tommas. Take my only phone call with my son away.”

“I’m not—”

“Oh, here.”

Tom’s father came on the line with a chuckle. “She’s pissed at me, now.”

“I bet.”

“You should have called her more while you were away. She frets, and then I’m left dealing with it.”

“I’m a grown man; I can handle myself, Dad.”

“Mmhmm,” Tommas hummed.

He didn’t sound like he meant it at all.

Tom handed the paperwork for a rented Bugatti supercar over to the dealer. He had just shelled out far more money than he wanted to admit just to have the car for the day he would be leaving the city. They didn’t have the car on hand at the moment, and would need to get it out of safe storage. That was going to take a couple of days.

It was worth it.

She’ll like it.