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I flipped the package over, frowning. Saoirse trailed her fingertip over my knuckles.
“Why do you seem confused?”
My frown deepened. “I’m…”
“Just open it. It’s not jewels like you keep giving me. It’s only a little something.”
Tearing the tape carefully, I unfolded the paper, revealing a small pewter motorcycle attached to a key chain. Though it fit in the center of my palm, I immediately recognized it was a model of a Rossi bike from my grandfather’s day.
“It’s an M50 Road Knight.”
She leaned in, peering at my hand. “Is it? I saw it had a Rossi symbol.”
I closed the paper, replacing the tape, and tucked the package in my pocket. “Thank you.”
Her head canted. “Is it me you’re not good at accepting gifts from, or is it a general thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it began with the cheese board. You’ve never said a single word about that. Then your wedding ring. You barely looked at it. And now this. I know the key chain is small, but you gave it a glance, then put it away. It’s a pattern, but I wonder if it’s specific to me or not.”
“I didn’t realize I was doing that.”
“You are.”
I took the key chain out and unwrapped it, wadding the paper up, and attached it to the house key in my pocket.
“My grandfather rode this bike. He took me for a ride on it when I was a kid. My first ride. You didn’t know that, but it took me aback. I needed a minute to recover my equilibrium.” I clutched the key chain in my fist. “Thank you for giving me this. I’ll think about him when I unlock my door.”
“That’s a good thing, I assume?”
“Great thing,” I answered. “As for the cheese board, I ate the hell out of the cheese. The board is on my counter. You noticed I’m sure.”
“I did.”
“When you gave it to me, I wasn’t sure about you. No one gives me gifts out of the blue, and you handed me something you had put a lot of thought into at what was supposed to be our first meeting. You threw me off balance, as you have a tendency to do.”
She crinkled her nose. “I don’t. Do I?”
I smoothed my fingertip down her nose. “You do, pretty girl.” I glanced at my ring. That wasn’t something I wanted to talk about. “I’ll try to do better next time.”
She arched a brow. “Assuming there’ll be a next time.”
Taking her chin between my fingers, I tipped her head slightly. “Knowing you, there will be.”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Fine. Gift giving is my love language. I can’t help it, so prepare, Luca. Iwillgive you thoughtful presents.”
A lightness I hadn’t had for months bloomed in my chest. All because of Saoirse. Even though I continued to mess up. Even though I was absent more often than not and incredibly deficient at accepting gifts. She continued being this…fucking brilliant surprise.
“I’ll be ready. Promise, pretty girl.”
Saoirse had me drive her to a café where I learned she’d been working for the past two weekends, helping out a friend.
I’d pictured the friend as someone like Elise, but I was far off the mark. When I pulled up to the curb, Kenji—a tattooed, rock star–looking Japanese guy—was leaning against the brick wall beside the café, one booted foot kicked up.
“There are lots of other people working with you, right?” I eyed the handsome motherfucker, wondering if he was Saoirse’s type.
“Yes. Well, it’s Kenji, me, and his brother, Riku. He hired some other people to work with him next weekend, but—” She squeaked when I pulled away from the curb. “What are you doing?”
