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“Just do it. And then, right after Christmas, we’ll go out and—”
Gianna cut Liza off before she got too carried away. “I took the week after Christmas off from work. I had so much unused vacation time, my boss pointed it out. I was thinking I might go somewhere. The walls of my apartment are starting to close in on me.”
“Hey, that’s a great idea. If I didn’t have two can’t-miss meetings at work, I’d go with you.”
Gianna gave Liza a sad smile. “I’d be shitty company.”
“You’re never shitty company. Where are you thinking of going?”
Gianna shrugged. “Somewhere cheap,” she joked. She had money in the bank, but she was by no means rich. Even less so, now that she was paying the rent on her own instead of splitting it with Sam.
Liza considered that for a minute, then lit up. “I have just the place.”
“You do?”
“Yep. My family owns a small cabin in the Poconos. It’s nothing fancy, and when I say small, I mean tiny. The whole cabin is just one big room, if you don’t count the bathroom. When we were kids, my parents took us there once every couple of months. In the summer, we would fish in the pond, hike the surrounding trails, make s’mores over the firepit. In the winter, we’d all snuggle up in front of the fireplace, play games, ice-skate on the pond. It is, hands down, one of my favorite places to be.”
“How in the hell did six of you sleep in a one-bedroom cabin?”
Liza was the youngest of four kids and the only daughter in her family. Two of her brothers, Aldo and Elio, were here tonight. Bruno, the oldest, was married with kids of his own.
Liza laughed. “That was the magic of it. My brothers and I all piled into the middle of the living room area with sleeping bags, while my folks slept in the bed. We would tell scary stories, joke around, and wrestle, until my dad would finally lose his shit and threaten to whoop our asses. He never did, but the way he said it usually had the desired effect, and we’d all calm down and go to sleep.”
Gianna had to admit, the way Liza described the cabin did make it sound awesome. Of course, there was a big difference between going there with a huge, rambunctious, fun family and going alone.
“Bruno used to take Vivian out there when they were just dating, for romantic getaways, and then even after they got married. I’m pretty sure my nephew Billy was conceived in the cabin. I’ve gone there a few times alone, usually whenever I’m stressed out as fuck and just need to get out of the city. It’s so peaceful and beautiful. I take a stack of romance novels, a few bottles of wine, a ton of comfort food, my hiking boots, and by the end of the trip, I always feel a thousand times better.”
Gianna had a bunch of books she’d been wanting to read, as well as a couple of puzzles she’d been meaning to put together. She loved puzzles, the more challenging the better. While she’d taken the time off with the intention of getting out of town, she hadn’t put any serious thought or effort behind making the plans, too worried about spending the money.
What Liza was offering sounded like the answer to a prayer. She’d go to the cabin for a few days, take long walks in the woods, read in front of the fire, and figure her shit out. “Are you sure your family won’t mind me staying there?” Gianna asked, aware that she was starting to get excited about the prospect.
“My parents will be glad someone’s using it. As we’ve all gotten older and busier with our jobs, we don’t go there as much as we used to. Go to the cabin. Clear all the Sam bullshit out of your head. You should shine at that. You’re an excellent cleaner. Then come back with a blank slate, ready to be filled with my stellar advice and dating expertise. Okay?”
Any regret Gianna harbored about coming to the party tonight was gone in an instant. Liza had offered her a plan, and she loved having a plan.
And while she was away, she intended to make a new life list. She could do this.
Gianna nodded. “Okay.”
“Good,” Liza said, pointing to Miles. “Now, go flirt.”
Chapter Two
“How much longer until you can lose the damn sling?” Aldo asked him.
Elio sighed heavily. “I have an appointment two days before Christmas down in Baltimore. I’m hoping the team doctor gives me a clean bill of health so I can get rid of it. It’s seriously cutting into my fun time.”
Aldo laughed. “I forgot you were left-handed. You know, sometimes I like to use the less dominant hand. Feels like a piece of strange.”
Elio narrowed his eyes. “You’re hilarious.”
“You’re a creative guy and in good shape. Are you telling me you can’t figure out how to fuck a woman with your arm in a sling?” Aldo asked.
“This thing has the wrong effect on women. Makes them want to take care of me, not…take care of me,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows as he emphasized the last reiteration.
“Been a long time?”
“Nine brutal months.”
