The Woman at the Docks - Jessica Gadziala Page 0,72

and did my makeup. I slipped into a red dress, knowing Luca was partial to that color on me since he kept showing up with new pieces for my wardrobe in varying shades of that color.

Sleeveless with a deep V in the chest and a slit in the skirt that went damn near up to my underwear line, it was sexy and flirty without showing too much.

By the time I got done with my appearance, I felt more drained than I had in ages, but also more human than I had in over a week as well.

The person staring back at me had sadness in her eyes, yes, but she didn't look like she'd just climbed out of a grave anymore.

"Look who found a hairbrush," Luca teased as I walked out in the living room, heels clicking all the way. "You look beautiful," he added, coming close, putting his hands on my hips, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"I wasn't sure how fancy your restaurant is. The name made me think it was somewhere to wear a dress."

"It's perfect. You're perfect," he added, and it was maybe the first time in over a week that I felt anything other than grief and disbelief and a small bit of anger at my sister for making me doubt myself.

But Luca?

Luca gave me something much better to feel.

Butterflies.

Flapping their little wings in my belly, a light, happy sensation that seemed to spread outward until the exhaustion started to slip away, replaced instead with excitement.

"You shaved," I accused, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I was looking a little Grizzly Addams, sweetheart. It was time. But it will grow back. Extra scratchy," he added, smile devilish.

Had you said just an hour before that my sex drive might come charging back, I would have laughed. But there was no denying the stirrings in my core, the longing for something we'd gone too long without.

That was a baby step I could get on-board with.

After dinner.

"Is everyone going to be there?" I asked, apprehension chasing away the need that had been growing.

"Everybody meaning Matteo and Lucky?" he asked. "No. Matteo is off doing his own thing. Lucky is working tonight. It's actually just going to be my father at Famiglia."

"He's joining us?" Damnit. I meant for that to come off as calm and collected and interested. Instead, it sounded almost fearful.

That was understandable, of course. Since Antony Grassi was an actual, real-life mafia boss.

Sure, Luca was a close second in ranking, but somehow the big guy made it seem even more real.

"No. He works most nights. Making sure everything is up to par. Socializing. But he will stop by. Maybe have a drink with us. Does that bother you?"

"Bother me? No. I guess you can say that I am nervous, though."

"There's nothing to be nervous about, sweetheart."

"You don't know that."

"I do. He is going to love you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know you. And I know him. He's a fair man, Romy. He isn't going to be throwing around veiled threats. If anything, he might grill you on personal things."

"What kind of personal things?" I asked as we rode the elevator down to the lobby, Luca's hand never leaving the small of my back.

"Things about your plans for the future. If you want to be a mother. If you know how to cook."

"Right. all the things that would make me a good Italian wife," I teased.

"He means well."

"I know. And it is sweet that he would ask."

Even if Luca and I hadn't exactly been having those kinds of conversations yet.

We'd been on the path to having the big talks.

Until the second shipping container, the girls, the accusations, the realizations, and then the subsequent downward spiral emotionally.

I couldn't help but wonder if maybe Antony's presence, and his prying questions, might help act as a springboard, giving us the much-needed spark of conversation.

We needed to talk.

About what was going on.

About its possible expiration date.

About what page we were both on, if we were even in the same book, let alone chapter.

We needed to talk about those things. I needed to know if I was overstaying my welcome, if Luca was expecting me to go back to California, to get back to my life.

I was officially at the point of dreading that.

In such a short amount of time, I had begun to think of Navesink Bank as my home.

And Luca's apartment, in particular.

In Luca's life as well.

We pulled up to Famiglia before I could think of any gentle ways of bringing