Page 113 of The Worst Pucking Deal

She nods. “You’re good for him, Lucia. I’m glad he’s found you.”

My eyes dart to Sy who’s watching us. “Me too,” I say truthfully. “I’d be lost without him.”

Lucia

A week later.

As the days pass, I notice a subtle shift in Sy’s demeanor. Gone are the restless nights that plagued him before Clarissa’s visit. It’s as if the weight has been lifted from his shoulders, and he’s used all the extra energy to throw himself harder into his training and practice sessions this past week.

It’s been one week since his mom left, and it feels like I’ve hardly seen him since. Of course, that’s not true. Two days ago, I traveled to San Fran with the other wives and girlfriends to watch the Sabertooths’ last game before the break. The game was legendary, and the night I spent with Sy was even more unforgettable. Seriously, that man is like a fucking machine after a game… literally.

Since I had a date to keep with Gail tonight, I left yesterday. Sadly, Sy couldn’t come with me as he and the team had commitments and stayed an extra day—until today. I look down at my phone, noticing that only a few minutes have passed since I last looked.

“I’m going to take that thing away from you if you don’t stop looking at it every ten seconds,” Gail threatens.

“You wouldn’t,” I retort, knowing full well that she would in a heartbeat.

“Try me, and see what happens, Luce.”

With a dramatic sigh, I put my phone away. I know I’m being a shitty friend, acting like a lovesick teenager that can’t stand not to text with her guy every minute of every day. But dammit, we’re newlyweds. Aren’t we supposed to act this way?

“Fine,” I relent. “The phone’s gone and I’m all yours. So what do you want to talk about?”

Gail cackles. “Well let’s see. So far we’ve discussed how you just manipulated your husband into making up with his mom—”

“Hey!” I exclaim. “I didn’t manipulate anyone.”

“Didn’t you?” Gail challenges. “You controlled their reunion without being completely honest and upfront about it. Sounds like manipulation to me.”

Stunned, I bite on the inside of my cheek. “It wasn’t like that,” I argue weakly. Despite having plenty more to say, the impact of her words compels me to restrain myself.

She’s correct, I completely manipulated the situation. Wait, no. I didn’t do it for my gain. I did it to help both of them. Shit, I’m so confused right now I can’t decide if what I did was good or bad. A small part of me did it because I know what it’s like not to have any family, something I don’t wish for my husband.

“Luce!”

Shit, I must have completely zoned out because the way Gail almost shouts my name sounds like it isn’t the first time she’s calling me.

“What?” I snap, immediately regretting it.

“I was just messing with you,” she clarifies. Her brows are pinched together. “You know I don’t think of you as a manipulator.”

And that’s the problem in a nutshell; I’m the one thinking it. “I really was only trying to help,” I try to explain. “They both seemed like they needed it.”

“I believe you,” Gail says, smiling at me. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I was only joking around.”

“Whatever,” I say. “Let’s get more to drink.”

Gail fist bumps the air and immediately offers to go get more shots from the bar. As soon as she has her back turned to me, I fish my phone back out and check if there’s an update from Sy. Of course there isn’t. I text him again, letting him know I’m still at O’Jackie’s with Gail.

“Jesus,” I mutter when Gail returns with a tray filled with so many shot glasses I can already feel the hangover I’ll suffer through tomorrow.

“Cheers,” she whoops once she’s seated and is double-fisting shots.

I laugh and take two myself. “Cheers.”

More people file in while we sit at the same table we occupied the night I ran into Sy here. It feels like another lifetime, and not at all like it was only about a month and a half ago. I’m enjoying myself much more this time around. Knowing I’m free to live my life as I want has given me a newfound appetite, and I’m hellbent on wanting to live every minute to the fullest.

“Have you figured out what you want to do about a job?” Gail asks.

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