Page 51 of Tinsel in Telluride

Why did it have to behimwho followed me out here? Why couldn’t it have been Bash or Holt? Hell, I’d even take Enzo at this point.

So I do what I do best. Protect my heart. Deflect. Distract.

“That was terrible.” I force a halfhearted chuckle. “Remind me never to dothatagain.”

“Then we should definitely talk about it.” Luca steps back, giving me the space I need and gestures toward the small seating area against the cabin sheltered away from the wind.

He watches as I hesitate and sighs. “Leigh. I’m not the bad guy.”

I snort. “I’m pretty sure you are the very definition of the bad guy in my book.”

He flinches like I’ve slapped him. “I deserve that.”

“You deserve more.”

“I do.” He nods, having the decency to look remorseful. “But please. This isn’t about you and me right now. It’s just about you. I’ll even sign one of your fancy NDAs that doesn’t allow me to speak of this moment ever again.”

I roll my eyes, but ultimately follow and slide up next to him on the small bench.

We sit in silence for a beat, nothing but the wind and rustle of the trees between us. I relax back against the cabin, my body feeling as though I just ran a damn marathon.

Luca is the first to break the silence. “Jack used to have panic attacks.”

“He did?” I perk up at this bit of information. Each of the guys holds Jack’s memory close to their chest, never wanting to give too much information without the others present. Luca sharing this with me shows a level of trust I wasn’t expecting.

Luca nods and leans back, his head resting against the cabin. “Yeah. He was adopted and from a young age had a rough relationship with his brother because their parents doted on him due to his first battle with his illness. The problem is, he also had a huge heart, which caused him to panic when everyone wasn’t getting along.”

Heart in my throat, I softly ask, “What did he have?”

“Cancer.”

“I’m sorry.”

Fuck, I hate those words. They change nothing. Jack is still gone. His friends still grieve him. His family is still brokenhearted. Which is only confirmed by Luca’s weak answer.

“Me too.”

The silence stretching between us could fill an ocean. It’s rough. Unbearable. And Luca brought it upon himself to help make me feel better.

Nope.

That’s a thought to examine later. Alone. When I can’t be distracted by the way his lower lip juts out and worries ever so slightly when he’s feeling vulnerable.

But maybe this olive branch is exactly what we need. Luca wanted a fresh start, and while I’m not sure I can forget the past, I need to know who it is my son may or may not be spending Christmas with for years to come. I need to know who Luca Donati is now.

“How did you all meet?”

An endearing smile splits his lips. “Freshman year of college, we were all suite mates in the freshman athletics dorms.”

“That must have been a fun suite.” If they were anything like Indie, Willow, and me at boarding school, it was probably also a lot of trouble.

“We hated each other. Well, all of us, except Jack, hated each other. There isn’t a world where that much testosterone should be put together.”

“But you all played team sports?”

“Golf is not a team sport.”

A small giggle escapes me. “Okay, most of you.”

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