Page 64 of Almost True
“I’m actually meeting John. He’s handing off Luca after they had a guys’ night.”
Her face instantly changed. From interested to irritated in a snap. “Ugh, that man. If he’s coming, I’m going.”
She started walking as though leaving our conversation that suddenly was normal because I’d mentioned John.
“Uh, okay, wait. It’s time to talk about this.”
She glanced over her shoulder but kept speeding down Elk Street toward her shop. She’d have to stop before she crossed the road and if nothing else, I’d catch her then.
“Seriously, Dahlia. What is with you and John?”
She huffed and spun on me. “I don’t know.”
It wasn’t an evasion. Based on the unending frustration on her face, she really didn’t.
“How is that possible? You guys catfight constantly. Just the mention of his name sent you practically sprinting away from me. I don’t know you all that well, but I know enough to know that is not… typical.”
Her lips firmed and her eyes skated away from me, across the street and back toward her shop. “I honestly don’t really know. I moved here a few years ago, and he was one of the first people I met at a meeting for small businesses in town. It was just… like that. Immediately. And while I am normally not a walking jerkface, he brings it out of me.”
“So you actually dislike him?” This just seemed so crazy. They were both genuinely nice, likeable people. The fact that they butted heads so completely felt like a mystery to be solved.
She sighed and ran a hand down the strap of her purse. “I know it’s insane, but I don’t know. I can’t separate the fact that I know he dislikes me. And it may be pathetic, but I hate that he’s so nice to literally everyone else, and then he’s this weird, critical jerk to me. So, as much as I try to talk myself into being the bigger person, I have yet to succeed. Maybe that’ll be my new year’s resolution.”
I blinked. “It’s July.”
She smirked. “Well, I don’t really think it’s happening anytime soon, so I’m giving myself time to work up to it.”
I laughed and waved as she blew me a kiss and shuffled across the street. Elk Street had such a quaint feel to it, and I loved spending time here. By the time I turned back toward Wallace and Sons, John and Luca were high-fiving.
“Hey, Maddie. You ready?” Luca asked, waving at John without another word to the man.
“Uh, yes. Is your uncle ready for me to take you?”
John pressed a hand over his heart. “I may suffer from our separation, but I think the time has come. Enjoy the bookstore, you two.”
“Will do,” I said, turning to Luca, who was facing the bookstore like it had him in a tractor beam. “You have a list?”
He quirked a brow. “Ialwayshave a list.”
And so off we went, our first time hanging out totally by ourselves and I wasn’t even nervous. Books and ice cream would smooth the way, but something told me I didn’t need the bribery with Luca anyway. Still, I was glad to have it and happy to know that in a few hours, Aidan would be joining us. If anything made me nervous, it was what questions he’d have for the interview. He might rival some of the press I’d met on my book tour, if past conversations were anything to go by.
I’d never imagined looking forward to spending time with an eleven-year-old, and yet here I was.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Aidan
Ihadn’t worried about Maddie and Luca’s time together, but I’d been curious enough to be distracted all afternoon. It didn’t matter if it hadn’t gone perfectly, and yet I wanted it to go well. Some primal part of me needed Luca to connect with another woman who wasn’t a grandmother or aunt, even though that was never the purpose of their time together. I needed him to have that attention, and Maddie was frankly excellent at making the person she was talking to feel important.
Her willingness to engage with him, to let him interview her and pester her with questions about stuff I had no idea he was interested in, only made me value her more. Steal my heart by seeing me, but keep it by seeing my kid.
And even though I resisted admitting it, I wanted her to like Luca. Not just like him, but want to be around him. I didn’t expect her to grow motherly feelings or something insane. We’d been dating for a few weeks. She’d met him just over a month ago. That was crazy.
But honestly, I’d felt a little crazy the last few hours. And even though there was an end to this, having them enjoy each other made it stretch a little farther into the future somehow.
“You’re home!” Maddie yelled, and my heart traded places with my stomach, all my organs swapping around and leaving me rattled.
Luca smiled from his spot on the couch. “We made Rice Krispie treats.”
