Page 92 of Trouble in Love
Oh, and who could forget I had the smartest, cutest puppy that ever existed?
But some things stubbornly lingered. My temper for one. And who could forget my old friend doubt.
When will the novelty wear off? When will the other shoe finally drop? Could just me ever be enough?
In the last point, the world around us seemed to think not.
If I had a dollar for every well-meaning person who enquired as to when Luca and I would be starting a family, I could have paid off Luca’s mortgage and bought the mansion next door with the change. Hiding the constant hurt. Wondering if that, too, would one day disappear like the paparazzi’s lenses had, combined with the weight of concealing the truth from Luca, consumed too much of the energy I wanted to devote to my new life. Yet, I still couldn’t find the strength to confess.
And why?
Because I knew.
Once he knew, everything would change.
Everything I had come to love would disappear because I was a liar who didn’t deserve it.
No matter how much yoga I did, no matter how much weight I lifted, or how fast I ran, I could not escape the sense that I could never outrun my past.
That feeling reached its peak when a very pregnant Clara greeted me at the front door of the home she once shared with my husband.
“Thank you for coming over on such short notice. I didn’t expect to find and settle on another house so quickly, and with this in the way,” she rubbed her belly and sighed, “the timing couldn’t have been worse.”
Accepting the warm hug without the awkwardness I felt in our first meeting at the training session, I gave her a little squeeze and then pulled away as soon as I could. Okay, so maybe it was still awkward.
“Come in, please. I want us to be friends.”
Yeah?Well, I just want to get Luca’s things and get the hell out of here.Squeezing my hand and leading me into the lounge. “Luca was always squeezing my hand, and I loved it. He’s such a sweet and affectionate man.”
Nodding, my eyes roamed the vast expanse of what felt like a giant waste of space. Nothing about this house screamed Luca. Since he hadn’t called the place home for several months and Clara and Dallas, who had secretly moved in, were moving out, it was bound to be sparse. But it wasn’t just that. There was none of his warmth of character, no hominess at all. It was just a big, concrete box.
The analytical glare I cast over every square inch of the place must have been mistaken for approval. “It’s an impressivehome, isn’t it? Luca picked it out especially for me when we got engaged. He was always so thoughtful like that.”
“Did he now?” I deadpanned, picking up on Clara’s melancholy,he was mine firstvibe. I was impressed. But not intimidated. Mainly because it was a play I would absolutely have been making had the roles been reversed. I would have done it better, too. “He really is an affectionate, thoughtful, well-hung, and insatiable man.”
Clara blushed, and I hoped my point was made.
“Can I get you a drink? Maybe a coffee? It’s beginning to get chilly out there.”
“Thanks, but the Uber is waiting. If it’s okay, I’ll just grab the boxes and head out.”
“Sure, the boxes are through here but let me give you a quick tour of the house before you go.”
She set off without waiting for me to reply, leading me through what looked like a deserted museum more than a home. “Did you see the photos of Luca on the ice with that little boy? Gosh, he looked so handsome. He will make such a great dad someday.”
My stomach twisted. “Yeah, I did. They were really cute, but I really do have to go, Clara. I have to pop in to see Marta and Ana before I head to work.”
She stopped and spun on her heels to face me. “Oh, you’re close with them? They were never very nice to me, especially Anabela. She had it in for me from the start.” There was no way in hell I was discussing Luca’s family, so I reminded Clara again of my waiting ride. “You caught an Uber? Hasn’t Luca bought you a car yet? That was my first anniversary gift. He’s such a perfect partner.”
Okay, so she didn’t take the hint.
I swallowed my annoyance and tried to remain chill. “Luca doesn’t need to buy me a car because I’m quite capable of doingit myself. There’s no point at the moment, though, because I still don’t have my US license.”
“Oh, of course. I didn’t think about that. I suppose there’s not much point getting it right now, anyway. Not until you know that you’re more than a passing phase.”
Right. Pregnant or not, my new friend Clara, was one passive-aggressive compliment away from a bitch slap. Before I could wind up, she strode away and led me into the kitchen where I discovered we were not alone.
“You might want to let the Uber go, Polly. We need to have a chat.”
