Page 63 of Hail Marry
His eyes search mine. “You’re having fun…”
“Yeah,” I confirm. “Ever since that semi, I never know what’s coming next, which is the exact opposite of my job, and it’s giving me life! Life’s too short and can end too quickly to waste it doing boring things. Or law-abiding things. Right?”
Our gazes hold for a few seconds while he decides how to answer. I just want him to be happy. To enjoy the fact that he’s achieved the thing he’s wanted for so long. To smile and laugh and not worry about me anymore. Is that even possible for him?
On a desperate whim, I pull my arms from behind his back and start tickling him.
The reaction is immediate: he doubles over at the same time as a pig squeal echoes throughout the stairwell. The next second, he’s got me by the wrists, which he pins behind my back.
I blink and stare up at him. There are definitely no pigs in this stairwell, and I sure didn’t make that sound. “Whoa.”
“I’m…” He clears his throat. “A little ticklish.”
My brows go up. My chest is pressed against his. This man is determined not to let me go and risk being tickled again. “A little?”
“Fine,” he concedes. “A lot.”
I take note of this interesting fact and store it in my mental files. Luca’s not the type of person you’d think could form the sound that came out of him even if he wanted to. It’s like hearing Michael Jackson’s voice come out of The Rock.
The door opens, and a man with a briefcase in hand stops abruptly on the threshold, looking at us through thick-rimmed glasses. “Oh.”
Luca lets go of my wrists and steps back.
I smile at the intruder, even though I’m secretly annoyed. Has he never heard of an elevator? Everyone knows stairwells are for action movie scenes and secret trysts.
Not that what we’re doing qualifies as either of those. Though, the way Luca held my hands behind my back kind of had action movie vibes.
The man laughs nervously, his eyes darting between us as he gives us a wide berth on his way to the stairs. “I’m trying to make healthier choices.”
“Aren’t we all?” I say.
He forces a smile and makes his way up the stairs like I’mthe villain in this action sequence and he’s worried about becoming collateral damage.
“We should probably get going,” Luca says with the sound of the guy’s feet shuffling on the cement stairs echoing through the stairwell.
“We’re not going anywhere until I know you’re not freaking out anymore,” I say.
“If you’re not freaking out, I’m not freaking out.”
“I’m never freaking out.”
He smiles slightly. “I actually believe you.”
“Good,” I say. “Youshouldbelieve me. I’m your wife.”
And I will be for the next two years.
15
LUCA
And I thoughtUSC’s facilities were nice….
Admiral Arena is a brand new, state-of-the-art facility near La Jolla. It’s as if they built it with all their hopes and dreams for the team in mind, trying to manifest the NFL’s newest and greatest team. The San Diego Admirals have only been around for a few years, and they’re still trying to make a name for themselves.
Ourselves.
I’m an Admiral now. I’m still trying to grasp that fact.
