Page 91 of Hail Marry
Tori and I agreed to make eye contact regularly as a demonstration of our connection, but I can’t. Not on this answer. Not when I’m telling the full and honest truth.
But if there’s any chance what she said about loving and wanting me is true, I can’t miss this chance to say a couple things of my own.
“Tori came into my life like a bolt of lightning,” I say. “She struck fast and hard. She bowled me over with her charm and her energy, with her willingness to put her own interests aside for the people she cares about. That’s not the sort of person you let get away, sir. It’s not the type of person you hesitate to marry.”
Tori’s hand fidgets in mine.
“Mrs. Callahan,” Officer Dawson continues as if I didn’t just bare my soul, “did you discuss Luca’s immigration status before getting married? And if so, was there urgency because of it?”
Another home question. I don’t envy her having to answer.
I finally look at her, unable to resist, then squeeze her hand to reassure her.
“We discussed it,” she says. “Quite a bit, actually. We kind of had to. His student visa was expiring soon, so it was directly relevant to our future. We certainly felt urgency to get married, and we thought, if we’re going to do it anyway, we may as well do it soon. I had no problem with locking things down right away. Can you blame me?” She looks over at me with a teasing smile.
It’s so dang charming, I can’t help myself. I lean in, cup her jaw with a hand, and press my lips to hers. I linger there once our lips part, and her eyes flutter open, looking at me with a question.
Can she see the answer in my eyes? Do I want her to?
Officer Dawson shuffles his papers. “Okay. We’ll be reviewing your file, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan, and then we’ll be in touch.”
Body buzzing from the kiss, I nod, and Tori and I both stand.
We make our way out of the room, then out of the building, still holding hands but saying nothing.
It’s not until we’re out of the building and twenty feet away from the doors that she releases a huge breath.
“You okay?” I ask.
She pulls her hand from mine, then shakes out her arms and her whole body. “Yeah. That was…something else.”
“I wish I knew how it went.”
“Me too. That man has the emotional range of a parking meter. If you’re an emotional mullet, he’s emotional baldness.” She starts walking toward the car. “But hey,youdid great. I’m going to have to keep my eye on you now, though, you know? You’re basically a pro at lying.”
I force a chuckle. The problem is, I didn’t lie. Not even once.
22
TORI
I’m restless.
An hour-and-a-half-long walk alone on the beach does nothing to fix it, either, and I rinse off my sandy feet before going inside.
It might be nerves on Luca’s behalf. Today’s the first preseason game. I want so badly for it to go well for him and the team. He left yesterday for the hotel—he has to stay there despite it being a home game. I’ve come to feel a lot of resentment toward the Meridian Hotel and Suites.
But that’s not the only reason for my restlessness. Things have been…weird for the last couple days since the interview. We’ve both been a bit stiff. Too polite. Not enough teasing.
I don’t know what it is on Luca’s side, but for me it’s a mixture of uncertainty and embarrassment. I can tell Luca until I’m blue in the face that what I said about him during the interview was a performance, but he’s always been able to see through me more than I like. I’m almost positive he knows at least some of the truth of how I feel. And apparently, it’s scared him off.
But I could’ve sworn there was some truth to whathesaid too. Two things he said have been on repeat in my head since the interview.
Tori came into my life like lightning.
What does it mean? I’d like to think it’s a compliment, but I’m not at all sure of that. Lightning is pretty from a distance, sure, but it’s terrifying up close. It’s destructive. It’s violent. And then it’s gone.
I’ve certainly wreaked havoc in Luca’s life since meeting him. I wouldn’t describe myself as violent, per se, but Iama lot. And then thegonething…that’s the reality. That I’ll be gone once everything is settled for him. Preston said two years to get the green card, assuming he does get it. It’s already been four months. Time is moving so fast. Too fast. For me, at least.
