Page 32 of Karma Kitty Christmas
Isaac ran his finger over the rim of the cup, noticing that there was a tiny rosebud at the bottom of each one, with little green leaves, to match the motifs on the outside. He half expected the pretty cup to be darker somehow, sullied with Todd’s sulking, but it was, in fact, still delightful.
Isaac had made a point of using the cups the next time Sophia had come to visit, and Todd had given him a kiss on the temple, telling him his service looked perfect, a rare public display of affection and a very rare compliment.
It wasn’t until that moment that Isaac realized that the sulking had been a front. This was, indeed, a gift of thoughtfulness and beauty, and Isaac had almost missed it.
“Isaac?” Allegra’s voice penetrated his thoughts. “What’s up? Where are you?”
Isaac shook himself. “Nothing,” he said softly. “I just remembered when Todd gave me this tea set.”
“Good memory?” she asked carefully.
“Believe it or not, yes,” he said, and then he picked up the tray and took it into the front room so she wouldn’t see his shiny eyes.
But he made a resolution to tell Luca about it when he could—he thought Luca would want to know.
LUCA ANDhis grandfather (“Call me Geordie now, since you’re giving Allegra a place to stay!”) came in half an hour later, and Luca shooed Isaac back into the living room while he brought in some tea and cookies for his Pop Pop.
What followed was… well, the same visit Isaac had enjoyed dozens of times with Sophia, but with the added happiness of Allegra and Luca mixed in.
In fact, the entire day was a success, from the yarning to the snacks to Luca’s amazing dinner, which included a salad course, the pasta, and a small dish of ice cream at the end—and wine.
“Nonna and Pop Pop are crazy about wine with dinner,” Luca told him almost apologetically as Isaac helped him prepare. “You’re not obligated to drink it, and trust me, I’m driving PopPop’s Caddy, so I’ll be taking little tiny sips, but I’d better have wine or I’ll hear about it later.”
Isaac had nodded seriously, because hey, he didn’t know the rules!
But as they moved around each other, as smooth in the dance as Isaac and Allegra had been earlier, Isaac found himself telling Luca about the tea set, and how it was a good memory, and how he’d almost forgotten.
“Really?”
Isaac was, in fact, washing the tea service as Luca prepared dinner, and he moved over Isaac’s shoulder to get a better look at the delicately beautiful cups.
“I’m not going to touch them,” he said softly. “I just wanted to see. You’re right—they’re lovely.” He leaned over Isaac’s shoulder, and Isaac set the cup down in the warm soapy water so he could lean back against Luca’s heat without fumbling the cup and losing it. Naturally—so naturally—Luca kissed his temple.
“Is that… that okay?” Isaac asked, welcoming Luca’s arms around his shoulders as this quiet moment—intimate in a way he hadn’t known his heart was chambered for—enveloped them.
“I’m glad,” Luca murmured, rubbing their cheeks together. “It’s good, Isaac. Like you said, you spent ten years with him. I’m so glad they weren’t all bad.” He nuzzled Isaac’s temple again and then stepped back. “I’ve got to finish dinner or the chicken’ll burn, but thanks, Isaac.”
“For what?” Isaac turned to watch him, fascinated by how smoothly his solid muscular body moved, how comfortably in Isaac’s borderline fussy home.
“For telling me about that. I… I mean, I’ll be afraid to pick those cups up from now on, because God forbid I break one, but thanks. I mean, it’seasyfor me to hate the evil ex. But finding things—good things—to like about him? That’s important. It means you know how to love. Someday you’ll know how to lovesomeone else. That’s all. So thank you. It was a good memory. That makes me happy.”
Luca went back to work, and Isaac finished drying the tea set and putting it away, but inside, he was feeling that kiss on the temple, the gentle rubbing of cheeks, and reliving Luca’s words.
How was it he had met such a man, who was so simply interested in Isaac’s well-being that he could be happy for a good memory of another relationship?
Isaac wasn’t sure, but that evening, as he sipped wine and listened to Nonna and Pop Pop tell more stories about their grandchildren, he felt a certain resolution.
More of this. More of Luca and Allegra’s family in his life. More evening meals and Saturday afternoons yarning. Morelifein his life.
Maybe—just maybe—more of Luca’s soft touches, his warm arms, the breadth of his chest.
More of that too.
Gentle Crucibles
LUCA MOVEDAllegra in the Friday after that first afternoon with Nonna and Pop Pop. The day had gone so nicely that Luca was already trying to schedule another one, asking apologetically if Isaac could do that once a month.
He’d been warmed by how excited Isaac had gotten—and also a little worried. So easy. Their lives seemed to fit together so easily, the construction worker and the nice widowed teacher. Where was the glitch?
