Page 19 of Unexpected Ventures

“I wanted her to be my girlfriend and she wanted Scotty.”

“Luke, she’s entitled to be interested in someone else.”

“But she’s pretty. All the pretty girls like me.”

I sigh, knowing there’s much more to the story. “Luke, tell me exactly what happened.”

“I told her that she was going to be my girlfriend. She said she likes Scotty more and went over to sit with him. I walked over and told him that she’s mine, so he got up and left. She got upset and started yelling at me. Then I told her about how lucky she should feel because all the girls like me and I’m choosing her. She got mad.Reallymad. First, she started yelling at me Spanish. I have no idea what she was saying. Then she said that I didn’t know how to treat girls because I don’t have a father.”

I reach back and squeeze his hand. “I’m sorry for that last comment. It wasn’t very nice. But you were wrong too. You have no right to demand that anyone be your girlfriend. You owe her an apology just like she gave you.”

“No.”

“Yes. It’s the right thing to do.”

He crosses his arms in defiance. “I’m not apologizing.”

“Well then, no baseball until it happens.” I turn my head and see Dominic clearly scolding Valentina in the parking lot. I turn back to Luke. “They’re walking out now. Let’s do the right thing.”

Luke is mad, but baseball means everything to him. Baseball and spending that time with Trevor.

We get out of the car and walk across the parking lot to Dominic and Valentina. I crouch down to Valentina’s height. “Valentina, thank you for apologizing to Luke. He told me the whole story. It sounds like he owes you an apology as well.”

She narrows her eyes at Dominic, giving him anI told you solook.

I nod at Luke. “Go ahead.”

He mumbles, “I’m sorry. I guess you can date Scotty if you want.”

Dominic interrupts, “She won’t be dating anyone until she’s thirty.”

I can’t help but smile subtly at that.

I stand. “Good. Now you’ve both apologized. You can both accept it and move on. Why don’t you go back to being friends?”

Dominic looks at me. “Yes, when someone apologizes, you should accept it and move on as friends. In fact, it’s lunchtime. Why don’t we all go out for pizza and celebrate our friendship?”

The kids both shout, “Yeah!”

I narrow my eyes at him, and he smirks. I suppose I cornered myself into that.

Luke looks up at me, “Can we?”

I know it’s the right thing to do for the kids, so I reluctantly nod. Luke and Valentina cheer again.

Dominic smiles. “Let’s go to the pizza restaurant right down the street. I have to be back later to pick up my son.”

“You have a son too? How old is he?”

Valentina answers, “Matteo is three and a half.”

Oh my god. He and his wife had another child after we were together. Was she home pregnant while he and I were making out in a hotel bathroom?

He whispers, “I know you’re doing the math. I’ll explain.”

I don’t know if I can do this. I turn to Luke, “Wouldn’t you rather get lunch with Aunt Cassandra at my office? You can push all the buttons in the elevator.”

He shakes his head and pouts. “You just said we could have pizza with Valentina. They have arcade games at that restaurant. I want to go there.”

---