When It Falls Apart (The D'Angelos, #1)(72)

Brooke glanced at Nayla, who looked away. “Are you sticking around?” Brooke asked.

“I am. I haven’t been out of Manhattan much. I thought I’d rent a car and take the weekend to see what’s around here.”

Brooke was surprised to hear that, considering Nayla seemed to eat, sleep, and breathe this job.

“Have fun.”

“Find a cowboy,” Mayson added.

His way of saying Nayla needed to get laid.

Brooke glanced at her watch. “I have to break this up. I will see you all on next Tuesday’s Zoom meeting.” She stood and pushed her chair back.

“Safe flight,” Mayson said.

“You too.” Brooke looked at Kayleigh and Nayla. “It was a long couple of weeks, but it paid off.”

“Good luck with your dad,” Kayleigh said.

“Thanks.”

“See ya Tuesday,” Nayla added.

Brooke said her goodbyes and left the hotel bar.

She’d already packed and only had to do a final check in the room before walking out with her luggage.

During the ride to the airport and wait through security, Brooke considered letting Luca know she was coming home early.

Only she really didn’t want to. She wanted to get into her apartment and decompress without the long conversation they needed to have. Her flight would land after eleven, and hopefully she could sneak in without being noticed.

Brooke had spoken with Luca twice since she’d confronted him. She kept the conversation on Franny and how she was handling everything. What Brooke really wanted to know was if Luca was still paying the woman’s bills and why.

But more than that, she wanted to not care. Because caring was hurting a part of her she’d only recently felt come back. And now that the hard rush of work was behind her, she’d have nothing but time to contemplate the situation.

Or get busy.

Escrow was closing that week. She needed to get rid of her father’s car and get one of her own. She still hadn’t explored San Diego to any extent.

Her dad needed a haircut and doctors.

She needed to find an ob-gyn and get refills for her birth control pills.

At least she hoped there was a need for that.

She’d stay busy. Then maybe if Luca’s feelings changed, she could plow through the time and get over him fast.

The error in dating someone who lived in the same building became super apparent.

A little luck came her way in the form of an upgrade on her flight. She had a window seat in first and access to unlimited wine.

She took advantage, and by the time they landed she was beyond tipsy.

An Uber ride home, and she was doing all she could to drag her bag up the stairs as quietly as possible. She made it five steps beyond Luca’s apartment when she heard the squeaking hinges of his door.

“Shit,” she said a little louder than intended.

“Brooke?”

Her shoulders slumped. “Yeah.”

“I thought you were coming home tomorrow.”

She heard him walking up behind her.

“I changed my flight.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” He was beside her, the bag in her hand now in his.

Brooke took him in . . . all of him, ruffled hair, five o’clock shadow.

Damn, why did he have to look so good?

“I didn’t want to bother anyone.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You’re never a bother, cara.”

She swayed toward him an inch, then pulled back. “I might have drunk a lot on the plane.”

Luca grinned. “That’s what I’m seeing in your eyes.”

“Alcohol is my truth serum. It’s best I go right to bed.”

Luca’s smile fell.

Shit . . . had she said that out loud?

Damn!

“Interesting.”

Luca took her bag up the stairs and stopped at her door.

Brooke dug for her key, finally found it, and let them in.

Luca took her bag to her bedroom, and she walked to the kitchen window and opened it.

She braced her hands on both sides of the sink and sucked in the salt air. It was good to be home. Even with the uncertainty of it all, she was happy to be back in San Diego.

She felt Luca’s arms before she even heard him behind her.

Brooke stiffened.

“Talk to me, bella,” he whispered in her ear.

She shook her head. “I’m not going to say nice things.”

“Then say awful things. But talk to me.”

With her eyes out the window, she opened up. “I didn’t think you and I were casual. I thought maybe we were going somewhere.”

His hands squeezed her waist. “Brooke—”

“Secrets are what casual people do. And if that secret has something to do with an ex, it feels more like an indiscretion.”

“There is nothing between Antonia and me, Brooke.” Luca moved to her side, placed a hand on her chin, and directed her gaze to his. “Her appearance was a complete surprise.”

“I understand that. But you kept it from me.”

“I didn’t—”

“No. What if I told you that while I was in Texas, Marshall called me and showed up—he wanted to talk?”

Whatever Luca was about to say drifted away like smoke. She saw the gears in his head turning.