Chasing forever, p.20
Chasing Forever, page 20
Parking in front of the nondescript apartment building, I knock on his door. The crashes, sounding like beer cans or bottles falling to the floor, surround me as I wait outside the door.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you have an assignment to attend to?”
“I wanted to check on you. You don’t call in for no reason. You’ve showed up hungover before. What’s the problem?”
“You. How could you do this to me? Moving up at YPD wasn’t going to happen, so I started looking elsewhere. Then you swoop in and take the job from me.”
“Dude, I get you’re upset you didn’t get the job. We’re both at fault for the position we find ourselves in. I didn’t tell you, and you didn’t tell me. Would I have withdrawn my application, no, but this—” I motion between two of us. “—wouldn’t be happening right now. I won’t apologize for chasing my dream job. However, I will apologize for not sharing sooner.”
Davis is silent. He says nothing and continues to stare at me as if I said something untrue. “You can leave now. I’m fine.”
I glance at my watch. Crap, I need to hurry to the high school. Shaking my head, I leave as he slams his door shut. Luckily, there’s a designated parking spot for YPD at the front of the school. I make it inside as the bell rings at the start of my assignment.
“Hi, Officer Cappelli.”
He seems taller than when I last saw him, which wasn’t too long ago. “Hi, Austin. How are you?”
“Great! I got an offer for a baseball scholarship for my first-choice school.”
“Amazing! Congratulations! I have some news too.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m changing jobs. I’m moving to the crisis negotiation unit with the state police.”
“Wow! Good for you.”
“Thanks. If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to either Willa or me. Good luck with your recruiting. Keep those grades up. I’ll try to catch a game or two during the season.”
“Thanks.”
We bro hug and then proceed through our long, involved secret handshake. Once we finish, Austin takes off for class. There are some aspects of my job at the YPD I won’t miss, but this part, I’ll miss it the most. After a pass through the cafeteria and the gym where I get lucky and school a few sophomores with my three-point shot, I return to the station to wrap up my shift. I hoped to skip another meeting with Captain Ramirez, but it doesn’t appear to be in the cards.
“Cappelli,” he calls from his chair.
“Anything to report?”
“He’s pissed at me, sir. Apparently, we both applied for the crisis negotiation position. He was cut during the second round.”
“I see. I assume he didn’t share with you beforehand.”
“Correct.”
“Is separating the two of you necessary?”
I hear the disapproval in his tone. The last thing he wants to do is deal with his officers acting like petulant children. “Not for me.”
“Thank you. Dismissed.” I leave his office, change in the locker room, and hurry to my car in the hopes I don’t run into anyone else today. Davis’s reaction is enough for one day.
When I pull into her driveway, she steps onto the porch with two boxes. I hustle to her side and take one.
“Hi, gorgeous. Easy shift?”
“Hi. Yes. You?”
“Not really. We can talk about it later.”
She nods and walks back into her kitchen. When she reaches up to pull some canned goods out of the cabinet, the lacy edge of her panties peeks out of her scrubs. That’s all it takes. I trap her against the counter. Grabbing her ponytail, I tilt her head back, exposing the column of her neck. I drag my tongue along every visible speck of skin.
“Luca.”
My name sounds decadent falling from her lips all the time, even more so when she’s aroused. I scan the kitchen… too many windows. Reluctantly, I release her, intertwine my fingers with hers, and hurry toward the staircase. She locks the front door as we hurry upstairs. As we step into her bedroom, she tears my shirt over my head and pushes my shorts and boxer briefs to the floor.
“In a hurry?”
“Yes,” she rasps out while I reveal her tempting red lace bra with split cups.
“Is this new?” I lower my mouth to her nipple, tugging gently to expose more of her.
“Yes.” Her response is breathy and short. She shimmies out of her scrubs and panties while I tease one nipple with my mouth and the other with my fingers. Her small hand wraps around my thick shaft. With two steps backward, she’s against the closed door. Her right leg wraps around my waist as she guides me to her entrance. Who am I to slow this down? I thrust forward as deeply as possible in one motion.
A low moan comes from the back of her throat. “You feel so damn good!”
I move out and thrust back into her with abandon. It doesn’t take long for her silky walls to pulse around me. She curls one arm around my chest, marking my skin with her mouth. I lower my right hand between us and rub her clit with my thumb. With an increased pace, we pursue our releases at the same time. I explode inside her as she shudders around my pulsing length.
“I could get used to that,” she murmurs against my shoulder. Her breath is hot and uneven.
“Me too, gorgeous.”
We clean up, redress, and return to the kitchen as if we didn’t take a detour into an orgasm haze. Within an hour, we finish packing the kitchen items and discarding duplicates or expired items. Surprisingly, she had a few in the recesses of her fridge. I move the rest of her clothes to my car while she carries the kitchen items.
After moving everything into my—our—house, we make a quick dinner. We move around the kitchen like we’ve been making dinner together for a long time rather than a few times.
“What happened at work?”
“First, Davis didn’t show up for work. I talked with Cap and knocked on his door before my assignment at the school.”
“He’s still angry with you.”
“Angry is an understatement. He’s pissed I didn’t tell him sooner.”
She nods slowly.
“I didn’t exactly make it much better either. I told him I wouldn’t have withdrawn my application or not applied for my dream job even if I knew.”
“Nor should you have. As far as applying, both of you were wrong. Even if you shared earlier, Davis would still be upset you got the job he wanted regardless of his lack of communication of the same fact.”
“You’re amazing. You hear me and still set me straight.”
“It’s a gift.” She leans over and kisses me softly. “What else? You said first.”
“I saw Austin today at the school. I told him about the job, and he mentioned he got a scholarship offer to his preferred university.”
“Wow, good for him! It certainly makes my broken window worth it.”
“I meant to thank him.” I grin.
“Yeah, we should.”
The broken window was the first time I was able to make progress with Willa.
“Do you meal plan, or do you wing it for weeknight meals?”
“I usually grab ingredients for two or three specific meals, but I have staples on hand, like chicken and beef, to make pasta or whatever.”
“Okay, let’s clean this up and update tomorrow’s delivery in the office,” I suggest.
We clean the dishes, add groceries to the order, including some chocolate for Willa. Having four sisters, I wouldn’t question a woman’s need for readily available chocolate. Before we leave the office, I pull Willa into my lap.
“Are you ready for this?” she asks.
“Yes. Ready for all of it—to finish school and move into my new job. I have no idea how next week will play out with Davis.” I click the submit button for my first paper and then my second. “Why don’t we hang your clothes and climb into bed?”
“Yes, let’s.”
I hang her clothes on the left side of the walk-in closet while she arranges her shoes on the shelves. It doesn’t take long before we’re sliding beneath the sheets until morning. I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. Our first movie night at our home. With that in mind, I tuck her curves against me and slip into a deep sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Willa
I’m excited for movie night tonight. The issues between Luca and Davis has put a bit of a damper on the evening. Tabi is going to join us to eat but then leave to spend time with Davis. Hopefully, the guys can figure this out. They have been friends since middle school.
On my way home from work, I grab some wine and craft beers. “Hi, honey. I’m home.” I hear him laugh as I close the door. Bogart and Newman dutifully greet me, expecting to be petted. Sorry, furry friends, but my hands are full.
Luca rounds the corner from the kitchen, steals a kiss, and takes one of the bags from my arms.
“How did it go today with Davis?”
“Cap put him at the desk. I rode alone today. It’s just as well. I didn’t do anything wrong. Cap asked if it would be an issue for me, and I told him no. Apparently that isn’t the case for Davis. If he’s willing to destroy our over-two-decade friendship over a lack of communication on one thing, it’s on him. I don’t want our friendship to end, but I can’t make him realize we were both wrong.”
“Maybe he’ll come around.”
“Pizza or Thai? Is Tabi joining us?”
As if I didn’t already think he was perfect. He’s okay with Tabi crashing our first movie night together. “Pizza. She might stop by before meeting up with Davis.”
Luca orders the pizza while I shuck off my scrubs. When I return to the kitchen, he hands me a glass of white wine and leads me to the couch.
“What should we watch tonight?” He has a copy of Some Like it Hot and A Streetcar Named Desire in his hand.
“Option A, it’s been longer since I’ve seen the film.” While he sets up the movie, I answer the door. Tabi arrives with more wine in hand. I hug her tight. I’m grateful she came. As I’m about to close the door, the pizza delivery arrives. Peyton, Austin’s older brother, strolls up the sidewalk.
“Miss Willa, nice to see you. Please say hi to Officer Cappelli for me. Here’s your order.”
Luca slides behind me, his arm possessively around my waist, and takes the boxes. “Hi, Peyton. How’s school?”
“This semester was tougher than the fall, but at least it’s over.”
“I completely understand. Have a great night.”
“Thanks, Peyton. Nice to see you too. Please say hello to your family for me.” I request.
“Will do.” He returns to his car and backs down the driveway. Luca sets the pizzas on the island and dishes out slices for everyone. Luca and I snuggle up on the couch while Tabi takes the side chair.
It doesn’t take long for Tabi to start talking during the movie. When she realizes she only wants to talk about Davis, she clams up. After eating her slices, Tabi sets her dish in the sink. “I’m going to take off.”
I slide out of Luca’s arms and walk her to the door. “You good?”
“Yeah, it’s awkward. I can’t talk about Davis with you right now.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you too, Tabi.” I sigh, walk back to the couch, and resume my spot curled up in Luca’s arms.
“Everything good?”
“Uh-huh.”
We finish the movie and then cuddle in our bed to watch some Beachfront Bargain Hunt. At some point in the middle of the night, I flick off the television, check my alarm, and snuggle deeper into Luca’s body. All too soon, the same alarm wakes me up.
Luca is a few weeks into his new job. His schedule is much more predictable. He leaves a little earlier than when he worked for YPD, but he’s captured his dream job. I’m crazy proud of him. Now, I’m arriving home for movie night as well as a day off together tomorrow. The only drawback is I’ve decided to see what’s in the box from my father. I’m nervous, but it needs to happen. Plus, I know it’ll be only Luca and me tonight. Tabi is in New York City for her monthly in-person meeting and decided to stay there over the weekend. Tabi is the queen of exploring places on her own. It’s one of the many major differences between us. I couldn’t stand wandering around somewhere foreign to me alone. Tabi, on the other hand, thrives on the adventure of it.
I strip out of my scrubs and into shorts, a tank top, and a thin hoodie. I gather my hair into my hands and twist it up into a messy topknot as I walk back toward the kitchen.
“Hi, gorgeous. I’m home,” Luca calls from the front door. It’s been over a month, and I still can’t believe we’re living together. I still get giddy stepping over the threshold of our home.
“Hi. How was work?”
After a sweet kiss, he wraps his arm around my waist and continues kissing me while he walks us back to the bedroom. “It was good. I’m still learning a lot about their procedures and different techniques for talking down a suspect. The guys are great. To be fair, my commanding officer is a woman, as you already know, but she’s like one of the guys despite her tiny, though extremely fit, frame. Plus, her husband is almost as scary as she is.”
I laugh and sit on the edge of the bed while he changes.
“Why are you wearing clothes? I do recall a certain agreement for days off.”
“True, can we wait until after I find out what is in the box from my dad?”
Luca nods and throws on some shorts. “Do you want to open it before dinner or after?”
“Before, if you aren’t starving.”
“Now is fine.” Luca pulls the box down from the shelf in the closet and joins me on the bed. He settles against the headboard.
I sit facing him with the box between us. It’s a square box like the ones holiday cards are sold in, except there’s no window to see inside. I inhale and exhale a few times.
“Sweetheart, I’m confident your dad wouldn’t give you anything to cause you more pain.”
“I know you’re right, but I’m still afraid.” I breathe in and out again and open the white box. There are at least six numbered envelopes here. I slide my fingers over the first numbered envelope that has my name in the middle in my father’s messy handwriting.
“His ‘just in case’ letters,” Luca mumbles.
“His what?”
“Most first responders, especially police officers and firefighters as well as military personnel, draft a “just in case’ letter to the people they love. To make sure whoever the letter is addressed to has an amazing final memory or to say I love you once more.”
“Do you have one?” My voice cracks on that question.
Luca nods.
I lift the first envelope out of the box and open the flap. My chest hurts, yet I’m intrigued at the same time. My eyes skim the lines as fast as I can.
Willa,
If you’re reading this, I’m sorry for failing you. I realize you’re an adult and losing your parent is the way life works. However, you deserved more time.
There are letters for the major occasions in your future in this box. The next one contains the names of three men in addition to Sully who will help you no questions asked once they realize who you are. These three are far above the rest. If you ever need help or someone to talk to about me, they will be there for you day or night.
Choosing you was the best decision I ever made. Raising you was the highlight of my life. Please take the lessons I gave you and change the world. If anyone can, it’s you.
I love you, sweet pea,
Dad
Tears well up in my eyes before I even make it past the second sentence.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your nickname, sweetheart?” Luca murmurs.
“It was nice to hear it again, even if it wasn’t directed at me.” I lean forward and gently kiss Luca’s soft lips.
“Do you want to keep going or stop for now?”
“No reason for me to keep going. I don’t need help. If I did, I would call you before I seek out one of my dad’s friends.”
Luca sets the box to his right and pulls me into his arms. “Still up for our day off sans clothes?”
“Absolutely. How does takeout and naked movie night in bed sound?”
“Perfect.”
We order our dinner. While we wait for it to arrive, Luca selects From Here to Eternity, and we set up a blanket on the bedroom floor complete with wine and utensils. After dinner arrives, we strip out of our clothes before feasting on the food and then each other. We can always watch the movie tomorrow.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Luca
We spend our mutual day off mostly naked per our agreement. Early afternoon, we take a drive to the beach and have lunch on the sand. My girl in cutoffs and a tank top is mouthwatering. The local beaches are filling up now since the weather is warmer and schools let out for summer in the last few days. The village is packed with tourists. I love this time of year here. It also means longer lines everywhere, so partaking in Dunne’s ice cream or finding a parking spot at the Nubble Lighthouse takes a bit more planning.
It didn’t cross my mind her father would have written her a letter, let alone five. I don’t have children, and perhaps in the future I may change my mind, but one letter per person is sufficient in my mind. Writing one is hard enough. Once I drafted mine, I set it aside and moved on. With all the changes in my life, I should update the letter. I’m thankful Davis never had to give it to my parents after Derrick shot me.
The past month sharing a home with Willa has been more than I imagined possible. Now I need to make it permanent. First I need to find a way to talk to Nonna and Nonno without Willa finding out. Knowing they will be here in the spring makes it the ideal time to have our wedding. Before, when I was with YPD, my commute was a bit shorter and I didn’t have time to consider deeper issues. That’s all that’s on my mind today as I drive to work, partially because of the letters from the lieutenant and Davis’s rebuff of my apology.
