Chapter 170: New Goal
- LUCIANO -
After I showed up at Dex’s house with Angelini’s that one day, I felt so much better just seeing that Rory was mostly okay. She seems more quiet and bristles easily with anger and discomfort, but she talked to me. And the longer I was there, the more comfortable she became.
What surprised me was how easy and peaceful I felt being with her. Easy and peaceful aren’t exactly the norm for me. But when I was sitting across from Rory just eating and talking about random shit, all the heavy weight I usually carry lifted. That’s when I decided it was okay to relax, to back off, and to be patient where this woman is concerned.
I’m a patient man in most aspects of life, because I’ve learned that patience pays off tremendously. The right time will always present itself, and when it does, you’re golden.
I’ve never needed patience with women, though. This time I do. This time the woman is different. Rory’s comfort is very important, and waiting while she gets to know me and trust me is worth it. I don’t want her to think I’m some psychotic lunatic trying to push my way into her life.
If what Rory needs or wants is a friend, I can do that. And it’s easy to be Rory’s friend. Texting back and forth everyday has proven that. She is straightforward and doesn’t do bullshit, and I fucking love it. She cracks me up.
The zero bullshit is also why it means so much that she hasn’t told me to leave her alone again. I know that if she didn’t want to hear from me, she would tell me. Which means she does want to hear from me.
When I left Rory after lunch that day, I also decided to tell my mother about her. Ma already knew about what happened with Lawson. It was impossible not to tell her since it concerned Dex’s brother. So she was already aware of how Lawson tried to get to Raya by using her sister as bait.
But then I told Ma the rest—how I felt drawn to Rory before that, how I heard her screams and found her and Lawson on the hill, how I felt compelled to protect her and couldn’t get those screams of hers out of my mind. I told Ma about the flowers and the lunch and the way it felt to be around her. And Ma smiled, kissed me, and told me she always knew there was one woman out there for me.
That made it real. That made it all the more important that I do this right.
Apparently I shouldn’t have backed off Rory quite as much as I did, though. She’s lost weight since I saw her last, and she shouldn’t be. I know the girl loves food. I know she loves to eat. So why the hell isn’t she?
I almost said something the second I laid eyes on her, because it was the first thing I noticed. But that would have pissed her off. There are shadows feathering the pale skin under those beautiful blue eyes that make it look like she’s been crying. Her face appears thinner and paler. Shouldn’t she be getting better and not the other way around?
How has Raya not noticed? How is someone not making sure she fucking eats?
I thought my biggest challenge during this miraculously timed vacation was going to be remaining in the friend zone Rory has put me in until she’s comfortable allowing me closer. But now my goal is just to find good food and convince her that it’s okay to enjoy something again.
God, I need to get her to start coming to Sundays—even as a damn friend. I’ll keep my hands and my eyes and my thoughts to myself while my mother makes sure she eats. Ma won’t just feed her that day, she will make sure Rory has enough food to last her the rest of the week.
We manage to make it to the air strip without me voicing any of these growing concerns or glancing back at Rory to evaluate her more closely. Dex and I make small talk, and I idly wonder how much I can get Rory to eat on the plane without pissing her off. I doubt Dex ordered a full meal to be served, because the flight isn’t that long to Costa Rica.
"I didn’t eat," I say once we’re parked, unbuckling and cutting a look toward Dex. "Should I have?"
"No, they’ve got us covered."
"Anywhere specific the food’s coming from?" I ask.
"It doesn’t just come from the plane?" Raya asks from the back seat.
I chuckle as I’m getting out of the truck and notice Dex shooting me a warning glare. Don’t give his girl shit. I get it.
All I can do is grin at him in reply. I can’t judge him for being protective of her.
"On chartered flights, they will bring in food at your request," I explain for Raya when she slides out of the back seat.
Raya and I both shut our doors, and I lean closer to her. "Has she been eating?"
She frowns at the whispered question. "Yes."
When I sigh, a flicker of concern passes over her expression. "Well not much, but—why? Can you tell?" Her words are passed in a confidential mumble.
Dex rounds the front of the truck, brows tenting at the close proximity between Raya and I. His gaze flicks toward where Rory has gotten out on the other side before it returns to us, and his lips thin. Then I see the flash of guilt when he sighs, too.
So this is us—all back together for the first time since the day of the funeral. And we’re all worried about her. Even Dex. And he apparently feels guilty like I do. At least I know she has people who care about her. She has us.
"Thanks for inviting me," I say, giving Dex an appreciative slap on the back.
"Thanks for coming," he says with a small smile, hands on his hips like he’s ready to talk business.
When Rory comes around the bed of the truck and walks to her sister’s side with her arms crossed, we’re an official huddle. The plane is waiting, it’s stairs down on the one side like a mouth prepared to swallow us once we enter.
"Melon Pan," Dex says and stares at each one of us like those two words are the name of an operation we’re about to embark upon. Then he smirks at the woman across from him, his eyes melting into soft pools of honey that make my jaw tic with envy. "That’s who has catered the flight. Now what do you say we all enjoy the shit out of this vacation?"
