“Saint Luca,” he said, standing taller, smiling wider.
“I doubt that.”
“Well . . .” He wore a sheepish grin. “Your father?”
“Yes. That was my dad.”
“You are very patient with him.” Luca leaned against the wall outside, folded his arms across his chest.
“I have my moments. Trust me. Reasoning with an elder who has lost their independence is a monumental task when they’re not on board. I need him on board.”
“And your work?”
“You heard that part, too?”
“I heard the whole thing, bella. Is your work giving you trouble?”
His endearment didn’t go unnoticed, but she didn’t bring attention to it. Instead, she answered his question. “I haven’t worked on a team project since I was fresh out of college. Even when my dad had the stroke, I was assigned people to work with me, not the other way around.” It was a giant step in the wrong direction. But delays in her projects were a reflection on the company, and they needed to cover their asses.
“You seem resigned to it.”
“I am. I deserve it. My focus has been everywhere but work. One more reason for me to cut my losses with the condo and get it behind me as fast as possible.”
“Did you get another offer?”
He remembered.
“I did. We opened escrow yesterday. Monday I’m going up there to meet the air conditioner guy, the electrician, finish the painting, and haul the rest of my dad’s crap to the dump. Anything left over comes back with me. If it doesn’t fit in the car, I don’t need it.”
“That sounds like a big list.”
“I’ve given myself a deadline.”
“How long will you be there?”
“Only Monday. I have to be here on Tuesday to see my dad. So, I’ll get up early and likely drive home by midnight.”
Luca narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like that idea.”
“I wasn’t asking you,” she said with a half smile.
Luca pushed away from the wall with a huff. “We have our Sunday dinner.”
Brooke smiled. “I remember. You won’t bother me.”
He shook his head. “You misunderstand. We have dinner on Sunday. This family. This household. You’re part of that. We want you to join us.”
Brooke literally took a full stop and had a hard time finding words. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Dinner is at seven thirty,” he said with a wink.
“You’ve never done this before?” Chloe asked as they rolled out their mats the next morning for yoga.
“A couple of times in college, but I didn’t really get it.”
Brooke followed Chloe’s example and sat, cross-legged, on the mat.
“There is a lot to yoga. More than the poses and the exercise of it all.”
“That’s what I keep hearing. After the last couple of years, I think I could use a bit more of what I think yoga can offer.”
“I started for the exercise,” Chloe admitted. “For the yoga butt.”
Brooke laughed.
“My second year in college I broke up with this guy . . .”
“It’s always a guy.”
Chloe nodded. “Always. Once the hangover was gone, I sat on the mat and tapped into my breath. Really tapped in. The following year I took a week and gained my certification. But I’m still new.”
“How can you say that?”
“There is so much to learn and explore. You’ll see. We’ll start slow.”
For the next thirty minutes, Chloe worked with Brooke on less than a dozen poses, but each one was made more challenging with Chloe standing beside Brooke, making sure she was doing them correctly. The whole time Chloe reminded her to breathe.
When they were done, lying flat on their backs looking up at the sky, Brooke felt muscles she’d forgotten she had.
“I needed that,” Brooke said.
“I’m glad.”
“You’re a great instructor.”
“Thanks.”
“What’s Bali going to teach you?”
They both stared at the sky as they spoke.
“I don’t know. I just know I need to go.”
“A life quest,” Brooke said.
“As opposed to a bucket list?”
“Bucket list is what you do before you die. Like hurry up and check a box. The problem with checking a box is you don’t always enjoy what you’re doing. Life quest is the feeling of exploring and discovery that admittedly is like a bucket list, but without death looming. Sounds silly.”
Chloe laughed. “It sounds like something a yogi would say.”
“One practice does not make me a yogi.”
“Every journey starts with one step.”
Brooke turned her head now and rolled her eyes at Chloe.
They both started laughing.
After gathering up their mats and grabbing a drink of water, Chloe brought up Sunday night. “You’re joining us for our family dinner.”
“I hope that’s okay. Luca said you guys wanted me there.”
“Ah, huh . . .”
Brooke stood tall. “Is that not right?”
“Oh, no. We want you there.”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.” Chloe turned to walk away.
“You’re a bad liar, Chloe.”
She turned, walked backward. “I know. Be sure and remind yourself how you’re not interested in my brother while he is flirting with you over dinner.”
Just thinking about that brought heat to Brooke’s cheeks.
“How much flirting can happen? It’s a family dinner.”
Chloe laughed as she walked away.
Brooke tried on three outfits and then when the coastal clouds started to billow in, she decided on outfit number four.
Casual family dinner.
One where she wasn’t asked to bring a thing. But because she didn’t know how to do anything empty-handed, Brooke placed a vase of fresh flowers on the table they were going to be eating on.
The D’Angelos had heat lamps surrounding the area, which Gio had turned on before Chloe and Mari showed up with the place settings.
Family dinner meant she wasn’t a guest, so Brooke took their presence as an invitation to help.
“What can I do?” Brooke announced herself with a question.
“Don’t you look lovely,” Mari said.
Chloe looked Brooke up and down and giggled. She knew, without a doubt, what the woman was thinking.
Brooke had put on makeup, something she hadn’t done since she moved in. There was a curl to her hair, and she wore earrings. It was Sunday dinner. She knew not to show up in sweats and a ponytail.
Chloe was put together.
But then, Chloe was always put together.
Mari had lipstick on, her hair pulled back.
Brooke wasn’t overdressed.
Still, Chloe chuckled.
“I’ll gather the rest of the dishes,” Chloe announced and walked away.
“I’m so happy you’ll brave my family.” Mari set plates around the table.
Brooke followed her with silverware. “You’ve all been incredibly welcoming. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am.”
“The most important course is here,” Gio announced as he waltzed onto the terrace. He held up a caddy with three bottles of wine.