by A. m Madden
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Yes, I do.”
Cassie’s phone chimed. Snatching it out of her coat pocket, she shook her head. “It’s a text from Brae. She wants to know how our dinner is going.” Her brows furrowed in confusion before staring up at me. “How does she know we’re together?”
“I told Jude I was hanging out with you tonight.”
“Ugh. Please don’t do that. It only encourages her. You know she’s on a matchmaking kick and thinks we’re perfect together. Let me just tell her everything is fine.”
Another chime and Cassie flipped her phone in my direction. “See what you did?”
A gif of some couple kissing appeared on her screen. “Who are they?”
“Are you even serious right now? That’s Rachel and Ross from Friends.”
I leaned in closer. “Okay, so?”
“So… because they were friends and became lovers, that’s why.” Her thumbs started flying over her screen. “There, that should settle it.”
Once again she spun her phone toward me. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw a picture of Ross with someone else. “Ross is one lucky guy!”
“Eww! That’s his sister, Monica. Jeez, do you live under a rock? Anyway, that should calm her tits since we’re more like brother and sister.”
Cassie couldn’t have been more accurate with her statement. We were like family. She understood me and I her. My thoughts immediately conjured up the one night things got out of hand between us.
At yet another one of Brae’s parties, she got everyone together for Valentine’s Day. We saw right through her plan, knowing damn well she wanted to see us as a twosome. In our own rebellion, we never showed up and lied that we each had a hot date.
That night, to avoid all things hearts and flowers, Cassie and I took shelter at my place eating pizza, drinking beer, and watching a Fast and Furious marathon. Our plan to repel romance backfired after the alcohol went to our heads. One thing led to another, and before we knew what happened we were lip-locked and stripping.
It took all of sixty seconds of teeth clanking, noses banging, elbows knocking before we burst out laughing, thus killing the moment along with any chance of us ever being more than friends.
I lifted my wine glass and said, “To Vin Diesel.”
Her eyes lit up the moment she realized what I referred to. Mimicking me, she lifted her glass and said, “To our lack of chemistry.”
“Salute.”
Chapter 2
Luca
If it had been cloudy, the air would have been too nippy to withstand a soccer game in the park. But, with the sun shining bright it was enough to bring New Yorkers out in droves to enjoy the crisp spring day.
When I arrived at my friend’s apartment, however, she was dressed for the Arctic. In contrast to my jeans and a lightweight sweater, Cassie’s jeans were tucked in her UGG boots, and a ski jacket with a fur-lined hood was zipped up to her chin. How she wasn’t dripping with sweat baffled me.
“Expecting snow?” I asked as we headed to the park a few blocks away from her place.
“It’s cold out.”
“Yes, almost sixty is frigid.” My comment earned me a smack on the arm. I pointed to an older woman on a bench with an afghan on her legs. “Maybe you should ask grandma to share her blanket.”
Cassie threw me a sideways smirk. “Shut it.”
A few minutes later, she led us to where two sets of kids occupied opposite sides of a small youth soccer field practicing their shots on goal. Most of the adults who were there congregated at the center, leaving significant distance between them and us.
Cassie spread out a gingham blanket and plopped down in the center of it leaving little room for me. Some of the other spectators looked her way, smiling warmly and even offering a wave. She reciprocated, but made no motion to go over and greet them.
Where most of the men were busy watching the kids and chatting amongst themselves, some of the females made an obvious perusal in my direction. “Um… should we go over and say hello?” I asked, feeling like I was eye candy.
“No.” Her quick response caused me to laugh, and she followed suit. “Sorry, if I go over there, I’ll be bombarded with questions and comments that belong at a parent teacher conference and not a soccer game.”
“Gotcha.”
Cassie pulled the zipper on her jacket down and started to fidget a bit. “Getting warm?”
“Nope, just comfortable.” God forbid she would have to admit I was right and she was overdressed. I figured by the end of the first half her jacket would be completely off.
A whistle blew and I watched the chaos on the field and wondered who was in charge of this mess. Some of the kids didn’t even have the right socks on to cover their shin guards. It was the Bad News Bears on a soccer field. When the referee, who couldn’t have been older than sixteen, blew his whistle, I asked, “Which team is your class?”
“The blue.”
“Whoever is coaching them sucks.”
She flung her gaze to my face. “They’re five.”
“So? That’s the perfect age to get them ready for the big leagues. They have no clue what they’re doing.” I pointed to one little boy who sat on the grass while plucking dandelions. “He should be running laps for that.”
“Oh my God!”
“What?” Her gape made me shake my head. “Americans. Please don’t tell me they don’t keep score and everyone gets a trophy.” The expression on her face was all the answer I needed. “Figures.”
Coaches arranged their teams in proper formation, preparing for the opening whistle. As soon as that shrill sound echoed, all ten players converged around the ball, immediately forgetting their positions.
Where the ball went, so did every member of both teams. At one point, even the goalkeepers came out of their areas trying to get part of that ball. My anxiety was getting the best of me. Neither coach, neither referee, nor any of the parents were attempting to teach these kids how to properly play the game.
When a boy in yellow picked up the ball and threw it to one of his teammates, I couldn’t hold back any longer. “Oh, come on Ref! He’s handling the ball!”
“Luca!” Cassie scolded me before smiling apologetically at the adults who were all staring my way. “You can’t yell at the refs.”
“Why the hell not? They suck!” I motioned toward the idiots who should have been instructing those kids. “Look, they aren’t doing anything. What good are they? The kids are all over the place. Do they even have assigned positions? Were they taught the basics? Did they practice before this game?” Seriously, my skin itched just watching this debacle. Then one of the kids in yellow kicked the ball out of bounds, picked it up, and threw it in. Once again, I threw my hands in the air and shouted, “Hey, that’s Blue’s ball!”
“Shh. You’re going to get us kicked out of here.”
“From a public park?” Cassie’s eyes narrowed at me in response.
“Fine. However, let me go on record and say these coaches are doing a disservice to the kids.” I folded my arms, huffing and mumbling Italian curse words under my breath for most of the first half. Every muscle in my body tensed from trying to restrain myself. I wanted to show those yahoos how to properly coach a soccer game.
Cassie’s lips quirked to the side. “Noted.” She shrugged off her jacket and set it beside her. When I pointed to it sitting on the blanket she snarled, “What? You’re making me all hot and bothered.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot.” I laughed and earned my arm another smack.
It was almost halftime, and right when the whistle blew, Cassie’s phone buzzed. She bent to retrieve it from her bag just as a soccer ball came careening in our direction. “Heads up!”
On my command, she buried her head into my chest giving the ball open air to hit me square between the eyes. Jesus Christ! It hit me so hard, my vision blurred. Through my haze, I saw Cassie clamp a hand over her mouth as she laughed her ass off.
“That’s going to leave a mark.” She leaned in closer and added, “I think I can see the word Wilson on your forehead.” Her laughing resumed, and she doubled over in hysterics at my expense, swiping at the tears falling from her eyes.
“Fuck,” I muttered. An instant headache took hold, spreading from temple to temple. “It’s not funny.” Rubbing my forehead failed to alleviate any of the throbbing pain.
A frantic woman holding a little boy’s hand came running toward us. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it was Sabrina and Mikey. “Oh my God! We’re so sorry. Are you okay? Do you want me to find an ice pack? Doctor?” When she realized it was me again, she gasped. “Oh no. You must think we’re targeting you.”
“It’s not a big deal.” I rubbed my head again with a forced smile.
“He’ll be fine, Sabrina.” Cassie chuckled through her response. “Hi, Mikey. That was a great kick.”
Mikey hid behind his mom, peering at me with the same terrified expression as yesterday. His bottom lip trembled, prompting me to kneel, bringing us eye level. “Hey buddy, don’t worry. I’m fine. Miss Brooks is right, you have an awesome kick.”
A small smile played on his lips, otherwise he didn’t acknowledge me. “Sweetie, say thank you.” Sabrina mimicked my stance, squatting beside him. With her attention on Mikey, I took a moment to admire her. The woman was stunning.
Mother and son’s physical traits couldn’t be any more different, and the only thing they shared was a smattering of freckles over the bridge of their noses. Where Mikey was dark haired with big brown eyes, Sabrina was blonde with hazel eyes. The multi-colored flecks in them, combined with the definition of her cheekbones, her upturned nose, and full lips made her gorgeous.
“Thank you,” Mikey said quietly. “And I’m really sorry I hit you… and ruined your pants.”
I turned my focus back to Mikey and shook my head at his apology. “Don’t be sorry. They’re just pants. And that kick… awesome. If I was the net, you would’ve scored a goal with that shot.” He released a small giggle and shrugged.
“Mikey.” His eyes focused on Cassie before she added, “Mr. Benedetto played soccer when he was younger.”
“You can call me, Luca,” I said, offering him my hand. With a smile he grabbed onto mine, and shook it.
“You did?”
“Yes. I grew up in Italy and played the game most of my life. I almost went pro, but even I didn’t kick the ball that well when I was five. If you’d like, I can help you practice. I think you can be even better than I was.”
“Really?” he asked, excitement altering his otherwise shy expression.
I winked at Sabrina, quickly adding, “If that’s okay with your mom.” As I did to her son, I offered my hand again with a smile. “It’s great to meet you.”
Cassie blurted out, “I’m so sorry, where are my manners? Sabrina, this is my friend, Luca Benedetto. Luca, Sabrina Callahan, Mikey’s mom.”
“Same here.” A genuine returning smile spread across her face. Our eyes held before she broke the connection and pulled her hand from mine. “Thank you for the offer. Mikey loves this sport, but we wouldn’t want to impose.”
“No imposition… that is if you and his dad don’t mind.”
“I don’t have a dad anymore,” Mikey interrupted. A whistle blew, taking his attention back to the field. “Mom, I have to go.” He took a few steps and stopped. “Luca, will you watch the rest of my game?”
“Of course, buddy. I’ll be right here.”
An adorable smile lit up his face before he hustled back onto the field. And just like that, one little boy managed to steal my heart in an instant.
Chapter 3
Sabrina
After Mikey left, Luca and I stood at the exact same time. While fidgeting nervously with the hem of my jacket, he offered Cassie a hand to help her stand as well. The first time I saw him I didn’t have the time to appreciate his stature. At his full height he towered over Cassie, who was a few inches shorter than me.
When Mikey told Luca he didn’t have a dad anymore, my heart clenched. I was so used to seeing pity in the eyes of those around us, but Luca was different. He didn’t change his demeanor around my son. Instead, he watched my smiling little boy hustle out onto the field.
Becky, a friend of mine who had been eying Luca since she saw him from across the field, was right, the man was very handsome. With just the right amount of scruff, hair as dark as ink, and eyes as warm as melted chocolate, I imagined he had women swooning at every turn.
My eyes raked over him from head to toe, and when they landed on his face, I saw him staring back. “I hope I didn’t overstep by offering Mikey my help.” The tenor of his voice, mixed with the hint of a sexy accent, had me losing my train of thought. “Sabrina?” he prompted.
Oh hell. The way he rolled the R in my name rendered me stupid. So much so, I continued to stare as he raised his brows with an amused smile.
“Pardon?” I asked, feeling like an idiot.
“The practice. I hope mentioning it to Mikey was okay. I guess I should’ve asked you first.”
“Oh, yes… I mean no, that was absolutely fine. As long as you’re not some weirdo,” I said with an awkward chuckle.
Waiting for reassurance from Cassie, instead she deadpanned, “He’s an absolute wacko.”
“Um…”
“Don’t listen to her.” He shot her a livid expression. “She hasn’t taken her meds today.”
“I’m just kidding. Luca’s a wonderful guy and will get along great with Mikey since their maturity level isn’t much different.”
“Nice. Thank you for that,” Luca fired back.
It was my turn to laugh at their adorable banter until Cassie batted her eyes at him and said, “You know I love you.” Luca threw his arm around Cassie’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. My eyes darted between them taking in the scene in front of me. It was obvious they had a very strong bond, one I admired.
Luca turned and met my gaze. His arm still hung around Cassie’s shoulders when he repeated, “Really, I meant it. I’d love to teach him some of my old tricks.”
“Okay, great. Then we accept your offer. Um… I better get back to my friend. Enjoy the rest of the game.” I walked away mid their goodbyes and hurried back to my chair.
The moment my ass hit the canvas, Becky blurted out, “Well, who is he?” She was also a single mom, except where I was more reticent, she lacked a filter. Her son, Jared, and Mikey were good friends and had much in common after Becky and her husband divorced last year. She liked to tell people it was due to irreconcilable differences with an asshole. Becky kept her eyes pinned on Luca, she licked her lips and sighed. “He’s gorgeous.”
“That’s Miss Brooks’ boyfriend. The poor guy got it good from Mikey. Yesterday he was at the school and Mikey barreled into him with his hands covered in paint, and… well… let’s say he left his imprints framing Luca’s manhood in an embarrassing way. Khaki pants, blue and green paint.” I cringed as hard at the memory as I had when it happened.
“Wait—I just got a visual. Let me enjoy this.”
“Shut up. It was mortifying. And for Mikey’s second attack, today Luca got a ball square between the eyes.”
“I’d like his balls square between my—”
“Becky!” I scanned the area, grateful that none of the parents appeared to have heard her.
“What?”
“That’s your son’s teacher’s boyfriend.”
“You know that for a fact?” She swung her gaze their way and tsk’d. “They’re not touching. Maybe they’re just friends.”
I followed her eye line. Luca watched the game intently while Cassie fiddled with her phone. “Doubtful, she said she loved him.”
“So? Love is bullshit, I should know.” Luca turned his head in our direction, and if there was any doubt we were talking about him Becky’s flirty little wave squashed it. “Damn, that man is hot as fuck. My God, look at that face.�
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“Stop staring at him. It doesn’t matter, he’s taken. And stop distracting me, we’re here to watch our kids play,” I snipped, turning my attention back to the game.
“I’d rather watch him,” Becky muttered, and I really couldn’t blame her.
By closing my eyes, I could still picture his face along with his body perfectly. Not to mention, his deep voice with an accent that made everything he said sound romantic. The visual caused me to sigh, not going unnoticed by Becky. Ignoring her, I squinted and pretended to be concentrating on the field.
Crap, it’d been a long time since a man had stolen my focus.
The rest of the game went much like the first half: no goals, no progress made, and no sense of order. When the final whistle blew, like rockets, both teams shot over to the mom in charge of their snacks.
Noticing the way Cassie and Luca were together, an irrational jealousy took hold as I watched them laughing in a carefree manner. I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed like that, and then my jealousy turned to sadness.
“Mom, can you hold these?” Mikey asked, with a juice box and a small package of Oreos in hand. “Tommy’s mom brought the good stuff today.”
“Sure, honey.” He dropped the good stuff in my lap and sprinted toward Luca without another word.
“Mikey!” I called after him, not deterring him in the slightest. Once he got there, he flailed his arms in full-out animation as Luca squatted listening, laughing, and smiling. For some unknown reason, the easy connection between them warmed my heart.
“Becky, I gotta go. Thanks for the loan of the chair,” I said as I grabbed my bag off the back of it. “I’ll call you,” I added before trotting over to them. Feeling like I was intruding on their reunion, I stepped right up to my son. “Michael Dillon Callahan, you know the rules. You don’t run away without telling me where you’re going and asking if it’s okay.”
“Sorry, Mommy. I just really, really, wanted to tell Luca that my coach said I played good today.” My sweet boy… starving for male attention.