page50 (1/2)
She could hardly hate hi She longed to simply flee, but sonity and composure It would only be ether for the ti in the renovations
Luca ignored the voice inside that told him to knock it off He looked at Mari and could only see her face last night as she told him about her stepfather He’d had to help her He’d wanted to
But now, in the bright light of day, he needed to step back This felt too much like a relationship and he wasn’t prepared The last ti level, he’d let it interfere ork, too He’d fallen for Ellie, had trusted her He’d told her that he loved her Only that time he’d discovered it wasn’t him she wanted at all, but his Fiori connection The Fiori na to put his heart out there again
So these feelings for Mari weren’t supposed to have happened at all Their kisses shouldn’t have happened His eyes reht This was exactly what he would have done for a wo “That’s a bit low”
“I’m sorry, Luca I think I’m still a little off balance after yesterday I believe I will eat so a seat A platter glistened with raisin-studded French toast and fragrant circles of ham She filled a plate and poured warm maple syrup over the lot of it
He should have known better than to flirt with her like he did with other women Mari wasn’t that type and somehow he needed to extricate himself from whatever it was they shared But he would not call it a relationship In relationships people hurt each other Like his father had been hurt Like he’d been hurt when Ellie betrayed his and she’d used them to hurt him later, to taunt him
Mari wouldn’t do that, the voice inside argued But this time that wasn’t his worry He was h What an unusual position he found himself in
A break to friendship was the best plan, wasn’t it? Mari didn’t need a man ould break her heart And a man who didn’t do relationships surely would What she needed noas a friend
“Juice, freshly squeezed” Solicitously he poured her a generous glass “Enough vitamin C to last all day”
“Thank you” She sipped, then put the glass down and picked up her fork “Aren’t you going to eat anything?”
“Indeed”
He took the seat opposite and uncovered another platter containing scras and a bowl of mixed berries