The Call (Another Love Book 2) Read online

  “Right, yeah.” Luciana’s entire world slowed. Nothing made any sense. Lindsay was dancing her way back to Janet, and Luciana felt like she was in another life. Another world. One that was completely messed up and wrong.

  2

  Luciana buried her head deeper into the pillow, covering her face with the duvet. Last night hadn’t ended when she thought it would. Instead, Luciana and Shannon found their way inside a new gay bar in the city, taking shots with the drag queens on shift for the night. Luciana knew why she’d done it; she was avoiding coming home to Sam. When she did, when Sam opened her mouth to speak, Luciana would blurt out everything that had happened last night. Sam didn’t need that right now. She didn’t need Janet Mason on her mind when she had a shit tonne of work to get through.

  Luciana swallowed, gagging as the smell of stale alcohol found its way to her nostrils. Throwing the cover back, she remained still for a moment, thankful that her girlfriend wasn’t lying beside her. Sam would never call Luciana out on her drunken behaviour, she knew that, but it didn’t make it right. She would joke about her hangover, offer to make a little breakfast, and then carry on with her busy schedule for the day. Yes, even Sundays had become a workday.

  I miss having her to myself.

  Luciana slowly climbed from the plush, super-king mattress, her bare feet cooling against the hardwood flooring. She could hear Sam pottering about downstairs, but her stomach churned. Not from the alcohol, but because of the conversation she was about to have with Sam. How am I supposed to tell her that Lindsay is friends with Janet? Luciana rubbed her forehead, willing the headache approaching to disappear. Sunday was supposed to be for relaxing, but nothing about this day would come close to that.

  She took the stairs slowly, catching sight of Sam out on the decking. Before she could think about this day, Luciana needed coffee. Grabbing a cup quietly, she poured a healthy measure from the cafetière and sipped slowly. Her eyes closed briefly, savouring the taste of the Costa Rican blend she’d recently purchased, before moving towards the open bi-folding doors.

  “Hi, babe.”

  Sam glanced over her shoulder, black thick-rimmed glasses framing her eyes. Luciana was a vision every morning. “Morning, sleepy head. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I came out here.”

  “You can disturb me any time you like.” Luciana approached Sam, taking the seat facing her. “Busy day yesterday?”

  “The busiest I’ve been in a while. What time did you get home last night?” Sam blew out a deep breath as she removed her glasses. As much as she wanted to pack away the paperwork strewn across her lap, she couldn’t. It wouldn’t take care of itself.

  “Around two. I’m sorry.”

  Sam cocked her head, her deep brown eyes soft and enchanting. “Don’t be. So long as you had a good night.”

  “Would have been better if I was here with you.”

  “I was in bed by ten,” Sam said. “All that staring at a screen all day really wasn’t good.”

  “Yet here you are, about to do it all over again.”

  “I’m taking a break soon. I have a flower arrangement to put on Lucia’s grave and then I was hoping to take you to lunch or something.” Sam would always appreciate the leeway Luciana gave her when it came to her late wife. Not everyone would be so accommodating or understanding.

  “Sounds perfect.” Luciana reached forward, taking Sam’s hand. “You heard anything from Lindsay?”

  “Was I supposed to?” Lindsay was due to come over tonight, but Luciana asking about it was unusual. Her sister often showed up without a word.

  “No, I just…she’s still coming over tonight?”

  “As far as I’m aware, yes.” Sam returned to the paperwork in her lap, only a pair of boy shorts covering her lower body. This work needed her attention. Then, Luciana was all hers. “Give me half an hour and I’m all yours.”

  “Whatever you want, babe. I’ll take a quick shower.” Luciana stood, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Sam’s head.

  She headed back inside, glancing over her shoulder at Sam as she went. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about Janet, so she chose to forget about it for the time being. Sam would hit the roof when she eventually found out, but Luciana would deal with that when the time came.

  The sun beamed down on the back of Luciana’s neck as she stood back, giving Sam a moment to herself. Sunday mornings at Lucia’s grave always gave Luciana the opportunity to think, but this morning she simply felt grateful. Heartbroken for Sam, of course, but grateful to have such a beautiful woman in her life. In all honesty, it was a routine neither of them wished to be a part of, but life would always have a cruel way of putting you in situations you never imagined in your wildest dreams.

  Sam cleared her throat as she glanced back at Luciana. “Sorry, I’ll just be another minute, I promise.”

  “I’m good here. No rush.” Luciana stepped forward, squeezing her girlfriend’s shoulder.

  “Thank you.” Placing a fresh arrangement down, Sam kissed the warming marble and climbed to her feet. “I do appreciate you coming here with me.”

  “I’ll always be here with you, if that’s what you want.”

  “It can’t be easy for you.” Sam stood beside Luciana. “Coming here to visit my wife’s grave.”

  Luciana pressed a kiss to Sam’s temple, her lips lingering. “I want to be here. Stop worrying about how I feel.”

  “How do you feel?”

  “Like I’m where I should be.” Luciana smiled as Sam’s eyes softened. “With you. Completely in love with you. Unconditionally.” Yet you can’t bring yourself to tell her about Janet. Luciana felt a wave of guilt course through her.

  “God.” Sam wrapped an arm around her girlfriend’s waist, resting her head on her shoulder. Luciana was the only woman Sam would ever consider bringing here. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

  “You gave me a chance.” A year on, Luciana still couldn’t believe her luck. It was one thing to be in love with Sam—that wasn’t hard to do—but to wake beside her every morning, share dinner with her every night, build a life with her… Luciana couldn’t comprehend it. Life, even with its issues, was incredibly fulfilling.

  “I really don’t want to get going with this project.”

  Luciana’s forehead creased. “Of course you do. This one is huge, right?”

  “Massive.” Sam blew out a deep breath. “Potentially my biggest.”

  “Then you’ll be doing what you love, babe.”

  “I know, but next weekend will be a working weekend. I have contractors to meet with, conference calls. You name it, I have it lined up.”

  “I know how much weekends together mean to us, but it’s not the end of the world.” Luciana would be lying if she said she wouldn’t miss Sam this weekend, but she knew exactly what she was signing up for when she fell head over heels in love with her.

  “Once I’ve signed off on everything, it’ll all settle down.”

  “I know…and I’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Come on.” Sam tugged Luciana’s hand, glancing back at Lucia’s grave momentarily. “Let’s get back to the car.”

  “Is Lindsay still coming over tonight?” Luciana asked, nonchalantly. If she asked once more, she would sound like a broken record. “You still haven’t heard from her?”

  “So far, I haven’t. No reason why she wouldn’t come over, though.” Sam pressed the button on her car key, unlocking it. “Did you want to grab lunch in the city before we head home?”

  “Lunch would be great.” Luciana was spending every moment she could with Sam. Soon, she would lose her for the foreseeable.

  Settled into their seats, Sam fired up the engine and backed down the path which led to Lucia’s grave.

  She’d recently made the decision to lessen her visits here to once a week, but it was enough for her. Lucia wasn’t here, she never had been. This cemetery was just a place for Sam to visit to help her feel that closeness. Now that life was truly
changing, so was her routine. Everything about this past year had been more than she could have hoped for—dreamed of—but she would never forget Lucia. She couldn’t.

  Luciana faced Sam and said, “Oh, the lads wanted me to thank you for the food you sent in with me the other night.”

  “I sleep better knowing you all eat well on shift.”

  “You really don’t have to go out of your way, babe.”

  Sam shrugged as she pulled out onto the main road. “I like doing it. When you’re working, I imagine you’re eating instead of fighting fires.”

  “Well, we really appreciate it.” Luciana slid her hand across the console, resting it on Sam’s. She chose to refrain from going deeper into Sam’s comment; it only left her feeling guilty. After last night, she already had enough guilt inside. She knew how anxious Sam felt when she left for work, knew Sam clung to her phone for twelve hours, but work was work…and she loved every minute of it. “Thank you.”

  “Any time.” Lifting Luciana’s hand, Sam pressed her lips to her skin. “How’s Craig’s wife?”

  “At the moment, she’s okay.”

  “No new tumours?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. I can’t imagine what they’re going through.” Just the idea of Craig sitting with his wife during chemotherapy sessions was enough to take Luciana’s other worries off her mind. Janet didn’t matter.

  “No. It must be hard. They’re lucky to have so much support from you and the boys at the station.”

  “Always. We’re family.”

  Sam remained silent for a moment, appreciating just what kind of woman she had in her life. Luciana would drop everything if one of her friends was in need. No matter the time of day, she would be there, offering support in any way she could.

  “Plans for next weekend while I’m non-existent?” Sam’s heart weighed heavy with her words. “You really shouldn’t sit around in this gorgeous weather.”

  “Thought I’d visit Mum and Dad on Saturday. Maybe spend a night or two. Catch up, you know?”

  Sam nodded, her eyes fixed on the road in front of her. “That’ll be nice.”

  “You know they prefer you being there, too.”

  Sam offered Luciana an apologetic smile. “It’s not often we don’t visit together. I am sorry.”

  “You have a shit tonne of work. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Wish I didn’t. Especially with this weather.” Sam stopped at the traffic lights, looking up through the panoramic roof of her Range Rover.

  “Maybe I won’t stay the night in Manchester.” Luciana side-glanced at Sam. “What do you think?”

  “I think you should do whatever you feel like doing. Catch up with them. Friends. Whatever.”

  “Are you saying you don’t want me around next weekend? Do you have another woman planned?” Luciana’s eyebrow rose, a smirk playing on her lips.

  “You were the only woman I could have ever planned, baby.” The lights turned green and Sam put her foot down, revving away from the traffic behind her. As the familiar buildings in the centre of Liverpool came into view, memories of meeting Luciana came flooding back. It wasn’t often they spent the day in the city anymore, only when work required either of them being here, but being back felt good. “If you don’t want to stay, come home to me.”

  “Maybe I will.”

  Sam’s hand fell to Luciana’s thigh. “Maybe you should. You know I want you beside me.”

  “I know.” Luciana smiled fully as her head turned, her eyes focusing on the dock to her left. “Where do you fancy eating today?”

  “Tapas? Unless you had somewhere else in mind?”

  “Tapas works for me, babe. Only the best, though.”

  Sam grinned, offering her girlfriend a wink. “The dock.”

  Luciana tore into a wedge of artisan bread, dipping it into a balsamic and olive oil combination before shoving it into her mouth. Sam sat quietly, sipping her glass of water, her eyes focused on the table between them. Work commitments were about to truly take over her life, but missing Luciana would be the hardest transition. Nothing about her business was glamourous, but the rewards she would reap at the end would be worth it. Another incredible complex of high-end homes. Couples beginning a life together, perhaps with the prospect of children. Sam could no longer plan her own future that way, so she would admire those who could from afar. She would provide the younger generation with beautiful, safe homes.

  She looked up and a blonde caught her eye. “Is that Lindsay?”

  Luciana’s head shot up as she turned around. “What? Why is she here?”

  “I’m going to be really bold and assume she’s hungry, Luce.”

  “Right. Yeah.” Luciana smiled, her eyes returning to the scrap of bread on her plate.

  “Should I invite her over?”

  Luciana shrugged. “She looks a bit dressed up. Maybe she has plans.”

  As much as Luciana wanted to be the one who broke the news of Lindsay and Janet’s friendship to Sam, she couldn’t. It didn’t matter how awful she felt for keeping it to herself, no good could come from Sam knowing. Perhaps if she sat back and watched it all unfold, she wouldn’t have to be the one.

  “You think she’s meeting someone?” Sam’s eyes widened. “S-she’s on a date?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. She could be here for any reason.” Luciana hoped it wasn’t a date.

  “So, that’s a no to inviting her over?”

  “Um…” Luciana swallowed hard as she watched a dark-haired woman head towards Lindsay, her back to Sam and Luciana. “I-I, uh…” Lindsay embraced her date, their lips about to meet.

  Sam noted the shock on Luciana’s face; it mirrored her own. “Who the hell is that?”

  “No idea.” Luciana winced as the lie left her mouth. She hated this. Luciana couldn’t recall a time she had ever lied to Sam. It certainly didn’t feel good.

  “She’s into women?” Sam choked on her words. “Lindsay…my sister…is into women?”

  “Looks like it.” A sinking feeling settled in Luciana’s belly. She had wondered last night if something more was going on, but she couldn’t possibly believe it. Now, seeing it with her own eyes, something more was most certainly going on. A lot more than she had hoped.

  Luciana still felt a genuine surprise. Lindsay had never given so much as a hint that she wasn’t straight—and it didn’t matter—but this wasn’t the way to find out. Not for Sam, anyway. If or when Janet turned around, Sam would freak. Luciana knew Sam liked to be in control, to have the correct information at all times. This news…it was about to send Sam’s head into a spin. Luciana could practically see the steam coming from her ears. It was one thing to find out your sister was sleeping with another woman, but Janet? This wasn’t about to end well.

  “Your bill, Sam.” Xavi, the waiter, placed a leather wallet down in front of her. “It’s been good seeing you both.”

  “Thanks, Xavi.” Luciana took the wallet, slipping cash inside. She handed it back over, her eyes never leaving Sam’s. “Babe?”

  “Mm?” Sam frowned. “What?”

  “Are you okay?”

  Sam scoffed. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’ve just discovered my sister is possibly gay…what the hell is there to worry about?”

  “Um, you don’t sound okay.” Luciana lowered her voice as she leaned in, taking Sam’s hand. “Is it really that big a deal to you?” Pushing Janet from her mind, Luciana was shocked by Sam’s general reaction.

  Sam nodded, her voice wavering. “That she didn’t tell me, yes. How could she not tell me?”

  “Maybe she wasn’t ready to.”

  “Wasn’t ready to?” Sam’s stone-faced look didn’t sit well with Luciana. She understood that her girlfriend wasn’t expecting to see such a public display of affection from her sister today, but the attitude had to change. “Why wouldn’t she be ready to? What are you trying to say?”

  Luciana took her jacket from the leather seated booth beside her. “I’m not trying to say
anything. And why are you behaving like this? It’s not my fault your sister is fucking a woman!”

  “Maybe if I wasn’t busy fucking you, she would have felt like she could come to me.” Sam’s voice was low but held an element of anger. An anger Luciana wasn’t prepared to accept.

  “Is that right?” Luciana was taken aback by her girlfriend’s comment. It felt like a punch to the gut. “Then I should let you get on with your day. Maybe you could tag along with Lindsay since you seem more concerned about her than enjoying your afternoon with me. The woman you’re fucking! The woman you supposedly love.”

  Luciana slid out of the booth and pulled her jacket on. The hurt she felt by Sam’s words was new for her. Sam had never spoken to her out of turn; she also wouldn’t ever do it again.

  If this was her reaction to Lindsay’s sexual orientation, all hell would break loose when she discovered the woman with Lindsay was Janet.

  “Luce—”

  She held up her hand. “Don’t bother.”

  “Fuck!” Sam gritted her teeth.

  “I’m taking a walk. Let me know if you go home so I can make my own way back.” Luciana looked down at Sam, bitterly disappointed. “Or maybe not.”

  Sam looked back at her sister standing at the bar. Guided to their table by another waiter, she couldn’t see the facial features of the woman who now had her hand on the small of her sister’s back, but she seemed vaguely familiar. I doubt I know her.

  As much as she wanted to go over there and see Lindsay—to introduce herself—Sam couldn’t. Luciana was walking the opposite way and out the door, and she didn’t like it. How she had just reacted…how she had spoken to Luciana, it wasn’t right. Sam had to fix it.

  Luciana sat on a bench around the corner from the tapas bar she had just left Sam in. An ache settled throughout her body—a feeling she didn’t ever wish to experience. She knew Sam was stressed with the work that was about to come her way, but she didn’t deserve what she’d just received. The attitude. The nastiness in Sam’s words. Luciana didn’t understand what the problem was. If Lindsay was dating a woman, it was hardly the crime of the century.