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“I wouldn’t want to bother you with my relationship drama.”
“You aren’t a bother, Sky. I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t willing to listen.”
Skylar sighed. She needed to tell someone, and Luca was a neutral party. Why not?
Luca listened intently as she shared about her feelings for Franky, their friendship, and the kiss last night.
“It’s silly, right? We’re friends. That’s all we’ve ever been. I just need to get over it.”
“Your feelings aren’t silly, Skylar. You’re allowed to feel the way you do. But he took advantage of you, kissing you like that. That’s not okay.”
“It’s not like I didn’t want him to kiss me.”
“Even if he’d had too much to drink and wasn’t thinking clearly, he shouldn’t have done it.”
“He was jealous that I danced with you.”
“If I was out with my best platonic girl friend, I wouldn’t kiss her if I got drunk. Unless I had some kind of deeper feelings and my lowered inhibitions caused me to act on them.”
Skylar raised an eyebrow at him.
“All I’m saying is he was sending you some seriously mixed signals. He said it was a drunken mistake, but there might be something there he doesn’t realize he feels that led him to kiss you. He did admit he was jealous.”
“Yeah, but he said it was because he felt our friendship was threatened.”
“Maybe, but I saw the look in his eye when he pulled you out of that room, and I don’t think it had anything to do with friendship.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to get my hopes up again.” But as she said those words, she knew it was too late to stop the desire for Luca’s theory to be true.
Luca put his arm around her. “I’m sorry. I was giving my opinion from an unbiased outside perspective.”
“I appreciate that. I really do.” Skylar leaned into his side as they came up the hill to the winery. She was no less confused, but her mood had definitely lifted during their talk.
“It was my pleasure.” Luca stopped and gave her a hug.
She squeezed him tightly, and over his shoulder, she spotted Franky standing with Sebastian and Genevieve near the entrance. His eyes were locked on her and Luca, and she knew she shouldn’t, but she felt guilty.
“Morning,” Sebastian said as they approached.
“Good morning.” Skylar tried to sound chipper.
“Morning, all,” Luca replied. His gaze turned on Franky, and the muscle in his jaw twitched.
Franky simply stared at him.
Nervous butterflies flitted around in Skylar’s stomach at the silent exchange.
“Are you heading out?” Luca asked.
“We are,” Sebastian replied, even though Luca was addressing Franky.
Luca turned his attention to the others. “Well, it was good to see you again, Sebastian.”
“You too, Luca.” Sebastian held a hand out, and Luca shook it.
Skylar watched Franky during Luca’s farewell exchange with her brother and Genevieve, but he didn’t look her way once.
Luca nodded toward the inn. “I better get to work. I’m glad we got to talk, Sky.” He gave her a smile and a wave as he departed.