Chapter 55: A Gentle Escape
The morning sun was still stretching its arms across the city skyline when Luca stepped into Janet's room with a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.
"Get ready," he said, hands tucked into his pockets, his voice unusually bright.
Janet looked up from the book she was pretending to read, arching an eyebrow. "For what?"
He shrugged, casually leaning against the doorframe. "You ask too many questions. Just dress comfortably. Nothing too fancy. I want you to feel... free today."
There was something in his voice, a gentle promise that made her chest flutter. Curious and slightly amused, Janet nodded, placing the book aside.
An hour later, Luca was waiting by the car, dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans, a pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes but not his quiet excitement. Janet walked out in a breezy sundress, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. For a second, he couldn't look away.
"You look... like sunshine," he murmured.
Janet flushed slightly. "You clean up pretty well yourself."
He opened the door for her, and they set off. The car ride was light, filled with the soft hum of music and stolen glances. Janet kept watching him from the corner of her eye, wondering what he had planned.
Their first stop was a quaint little cafe on a quiet corner, with ivy climbing the walls and the soft scent of vanilla and coffee floating through the air. Luca pulled her chair out for her, and they ordered pastries and coffee.
They talked, for the first time in days, about small things—music, the weather, movies she liked, childhood memories. Luca listened more than he spoke, his eyes never leaving her face. It felt like something sacred, the way he memorized her laugh, the sparkle in her eyes.
When they were done, he didn't take her home.
"Where are we going?" she asked, a smile beginning to curve her lips.
"You'll see."
He parked outside an amusement park just outside the city. The moment Janet stepped out, she gasped.
"You… brought me here?" she asked, stunned.
Luca grinned. "Why not? Everyone deserves to be a kid sometimes. Come on."
He took her hand in his, warm and firm, and led her toward the gates.