Chapter Nine:
Doubts
"So, I did good?"
"You did great, Greg," Luca said, squeezing his hand as they walked up to the apartment after their dinner.
"I did, didn't I?" He unlocked the door for her but soon closed it again.
Luca looked at him. "What are you doing?"
"They need a little more privacy; they're making out on the couch."
Luca laughed.
"Damn. Talk about a hypocrite."
"Whatever, it's cute!" She smiled, scrunching her nose.
He looked at her for a few seconds, not saying anything.
"What?"
"I--"
Nick opened the door suddenly and walked out of the apartment and into the hall, passing the couple.
"Hey, guys. …Bye."
"Have fun?" Greg asked.
"Bye, Nick," Luca said.
Nick rushed down the stairs and out the complex door.
"What were you going to say?" Luca asked.
Greg shook his head. "I don't--I don't remember…."
He opened the door again to reveal Natalee, blonde hair disheveled and clothes wrinkled. Luca laughed.
Natalee smiled as she walked to her room, barely noticing Greg and Luca.
"Well, they hit it off, huh?"
"Where are we going?" Luca asked, starting to get angry.
"I told you, it's a surprise; I want you to meet someone."
Luca asked, "Meet them where?"
"A casino. No more questions," Greg demanded.
Luca rolled her eyes, pissed.
They pulled into a parking garage and walked in to the casino together, Greg's arm around Luca's waist.
"Where are we going?"
"Lu, seriously. You're going to see in a second."
Luca relaxed a little and started to rub the back of Greg's neck as they walked to the back of the building passed the slot machines and black-jack tables. They entered an elevator and emptied out in an unnecessarily large waiting room, deserted except for the receptionist behind a modern desk.
"Hi, we're here to see Mr. Townsend."
The receptionist nodded. "It'll be a second. Please have a seat."
She didn't pick up the phone so Luca was growing even more skeptical after a few minutes on the bland beige couch. She nervously shook her crossed legs until Greg set his hand on her knee to calm them.
A tall but otherwise average looking man finally came out into the waiting area and waved Greg and Luca to his office.
He grabbed Greg's hand first. "How are you doing?"
"Great."
"This is my girlfriend Luca Newman."
"Luca? What a beautiful name," the man said.
"Well, thank you," Luca said.
"I'm George Townsend." He led them to his desk where they sat across from him in blue high-backed chairs. "Greg told me you were looking for a job in entertainment."
Luca didn't say anything, waiting for his proposition.
"We're looking for a lounge singer."
"You're kidding."
"You're interested?"
She knew she wouldn't be singing her original songs, but at this point she didn't care. "Absolutely."
"I got a job," Luca told a disinterested Natalee as she and Greg walked into the door. "I'm a lounge singer at a casino!"
Natalee nodded from the couch.
"What's wrong with you?" Greg asked.
"I need to talk to Luca alone," she said.
Greg gave Luca a peck on the cheek before shrugging and leaving.
Luca sat next to Natalee.
"Would you be totally heartbroken if I moved out?"
Luca didn't say anything for a second. "Why do you want to move out? Was it something I did? I mean…."
Natalee looked at Luca solemnly.
Luca felt terrible. "What's going on, Nat?"
Suddenly Natalee smiled slightly. "I'm getting married!"
"What?"
"Nick asked me last night!"
"Shut the fuck up. This whole time I thought--I'm so happy for you!" Luca wrapped Natalee into a hug.
"Me, too." Natalee's mood changed drastically. She sighed a bit.
"What now?"
"Nothing."
"Nat."
"I just don't know if this is what I should be doing…we don't know each other that well. I think we might be moving too fast."
"Have you told him this?" Luca looked at her.
"No, I want to marry him."
"Well, if you're having doubts…."
Natalee sat in thought for a few seconds. "I love him," she said matter-of-factly. "I do."