“I didn’t know her, but—”
“Lucas. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“If that’s how you want it—”
“It’s exactly how I want it,” Damian said, with such cold surety that Lucas knew enough to back off.
“Okay,” he said, forcing a smile. “In that case…I told Antonio to give us the back booth.”
Damian forced a smile of his own. “Fine. Maybe they’ll even have Trippa alla Savoiarda on the menu today.”
Lucas shuddered. “What’s the problem, Aristedes? Pasta’s not good enough for you?”
“Tripe’s delicious,” Damian said and just that easily, they fell into the banter that comes with old friendships.
“Just like old times,” Lucas said.
Nothing would ever be like old times again, Damian thought, but he grinned, too, and let it go at that.
The back booth was as comfortable as ever and the tripe was on the menu. Damian didn’t order it; he never had. Tripe made him shudder the same as Lucas.
The teasing was just part of their relationship.
Still, after they’d ordered, after his double vodka on the rocks and Lucas’s whiskey, straight up, had arrived, he and Lucas both fell silent.
“So,” Lucas
finally said, “what’s new?”
Damian shrugged. “Nothing much. How about you?”
“Oh, you know. I was in Tahiti last week, checking out a property on the beach…”
“A tough life,” Damian said, and smiled.
“Yeah, well, somebody has to do it.”
More silence. Lucas cleared his throat.
“I saw Nicolo and Aimee over the weekend. At that dinner party. Everyone was sorry you didn’t come.”
“How are they?” Damian said, deliberately ignoring the comment.
“Great. The baby’s great, too.”
Silence again. Lucas took a sip of his whiskey.
“Nicolo said he’d tried to call you but—”
“Yes. I got his messages.”
“I tried, too. For weeks. I’m glad you finally picked up the phone yesterday.”
“Right,” Damian said as if he meant it, but he didn’t. Ten minutes in and he already regretted taking Lucas’s call and agreeing to meet him.
At least mistakes like this one could be remedied, he thought, and glanced at his watch.
“The only thing is,” he said, “something’s come up. I’m not sure I can stay for lunch. I’ll try, but—”