A Hart To Call Home

Chapter Twenty-Five

As Luca predicted it would, Kit's phone went off around two am. He grabbed it fast so it didn't wake her and tossed his clothes on hurriedly as he left her room.

"I'm on my way, Eric," he said as he picked it up; he could hear Stone carrying on in the background. With a roll of his eyes, Luca headed out the door to get him.

Luca parked right in front of the bar. The streets, including the sidewalk in front of the bar, were still full of people partying and drinking. Luca swung open the door to the bar and walked in.

"I told him not to wake you-" He stopped when he saw it was Luca, not Kit. "Oh," he fell backward, but the barstool stopped his fall as he glanced at Luca with hazy eyes and a wobbly head. 'You came for me."

"Queue the heart eyes," Eric said with a laugh.

"Very funny," Luca said dryly as Stone struggled to steady himself, even using the stool for support.

"Call me before he gets this bad next time," Luca looked at Stone and then back to Eric, "Me, not Kit. I'll text you my cell from her phone later."

"Yeah, sure, man," Eric agreed, "good of you."

"Come on, big guy, let's get you out of here," Luca grabbed Stone's arm to help him; they got a few steps when he stopped.

"I need the poison," he tried to turn around, but Luca held him still.

"No, you don't," Luca began to drag him out. "Let's go."

"I don't have a crush on ya, Blue eyes," Stone commented as Luca managed to drag the wobbly older man through the door. "I don't."

"Don't be embarrassed, Stoney, lots of people do," Luca snickered, "Come on, my car is right here."

"Where?" Stone let go is his arm and start walked back towards the bar.

"No, other way," Luca grabbed his shoulders and whirled him around. He pushed him towards his car this time, and Stone pretty much fell inside as soon as he opened the door. An amused Luca headed over to the driver's side and got in.

"I have a crush for Kit," Stone told him. "If that's any sense."

"No, it doesn't make any sense how much of that shit did you drink?"

"I never cared who she sees, till yeah. I do now," Stone mumbled, sadness in his tone. "No one ever took care of her. Not me, for sure."

"Hey, you did something right because she's pretty fucking awesome," Luca assured him.

"I let 'em be who they are. I give 'em space." Stone was nodding as if reassuring himself.

"That works for you and Kit," Luca said carefully, leaving out that it maybe wasn't that great for Jase. "It's okay to be a cool dad."

"Sure, sure," Stone patted his arm, "You can call me Dad."

"What?" Luca scoffed, "That is not what I said."

"I am a cool dad," Stone agreed.

Luca just laughed as he pulled into the driveway and stopped the car.

"Get out before you puke in my car," Luca directed, but Stone was already stumbling out and reaching into his pockets for his stash. Luca followed the wobbly man into the house. Stone stopped and turned to look at him when they got inside.

"I think I left my stash at the bar," he mumbled.

"It's in your hand, man," Luca pointed, and Stone laughed as he looked down at his hand. "Oh, what do you know?"