Never Giving Up

Chapter 31

"Would you have accepted it? If you were in his shoes, I mean."

"Not if it meant leaving my best friend and business partner in the lurch, no. If it was just me and I had no one else to help me, I most likely would sell."

I look ahead at Luca and Fredrick as they continue to talk to each other. "As long as those two work everything out and they stay on the same page, no one has anything to worry about."

"We really won't," Jade agrees.

Her grip on my arm tightens, and I pat her hand that's resting on my forearm. I keep my eyes on Luca and Fredrick who are now laughing and joking with each other. Louisa is between then, skipping here and there and pulling at Luca's hand when he doesn't match her pace.

"I wasn't too sure what to wear for a day like today," Jade expresses, getting my attention back to her.

I look at her clothing choice for today; black coated jeans, top, and flat boots topped off with a light denim jacket and patterned scarf.

"You're fine," I approve.

"Easy for you to say," she grumbles. "You're used to doing these kinds of things."

I take a quick glance at my ripped, skinny black jeans, white slogan top that's covered under my black suede jacket, and flat buckle boots. I don't see this as much of an effort. Yes, it's true that I've been used to doing things like this but I dress however I feel and to accommodate the weather and where I'm going. "You're reading too much into this, Jade."

"For all I grew up in New York, I never once got the chance to do something like this. Yes, we have Central Park and all but I never saw the need to spend the day there. It never appealed to me to do this sort of thing."

"But you have been for walks around Central Park, haven't you?" I stare at her, waiting for her reply.

"Not in a long time but it just didn't appeal to me, even when I was younger." She answers truthfully.

"Doing this was just something for us to do instead of doing something that would get us into trouble. It was never the first thing we would think of because it isn't interesting. It's just something that you begin to appreciate the older you get. For someone in Luca's case, it's nice for him to spend time with Louisa as a family and for her to let her hair down and be a kid."

"She doesn't get to do that in New York," Jade admits, looking at Louisa who is now running a few feet ahead of us all.

"She wouldn't with living in an apartment."

"Must be why she likes coming here in the summer."

"She can be a normal kid or as much or a normal kid as she can," I finish as Luca and Fredrick stop walking and turn to look back at us.

"Xavier, stay close to Louisa," Luca instructs to the tall, dark blonde haired male standing a couple of feet from him.

"Yes, Mr. Madden," Xavier responds, his voice deep and his dark brown eyes darting from Luca as he speaks then to Louisa who skips happily upfront.

"Please tell me that you two have sorted out your issues," Jade pleads.

She lets go of me and moves next to Fredrick who pulls her in close to his side with his arm over her shoulders.

"We have," Fredrick answers. He kisses the top of her head. "We're both on the same page now."

Luca moves to me and takes my hand in his. "Right where we need to be to put all these buyout offers we've both been getting to rest once and for all."