Chapter 577: A Little Time!

Leo came through the apartment door to find Vittoria sitting near the kitchenette.

She had a mug in one hand, and her other arm rested across her stomach, and when she heard the door, she looked up.

Her eyes found his face, and a small, wry smile appeared.

"So," she said, "It was a loss."

Leo gave her the same sort of smile and then nodded.

"Yeah."

He shut the door behind him and took off his jacket, leaving it over the back of the nearest chair.

His shoes came off next, followed by the quiet shuffle of him crossing the apartment in his socks before he changed into his slides.

Afterwards, he walked into the bedroom, probably to set his phone on charge before he came back into the living room and dropped into the couch.

Vittoria watched him for a moment before also getting up.

She carried her mug over and placed it on a coaster on the coffee table, then walked around the couch and climbed onto it beside him.

She tucked her feet underneath herself and leaned into his side, snuggling into his chest while wrapping her hands around his midsection.

"I missed you."

Leo answered with a quiet hum as his left hand found her hair almost without thought, brushing through it slowly.

"How are the cramps?"

"Fine."

"Are they still there?"

"Gone a while ago," she said and shifted against him.

"The ibuprofen helped."

Leo nodded and then breathed out slightly.

"That’s good then."

They settled into silence as Leo kept on brushing Vittoria’s hair with his hand idly before the latter eventually lifted her head.

"Would you want to go somewhere with me?"

Leo kept on brushing but then looked down at her.

"Where?"

"A party."

He waited for further clarification, and Vittoria noticed the look.

"Or something like a party."

"That clears it up."

"It’s a familial thing."

"A family party?"

"Not exactly."

She shifted slightly, searching for the right way to explain it.

"A few of the families like mine get together around New Year. They raise money for different causes, usually charities or organisations they support, have dinner, talk, drink, that sort of thing."

Leo nodded.

"And?"

"And they call it sharing the New Year spirit."

She said the phrase with enough dryness that Leo could tell she didn’t entirely buy into it.

"Sounds like you don’t want to go."

Vittoria looked up at him, and the expression on her face was almost pitiful.

"I missed this year’s."

"How?"

"There was an issue with the invitation, so I took advantage and dropped out."

"And this year?"

"My mother made sure there wasn’t."

Leo raised his eyebrows as Vittoria chuckled slightly.

"She sought it out herself?"

"She did more than that," Vittoria lowered her eyes toward his chest.

"She practically announced that I was going before I had even said yes."

Leo looked down at her, and he had a fairly good idea why.

He started to ask what her mother was hoping to accomplish by making such a fuss over the invitation, then stopped halfway through as the answer had already come to him.

A room filled with families like Vittoria’s meant more than dinner and charity.

Their children would be there too.

Sons and daughters of families who knew each other, families that had spent years moving in the same circles.

It wasn’t difficult to understand what some of those introductions could become.

Vittoria looked at him, realising what was going on in his head.

"Yeah."

Leo nodded slowly as she turned more fully toward him.

"So, would you come?"

Leo considered it.

"I’d want to."

Her expression softened.

"But I don’t know what the schedule looks like."

She nodded before he continued.

"The Premier League doesn’t exactly stop for Christmas and New Year. We could have a match a day after New Year’s, so I can’t promise I’ll be free."

Vittoria sighed like she already expected it.

"I know," she said and leaned back against him.

Leo looked at her with a wry smile.

"Sorry," he said, but she shook her head.

"It’s okay."

She said, resting her hand against his chest.

"Meeting my parents is enough trauma for a year," Vittoria said with a smile while Leo gave her a faint laugh.

"I enjoyed it, so don’t worry!"

Vittoria nodded with a smile, but before she could settle down again, Leo spoke.

"Why don’t we go on a date before then?"

Vittoria looked up.

"A date?"

"Yeah."

He shifted slightly in his seat.

"Somewhere we’ll actually be seen."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Seen?"

"I’m sure that your mom would have liked to back out if she hadn’t already had you committed after meeting me, so why don’t we tell it ourselves."

As Leo spoke, a smile started before Vittoria could stop it.

"So that’s your plan?"

"It was exceptional on your birthday."

"It was."

"And it can work again."

She considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"Then we should go on a date."

Leo smiled and then nodded.

"Sounds good."

He watched her smile to herself and couldn’t help but shake his head slightly.

Over the months they’d been together, he’d noticed that Vittoria had a habit of showing him off without ever making a performance of it.

A picture of his hand resting on her arm whenever she posted something on her social media and stuff like that.

Nothing too obvious that people could tell it was Leo, but Vittoria always liked to leave clues for people to figure out.

While he was stuck in his thoughts, Vittoria leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I already know what I’m wearing."

Leo smiled and then brushed her cheek slightly.

"Of course you do."

She began listing her options before he had even asked.

Whether she wanted something more understated or something that would make the point in whatever way they tried to show each other off.

Leo listened, occasionally offering an opinion when she looked at him for one.

The international break had begun, and the next few weeks belonged to everything outside football, especially for Leo, who was down with an injury.