“I told him to go.”
“Oh, Lilly-poo. Why would you do that?” my sister’s voice softens.
“Because it was the right thing to do. We can never work. His sister made it abundantly clear I was beneath her, and that his whole family would feel the same way,” I tell her, letting out a long sigh.
“Once they get to know you, they’ll love you. How can they not? You’re frickin’ awesome.”
“I think it’s for the best. Maybe the time isn’t right.”
There’s a long pause before Lauren speaks again. “Fate works in mysterious ways.”
Oh, good God, here we go again.
“I think maybe the timing is off with you both. But she’ll find a way to bring you back together. I have faith in fate.”
Well, at least one of us does.
“Anyway, I have to go. You don’t need my drama distracting you from your holiday. Love you.”
“Love you, sissy-boo. Just remember… you are worth it.” And with that bit of wisdom, she hangs up.
19
Luca
The flight back to Italy was a tense one. I didn’t care about anything Rachele and Allegra had to say. I simply needed to see Papà and make sure he’s okay. I have spent the entire day by my father’s bedside with my family. It looks like he is going to make a full recovery. Thank goodness.
“Need some company?” Natalia, my youngest sister, links her arm with mine.
“Not really.” I don’t want to be rude, but it’s been a crazy day.
“I know, but you’re still going to get it.” She smiles up at me not taking no for an answer, and I’m too exhausted to fight her.
“You look better after that shower,” my sister tells me while handing me a coffee. I take a sip of the dark liquid and groan. Oh, how I’ve missed thee.
“Guessing they didn’t have good coffee where you were?”
“Only instant.”
“So, where were you? Giorgio and I couldn’t find you at all, but somehow, Allegra was able to.”
That’s what I haven’t been able to work out, how the hell she found me so easily. I guess knowing my sister, she probably paid off the right people.
“Are you really surprised by anything she does?”
“No, not really. It was weird she took Rachele with her, though?”
“That’s because they knew I was with someone.”
Natalia’s eyes widen. “You work fast, brother.” I can hear the tone in her voice rise—it’s in a non-approval pitch.
Pulling out my phone, I hand it to her, showing her the only picture of Lilly and me that we took. We’re dressed in our pajamas, sipping champagne.
Natalia stares at the photograph for a long moment. “You look happy.” She hands me back my phone.
“I was. For the first time… someone liked me… for me.”
“She didn’t know who you were?” Her eyes widen for a moment.
“Not until Allegra and Rachele arrived.”
“And?” she questions.
“She didn’t want me.” Remembering the hurt on Lilly’s face when she learned the truth about who I was, it’s seared into my memory.
“Wait! What? She turned you down?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, you’re going to have to start from the beginning.”
So, I do.
I tell her about how we met, which she thought was hilarious. I told her about how she was a doctor in Africa and about her ex. How she took me to the pub for Christmas Eve, then made me an Italian Christmas dinner. I told her about our epic Monopoly sessions and our hike in the snow. About the times we just sat beside the fire, not having to fill the silence because it was comfortable.
“Sounds like you have feelings for this girl?” Natalia tells me.
“I do. I…” Scrubbing my hands across my face, I continue, “I told her I loved her as I left, and she told me she didn’t feel the same.” I hang my head between my hands. “She hasn’t answered any of my texts or calls since I left.”
“It sounds like a lot was sprung on her all at once. Plus, she had the demon twins attacking her on all fronts at the same time.” They were horrible to Lilly, that’s for sure. “She might have said she didn’t feel anything for you to save face, especially in front of Allegra and Rachele. I bet they weren’t the nicest.”
“You think?” Hope begins to blossom in my chest.
“I think all you can do is give her time.” Natalia reaches out and laces her hand with mine. “Your face lights up when you talk about her. I have never seen that reaction from you before.”
“She’s different.”
“But is she worth it, Luca? You know our parents want you to marry Rachele. They have it all planned.”
“Do they know about what she did?”
Natalia shakes her head. “No. Allegra and Rachele spun some story to them, and then Papà started to feel ill, so Giorgio and I didn’t want to push it. We thought you would be back at Christmas, but when that came and went, Papà kept getting worst.”
“Fuck! It’s all my fault.”
Natalia shakes her head. “No, don’t say that. Papà likes to drink too much red wine and eat too much cheese. You know Mamma has wanted him to cut down on his vices, but he hasn’t listened.”
“I’ve added to his stress, though.”
“I blame Allegra and Rachele, not you. Rachele needs to remember to keep her legs together instead of fucking Marcus behind your back.”
“Where’s Marcus?” Some friend! I wonder what happened to my best friend of twenty-seven years.
“South of France somewhere. I’ll say he apologized to us about everything. He told us that he and Rachele had been fooling around for years on and off. He said he’d broken things off with her, and she told him she wanted to end their relationship with one last fuck.” Natalia gives me an apologetic look.
“I hated him when it first happened.” I look back down at my phone, at the picture of Lilly and I, and smile. “But right now, I think I should be thanking him.” Natalia’s eyes widen in surprise. “If he hadn’t
