Chapter Twenty-Three

“Stop it. This is serious!” I dropped my head on Stevie’s kitchen table, her laughter still echoing in the house.

“Oh Whiskey… Remember when I said your life was like a soap opera?” She sprang up on the counter next to my head, swinging her legs. “Now who’s wishing for a case of amnesia?”

My arm shot up, waving around, and she snorted with laughter. “Please, take great pleasure in my pain,” I muttered against my arms.

“I do.” She patted my head. “So, where is Pinocchio?”

I peeked up, glaring at her.

“Sorry, it’s the only Disney movie I can think of set in Italy.” She shrugged. “However, in this version, it’s another part that grows long.”

“Stevie!”

“He flew here for you. The man’s got a woody for you longer than Pinocchio’s nose when he lies.”

“Not helping.”

“I think I’m being perfectly helpful.” She picked up her glass of lemonade. “I’m here to laugh with you or at you.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem, Whiskey.” She rubbed my head again. “What are best friends for?”

“To help!” I shot up, grabbing the glass from her hand and drinking the rest, wishing it had more than lemonade in it. “Help me figure this out. What do I do? He’s at the hotel I booked for him. I don’t think he imagined I was back living with my parents and assumed we could step right back into what we had. He was disappointed when I left.”

“You told him things had changed?”

“Yes. Didn’t seem to faze him.”

“You told him to go back home?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t know what else you can do.” She shrugged. “Maybe during his stay he will see what you and I already know.”

“And what’s that?”

“You’re in love with someone else. Always have been.”

“Speaking of that.” I laughed pitifully. “While I stood there fighting with Luca, I watched Krista, Hunter, and Cody play happy family. It was awesome.”

“I think I’m sensing sarcasm.”

“Shut up.” I chuckled as I nudged her.

“How did you leave it with Luca, whom I have to meet, by the way?”

“That I would let him rest from his trip and talk to him tomorrow.” I let my head fall back over the chair. “He wants to meet my family.”

“He didn’t meet them in Italy?”

“Not as my boyfriend. I quickly introduced him when they came on a tour of the museum. He wants to meet them formally.” I scoured my face. “How did I get into this mess?”

“Tequila and drunk dialing your ex, telling him how much you love and miss him.”

“Once! I did that once.” I held up my finger. “That shouldn’t have given him the idea to fly across the world, telling everyone he proposed to me.”

“Yeah, well he did, and you’re screwed, Whiskey.” She hit her heels against the cupboards. “Guess you’re gonna have to marry Pinocchio and have a bunch of Jiminy Crickets.”

“We’re not friends anymore.” I pointed at her.

Stevie’s arms wrapped around me. “You’d miss me too much.”

“Debatable.”

“The real reason is you’d have no one else.”

“True.”

She hugged me again and sat back up. “No matter what, girl, I have your back. Whatever you need, whoever’s body you need to hide, I’m your girl.”

I laughed, leaning back. “I love you.”

“That was something you could never fight.”

I clutched her hand. “Don’t I know it.”

 

 

Grandma Penny’s gaze penetrated me, as if she were trying to X-ray my mind. Or my heart. The outside table was full of my dad’s infamous grilled chicken, along with salad, French bread, sweet tea, and lemonade. The sunset layered the sky in deep fuchsia and oranges. A light evening breeze made the night a comfortable temperature to sit out on the patio.

Except it wasn’t all that comfortable.

“So, Luca.” My dad’s regard had not left the Italian man from the moment he walked in an hour ago.

Mom’s eyes bugged out when he walked in, and my father’s narrowed. Being a typical overprotective father, he grilled Luca all evening, probably not wanting to think about the fact he was far, far too late to become defensive of what Luca wanted from me.

“You work at the museum?”

“Yes, sir.” Luca nodded. “Jaymerson and I met there. The moment I saw your daughter I was besotted.” Luca smiled at me, clasping my hand in his.

“We met him, Noah.” Mom hit my dad’s arm with her elbow. “Remember?”

“Right.” Dad nodded. “How old are you?”

“Dad. Stop.” I pulled away from Luca’s hold with a deep sigh.

“I’m twenty-three.” Luca only smiled more, not at all intimidated by my dad.

“You know she’s only nineteen.”

“Yes, sir.” Luca nodded. “But let me add she acts nothing like girls her age. You have raised an amazing daughter. Strong, smart, hardworking, and of course, beautiful.”

Wow he was good. I tried not to laugh, when Dad’s shoulders rolled back with pride, and his head bobbed in agreement.

“How long have you guys been dating?”

“Were dating,” I corrected my father, not looking at Luca.

Dad’s relief only lasted until Luca reached over, taking my hand again.

“I hope to change that.” He held his head high, not showing an inkling of doubt. “I love Jaymerson and plan to fight for her.”

“Really?” Dad sawed at his chicken breast. “Don’t you have to go back to Italy at some point? Jaymerson is going to college. Here. How will that work?”

“If she asks me, I will stay.” Luca kissed my hand. I could never deny I had feelings for him, but it would never be what he deserved. We both knew I had never fully given my heart to him, but I think he was hoping to change that. Was it possible? Could I love someone as deeply as I loved Hunter? “I would someday like to marry your daughter.”

Dad’s eyebrows hit his hairline, choking on a piece of chicken; my mom pounded his back. “Whaaaattt?” Dad’s eyes watered as he cleared his throat.

“You guys are far too young,” Mom said, still rubbing Dad’s back.

“You’re sitting there telling me I’m too young?” I laughed. “You were already pregnant with me by this age.”

“Yes.” Mom held Dad’s arm, his face turning red, looking like he wanted to burst. “You have so much life in front of you. You know we don’t regret a moment with you, but you’re young. You have your whole life to be tied down.”

“Plus, I forbid it,” Dad rasped.

“I respect you, sir, but it is Jaymerson’s choice.” Luca sat taller. “I would hope for approval, but I will marry her without.”

My dad gripped the table, and I jumped up.

“Whoa.” I waved my arms. “Neither of you have the right to dictate what I want. Dad, I am an adult. I will make my own choices. Like… I no longer want to go to Virginia Tech.” I finally admitted it. His temple pulsed at my declaration. “That was what you wanted. Not me. I found myself in Italy, and if you are proud of the strong, smart person I’ve become, then you will support my decisions.” I held up my hand as Dad opened his mouth, and turned to Luca. “And I am not marrying anyone. Not now, maybe not ever. I care about you Luca, but I am nowhere near ready for marriage. Please stop bringing it up.”

“Bellezza…”

“I think I’m done with dinner. I will call you tomorrow,” I said to Luca. I grabbed my plate and headed into the kitchen, dumping it in the sink, and locked myself in my room before anyone could respond.

A few minutes later, the sound of a light knock on my door didn’t surprise me, expecting someone to come after me. I was relieved to see Grandma Penny, her crutches under her arms.

“Well, that was entertaining.” She closed the door, sitting on my bed next to me. “That boy is completely in love with you.” She patted my leg.

“I know.” My shoulders fell, staring at the ceiling. “And I feel bad for leaving him by himself, but he made me so angry.”

“But you’re completely in love too.”

My gaze shot to her briefly before going to the floor, she was always someone who could see what most couldn’t, understand me without a word. Did she see something I wasn’t willing to admit?

“I am?”

“Oh, my girl, you have it so bad it is almost painful.” She wrapped her arm around me. “But it isn’t for the boy sitting at the table right now.”

My chin jerked up, my eyes going wide, my mouth opening.

“Please,” she snorted. “Don’t even try to deny it.” Her arm dropped, but her fingers went to my neck, playing with the delicate feather necklace I had on. “Did you even realize you wore this tonight?”

My hand went to the chain, holding the charm. I saw it in my dresser and without any thought put it on. It was Hunter’s gift for my eighteenth birthday, which matched the tattoo on my arm.

“Luca is a very handsome, kind man. But you don’t love him. Not even a little.”

“How do you know?” I asked more out of curiosity than questioning her opinion.

“Every time he touched you, you pulled back. Every time he looked at you, you turned away.” She wrapped my hand around hers. “If your father took a moment to watch you with Luca, he would have realized there was nothing to worry about. When you truly love someone, you can’t help but touch them, look at them.” She cupped my face. “I’ve watched you light up with just the mention of Hunter’s name. The same longing look Luca gives you, you make when you talk about Hunter.”

I curled over and set my face in my hands. “What do I do, Grandma?” I groaned. “He’s with someone else. Having a baby with someone else.”

“Believe me, I wish I knew the answer to that. I wish I could say life was fair, and it would all work out, but I’m not going to lie to you. It might not.” She stroked my back. “But following your heart when it comes to your dreams is the most important thing. You know Noah will put up a fight about you not attending Virginia Tech. He’s stubborn… but, sweetheart, so are you. You got it from him. Hold your ground. I will support you in whatever you decide. He’ll eventually come around. He can be a pain, but your father is a good man, and I love him like my own son. He loves and protects deeply. He only wants what’s best for you, but he needs to realize his dream is not what’s best for you.”

I nodded, knowing that fight was ahead of me tonight.

“What do I do about Luca?”

“Again, stand your ground. You can’t force him to leave or acknowledge something he doesn’t want to yet. Love is blind, but I’ve got a feeling the longer he stays, the more his eyes will open to the truth.”

“You sound so sure.”

“The one thing I’m sure of is true love doesn’t go away. No one can deny the connection between you and Hunter, even when you pretend it’s not there.”