“Oh, mi dispiace.” I am sorry. Luca turned to include Hunter in the group. “Emotion got the better of me. I apologize for interrupting, but I have missed my girl so much.”
“Your girl,” Hunter repeated, not a breath of feeling in it.
“Yes.” Luca wrapped his arm around me, hugging me to him. “I asked her to marry me.”
Hunter’s chin lifted, his gaze darting to me, then back to Luca. “I guess congratulations are in order.” His eyes met mine, his jaw rolling back and forth. “I better leave you two to catch up then.” He tipped back on his heels, twisting for the door.
“No. Hunter. Wait.” I reached out for him, but he moved away from me. He showed the first signs of emotion since Luca’s appearance, and it was pure hatred. “I can explain.” Could I? I didn’t even know what the hell was happening right now.
“Don’t.” His nose flared. “I get it.” He shook his head, opening the door. “I guess Italians really do have it all,” he said before stalking out the door to the garage.
“A friend?” Luca motioned to him.
“Sure. A friend.” Savannah snorted, jerking my glare to her. She smiled wickedly at me. “Oh, Jayme. What a tangled web we weave.”
Taking my break, I pulled Luca outside, needing to get as far from Savannah’s listening ears as possible, although she already had heard enough to get tongues wagging in this town. Luca’s appearance alone would do that. A tall, sexy Italian in this town? Oh yeah, people would notice.
“What are you doing here?” I stopped under a tree, facing him.
“What do you mean? I came to be with you.”
“Luca, we broke up!”
“Only because you had to leave. So… I come to you.” His broken English grew worse under my scrutiny.
I rubbed at my forehead, feeling my temples pound.
“Tell me truth, bellezza. If you stayed, we would still be together, no?”
My mouth pinched together. “Yes.” I finally agreed.
It was true. Our relationship had been easy and comfortable, and I loved who I was with him. I had loved him, as much as I could love anyone. But seeing him in front of me now, I realized I had put Italy in a box. I was a different person there, far away from this town and most of all Hunter. I was content in that version of me at the time. Coming back here changed things. Or maybe it was seeing Hunter that did it. When I felt incapable of truly giving my heart to anyone, Hunter flamed that part of me alive like a bonfire. Even if we were never meant to be together, I couldn’t deny how I felt when he was around. I hated he made it glaringly obvious I didn’t feel those things for Luca.
“Luca…” I swallowed, toeing the dirt with my shoe. “You shouldn’t have come. I am so sorry, but you deserve better than me. Someone who truly loves you.”
“You are wrong.” He stepped closer to me. “I have seen your heart. I know we belong together. I will show you.”
“Luca.” I jammed my lids closed, trying to squeeze out my frustration.
“I come all the way here for you. Caterina told me I was a fool, but I know…” He grabbed my hand, placing it on his chest. “That you are meant for me. This belongs to you, bellezza.”
The splinter in my chest cracked, leaving me confused and empty. But now I understood why Caterina claimed I had caused her a headache all the way from here. Luca had left the museum to come to me. Covering his shifts had to have caused her stress.
“Luca… things have changed. I-I don’t know…”
“Let me try to prove you wrong. Until the moment I fly back.”
“When is that?”
“Two weeks.”
“What?” My mouth dropped. “You took two weeks off to come here?”
“You are worth more. Remember you are the most important thing to me, bellezza.” He took my hand. “You say the word, I stay forever.”
Oh holy shit.
How was this happening? I strode away, walking in circles. He had come into my life when I needed someone like him. Sometimes people are there when you need them, but not all are meant to stay. Maybe Luca was supposed to stay and I just couldn’t see it now. Years from now, I’d look back and be thankful he fought for us. The pain and heartache of Hunter would be in my past.
My head lifted, and I stared across the street, my insides dumping out on the pavement. Krista sat at the picnic table, watching and laughing as Hunter chased Cody around, sweeping him up, and pretending to gobble up his ice cream.
Trills of laughter caught the air, burrowing into me like needles. That was what I had wanted with him someday. But it would never come to pass.
Maybe my heart and head were so screwed up it didn’t know Hunter was the one who wasn’t meant to stay.
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.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
On Saturday I had the closing shift. Luca finally left the café, where he had spent the hours catching up on work from his laptop. Savannah had spent the day flirting with him
so much he looked to me for help, expressing to get this girl off him. She was not sly about saying she found him attractive and wanted to be the one to show him around town. When those tactics didn’t work, she went for the throat.
“Oh, look, Jayme, Hunter is working today. I know how much you love watching him bend over those cars.” She grinned mischievously, flicking her head out the window to the garage, leaning a hand on Luca’s table.
I glared at her, trying not to take the bait, but Luca’s head darted to where Hunter paced at the front, talking on his cell, his hand lancing through his hair with aggravation.
“That’s the guy I saw the other day.”
“Yeah.” Savannah kept her gaze on me, smile widening. “He and Jaymerson had a thing. You knew that, right?”
“Savannah,” I warned, lowering the cup I was cleaning onto the table with a clink.
“You and him?” Luca pointed out the window, his eyes darkening. “He was your boyfriend?”
“Well, his twin brother was her boyfriend… She just hopped over to Hunter after Colton died.”
“Savannah. Shut. Up.” I slammed my fist on the counter, making a customer at the corner table jump.
“What?” She shrugged. “What am I saying that’s not true? You know the only way to have a healthy relationship is to be completely honest.”
Luca watched Hunter, his jaw locking down before he turned to me. “You dated both brothers?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Yes, it was!” Savannah exclaimed. “Oh, what? You and Hunter never made it official? You were screwing your dead boyfriend’s twin in secret.” My stomach twisted at how easily she could make what we had sound disgusting. “No matter how you spin that it’s repulsive and vile. Did she not tell you this before, Luca?”
He shook his head, his eyes narrowing on me.
“You have no clue what you’re talking about.” I clenched my teeth, trying not to jump over the counter and punch her.
Savannah leaned into Luca, her voice going low. “It’s pretty well known around here they can’t stay away from each other, even though he’s with someone else and having a second kid with her. I’m just saying this to warn you. You seem like a really nice guy. You should know what you’re getting into.” She winked at him and sauntered to the back, grinning at me as she passed, knowing I couldn’t do anything.
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