I smiled. “Of course, ViolaCastellanos.”
“Yes,” Violet breathed. “I am ViolaCastellanos.”
I turned back to Scarlett. “If you are occupied, we can?—”
“No!” Violet responded. “We were just going to the pool. Would you like to join us?”
“Sì, we accept.Grazie.” I nodded, my eyes refusing to leave Scarlett’s. “You asked me the last time we spoke if I had siblings,bella. We happened to be all together.” I shrugged. “All in the area. This is my brother Dario.” I pointed to my left. “This is my otherfratello, Romeo. Dario is an architect. Romeo isGuardia di Finanza.”
“Oh, Romeo,” Viola’s voice had lowered to a purr.
Scarlett’s face seemed frozen, except for perhaps the thoughts racing through her head.
“We are called the Fausti three.” I grinned.
MaggieBellissimoturned back to Scarlett, eyes meeting in a quick, silent exchange. Whatever information passed between the two women, Scarlett nodded as in confirmation.
“Aww hell,” MaggieBellissimosaid, covering her face with her hands.
Romeo stepped up first, taking Scarlett’s hand, as if he could not wait to touch her skin. He would be punished for his impatience, even in this…odd situation. I did not understand what was happening, but it was awkward, tense, and comfortable at the same time. Awkward for Scarlett. Tense for MaggieBellissimo.Comfortable for Viola. Dario repeated the same gesture as Romeo.
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Scarlett said after the introductions were made.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Dario winked at her.
It was Romeo who had already found his match in the room. Viola. Their eyes continued to connect from across the space between them. However, I could tell Scarlett would have preferred to move. We had interrupted their time at the pool. Perhaps that was why.
“Bella,” I said, taking a step toward the door, “let us go.”
“Can you give us a minute?” Scarlett asked.
“Of course.”
Viola took the lead and offered to show us where the pool was, as if we did not already know. What these women did not know, at least Viola, was that we spent time here occasionally. I did not mention it to Scarlett, either, during our time. In this situation, since it was mysterious, it was better to listen rather than to talk.
Romeo was already working on fitting Viola into his datebook. The two of them flirted, and Romeo even removed his suit jacket, took his shoes and socks off, and rolled up his pants to escort her into the pool. Occasionally, Dario would send me a look, either a question in his eyes, or offering a silent thought, but mostly he sat back and allowed the sun to fall on his face. I could not stop thinking about the entire situation. Though I knew sooner rather than later, the situation was going to present itself with answers. My father had told me so.
MaggieBellissimosauntered into the pool area, and my brothers and I all stood at her entrance.
“That is so nice!” Viola said from her floating toy in the pool.
MaggieBellissimoused her thumb to point toward the farmhouse. “Scarlett is waiting to speak to you in the kitchen.” She spoke to me in Italian, as if letting me know she spoke the language and understood it.
I nodded, thanked her, and as I started to leave, she stopped me.
“Only in the kitchen, ah?” She spoke Italian once again, but her eyes had turned menacing, and so did the tone of her voice.
I turned back to the house, a grin I could not hide on my face. The woman was worried I was going to seduce thebellaballerina. Scarlett was not in the kitchen when I entered, so I poured myself a drink and took a seat at the table.
Our eyes met when she arrived. She had changed. Covered herself up.
“You didn’t have to cover up for me,bella.”
She deflected. “Romeo—is he interested in Violet?”
“Sì. Is thisa problem?”
“Yes. No. Well, she’s newly single. I don’t want her to get—” It seemed as if she did not want to insult Romeo’s intentions, but she also did not want her friend to get hurt. She could not find the proper words to express the situation without sounding rude.
