“You don’tneedanyone, but it’s okay towantsomeone.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder, and we sat that way for a long time, watching Gia run through a patch of sunshine, arms wide, hair flying behind her like a little comet made of joy.
Lucia sighed again, softer now. “I wish I believed in forever the way she does.”
I smiled faintly.
“Maybe we don’t have to believe in forever yet,” I said. “Just…today. One good day at a time.”
Lucia squeezed my hand.
We met up with Alexander at our hotel before their planned fake dinner date, and Lucia looked every inch the PR fantasy—glossy hair, radiant smile, the kind of dress that made Alexander stare at her with those soft eyes.Gianna clung to her leg, then made a beeline for Alexander, who scooped her up to say hi.
“You sure you’re okay watching her?” Lucia asked for the third time as we traded off the diaper bag and an emergency snack pouch.
“She’s basically my godchild at this point,” I said, ruffling Gia’s hair as she beamed up at me. I lowered my voice. “Go on your fake date and get dessert and maybe accidentally kiss while you’re at it.”
Lucia rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed. “We’ll be back before midnight.”
Back in the hotel suite, Gia and I played a high-stakes game ofStuffed Animal Royal Court.She appointed me as the queenand then immediately overthrew me in a surprise coup led by a sparkly giraffe. By the time we got to bubble bath negotiations, I was winded.
“Okay, okay,” I said, toweling her hair. “Time to relax. Maybe we put on a movie, hmm?”
She nodded, yawning as she curled into my side with a juice box like a tiny dictator at peace. I had my laptop out doing some research on charities along our racing route when a knock sounded at the door.
I frowned. Lucia wouldn’t be back this soon, would she? I slid off the couch while Gia sat glued to the princess movie and walked to the door.
When I cracked the door open, I was met with a familiar soft scent of warmth and spice.
Matteo.
With takeout bags and that smug little tilt of his mouth like he knew I’d open the door and wouldn’t slam it in his face.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper-shouted, glancing over my shoulder.
“Feeding my niece,” he said, breezing past me without invitation. “Also, checking on her captor.”
“Sure, yeah come on in.” Sarcasm dripped from each word.
“You’re welcome,” he said, tossing a bag on the table. “Got those truffle fries you like.”
I hated that he remembered that. I hated that I was hungry. I hated?—
“I’ll grab plates.”
By the time Gia was asleep—snuggled between us in a sea of plush animals and holding the juice box like a teddy bear—Matteo and I were sitting on opposite ends of the hotel couch, the leftover fries between us. It was quiet and almost pleasant.
“Lucia looked happy today,” I said eventually.
He nodded, face turned toward the dark TV screen. “Yeah.”
“You’ve been watching her like a hawk.”
“She’s been through hell.” His voice was lower now. His honesty was giving me pause; I hadn’t heard him like this before. Something ached under my ribs at the emotion rolling off of him. “I thought…maybe bringing her here would help. You know, remind her who she is when she’s not stuck at home.”
I blinked.
That was not the Matteo I was expecting tonight.
