Matteo squeezes my shoulder once before stepping back. “If you ever need a gun?—”
“I won’t,” I say gently. “But thank you.”
He nods, jaw tight, and he looks like he’s about to say something more, but instead settles on, “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
He leaves before I can beg him to help me escape this and get away from it all.
Later,when the house quiets, I find myself sitting by the window again. The dress hangs nearby, covered in a thin plastic sheet, glowing faintly under the lamplight. It looks like something sacred. Or haunted.
I scroll through my phone without seeing anything, half-listening to the sound of the city outside. Somewhere, a siren wails. Somewhere else, laughter rises and fades. It’s strange how the world keeps spinning like nothing’s happening.
Val
Bee misses her aunt.
I smile and type back.
Me
Her aunt misses her too. Give her a tight hug for me.
She sends a heart emoji.
I set the phone down, lean my head against the window, and let the glass cool my skin.
Eleven months ago, I was at home, falling apart on the inside. Then we lost Ma and Eli decided to send me away to Italy.
I can’t believe how fast everything changed. I should never have fallen for a man who wasn’t emotionally available, but that’s just not how things worked out. Nothing has worked out in my favor.
And yet I don’t regret a second of it all. If I could go back, I’d do it all again. Even if it did end with a disaster.
But he’s always there, in the back of my mind. I don’t think I’ve cried more in my life than I have in the past several weeks. I hate that part the most. That no matter how much distance there is, he’s still everywhere.
My phone lights up again—Alessia this time.
Allie:
Val’s picking me up tomorrow. Brunch at eleven. No excuses.
Me
Fine.
Allie:
You sound thrilled.
Me
I’ll bring enthusiasm. You bring mimosas.
Allie
Done.
I put the phone face-down and stare out into the dark. The rain starts—soft at first, then harder. It always rains the week before something ends.
