“And I’m Dani,” the other woman says.Bright green eyes meet mine.“We’ve only just heard about you, and it’s lovely to finally meet you, Maya.”
The heiress.
Don’t be nervous.Don’t be nervous.
I suppress a nervous chuckle.“Zach has told me about you all, but it’s so nice to finally meet you.”
I hear laughter and turn to see Jett.He looks happy, and he’s even smiling.He’s walking towards us with a young, gorgeous, woman who I assume is Cari, and a little girl.That must be Brooke.She’s holding Cari’s hand, and what looks like a soft toy in the other.This isn’t how I remember Jett.He was moody and mercurial back in his teens, but now he seems softer, talking to the young woman.
Auburn hair, younger than him and his assistant.
She must be Cari.
She catches me looking, and rushes in front of Jett, still holding Brooke’s hand.There are so many names and faces to remember.I worry that I’ll get them all mixed up.
“Maya?”Cari slips me a warm smile.
“This is Cari,” Zach says.“She has a florist shop in a very nice café.Cari, meet Maya.”
Cari and I acknowledge each other warmly.
“You should come and see me sometime,” Cari suggests, and mentions the address of her shop.I make a mental note.
“And this little munchkin is Brooke.”Cari beams down at the little girl holding her hand.
“Hi,” Brooke says, turning all shy.“This is Elephant.”She holds up a tattered cuddly toy.I bend down so that I’m at her level.
“Nice to meet you, Elephant.”I’m trying to crouch as elegantly as I can in my heels and dress.I straighten up again.“So many names and faces,” I say to Cari.
“It can be daunting, I know, but try not to worry about it.We’re a nice bunch.Harmless and friendly.Not sure if I can say that about the men.”She winks at Jett.
“Remember Jett?”Zach asks me.“You remember Maya, don’t you?”he says to his brother.
Jett looks stern.Like he’s really not pleased to see me.“I do.Nice to meet you.”We shake hands, formal and careful as we stare at one another in silence.I remember him as the cold, older brother.Sometimes I wonder—in fact, I’m certain of it—that had their mother still been around, had her tragic ending never happened, these boys might be different, less damaged, more open.
“Enzo!”Zach motions to a smartly dressed man standing nearby.He comes over.
“This is Enzo, the youngest of the Italian Knights,” Zach says.We nod at each other in acknowledgement.
Another man joins us, and I realize with a start that it’s Matteo.
“Oh, hi!Good to see you again,” I exclaim, truly happy to see him.He saved me.
“All good?”Matteo asks cryptically.
“All good,” I reply.“Didn’t hear a peep.Thank you so much.”
He nods, like him saving my life that night, fixing Cecil’s laptop so quickly, was no big deal.
Introductions over, I feel myself relax again.Everyone starts to talk amongst themselves.Zach and I hold hands.Dex boasts about the guest list.Rio mocks the music choice.Jett calls it excessive.Jokes and insults fly.
City lights blur as the night unfolds.Zach’s hand moves to the small of my back, grounding me as the yacht eases away from the pier, gliding smoothly across the dark river.
His brothers are warm and curious, and I see now that I had nothing to be nervous about.The women are lovely, and I already have a feeling that I’d get along with them.Standing in their midst, I don’t feel like I don’t belong.
There was always a difference between Zach’s world and mine, and I never longed to be a part of his, here I am, and it’s not so bad.
“Why don’t you take Brooke over to the entertainer?”Dex suggests to Jett.
