"Our kind of party," he corrects. "You need to loosen up, Em. Have some fun. Meet some girls who actually stick around for breakfast."
I take a long drink and let the beer wash down the tightness in my throat. He's right, Jo made her choice. Even if every part of me wants to track her down and ask why.
"You're doing it again," Lincoln says, watching me.
"What?"
"That brooding captain thing. The look that makes your teammates skate harder because they're terrified you're going to murder them in practice."
"I don't look like that."
"You absolutely do."
I flip him off.
He laughs and leans back against the sofa, beer in hand.
"Look, I get it. She got under your skin. Mine too. But we've got a week of sun, boats, and beautiful women waiting for us in Monaco. Let's just ... enjoy it. Forget about the ones who got away."
"When did you become a philosopher?" I tease.
"Since I realized moping around isn't going to make her magically appear."
He's right. Again.
I hate when he's right.
"All right," I say. "Monaco. No moping. No brooding."
Lincoln raises his beer. "To Monaco."
I clink my bottle against his. "To Monaco."
4
JOELLE
Iarrive in Italy for my brother’s wedding. The villa is exactly the kind of place Kitty would choose for her influencer wedding. Tuscan countryside. Rolling vineyards. Stone walls covered in ivy. Cypress trees lining the drive. It's beautiful in that way that feels designed to be photographed from every angle.
The car drops me at the front entrance, and I'm immediately hit by the heat. London was gray and cool when I left. Italy is sun and warmth and the smell of lavender. I grab my suitcase from the trunk and head inside.
"Jo!" Collette appears in the doorway, arms open, grin wide. My sister looks different. Tanned and relaxed. Happy in a way that makes me suspicious immediately. She hugs me tight. "You made it."
"Barely, the flight was delayed. Where's Mom?"
"Inside with the wedding planner. Kitty's having another crisis. Something about the napkins."
I groan. "How bad is she?"
"Full bridezilla. It's exhausting." Collette grabs my suitcase. "Come on. I'll show you to our room. It's gorgeous. You're going to love it."
We walk through the villa, with high ceilings, terracotta floors, and antique furniture that probably costs more than my flat. Everything is pristine. Perfect. Ready to be posted online with a hundred hashtags. Our room overlooks the vineyard, the beds are massive, draped in white linen with a ton of pillows. French doors open onto a balcony. You can see nothing but rolling hills.
"This is ridiculous," I say.
"I know. Kitty rented the entire place for the week. There are like twenty bedrooms." Collette drops my suitcase on the bench at the foot of the bed. "Mom and I got here yesterday. Felix and Harper arrive this afternoon."
“I wonder what she is like?”
