As I threw my clothes into a suitcase, sadness washed over me.
Leaving Italy would be a harsh return to reality, like being forced to wake up from a dream you wished would never end.
I’d miss our little Ortigia bubble.
***
The drive to the airport in Catania had taken a little over an hour. Luckily, my father was able to get us a flight that departed not too long after we arrived.
My nerves calmed considerably once we were safely in the air headed for Newark. About halfway through our flight, Wes bounced his legs as he looked out the window. I placed my hand on his knee, prompting him to look at me.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“It’s gonna be okay, Wes. Think positive. We’re gonna make it in time.”
He blew out a breath and forced a smile, but there was sadness in his eyes.
“So…” I said. “We should probably use this time to talk about what our story is going to be when we get to your mom’s. Things will be emotional for you, and you shouldn’t have to worry about it then. We have the time now, so let’s talk about it.”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Of course.”
The fact that he hadn’t brought up a game plan yet showed me just how distraught he was. Who could blame him?
“What exactly does your mom think you’re doing for a living right now?” I asked.
“All she knows is that I’m working privately as a bodyguard after leaving the force. She doesn’t have a clue how dangerous my job really is or the shit I’ve gotten into with your father, and I want to keep it that way.” He shrugged. “Not that being a cop wasn’t dangerous, but you know…”
I sighed. “Unfortunately, Idoknow.”
He scratched his chin. “But yeah, we should get our stories straight—yet again.”
“Not to pat ourselves on the back, but I think we did a great job with Natalia and Mario in Ortigia.”
“Oscar worthy.” He laughed.
“So,should we tell your mom I’m some damsel in distress with a lot of money, hiring you to look after me?”
He shook his head. “Actually, I don’t think we should say you’re a client at all. It’s best if we just pretend we’re dating. I don’t want to bring the job home at a time like this. Even saying you’re a client is a little too close to the situation, if you know what I mean. It’s better to keep everyone in the dark, since knowing anything at all can potentially put people in danger.”
“You have a point there. The less people who know anything, the better.” I nodded. “Okay, so we pretend to be a couple again… That’s old hat for us at this point.”
“My mother might interrogate you a little. She’s not used to me bringing anyone home. I’ve always kept my personal life pretty private, with the exception of one girlfriend. We should probably just say we met on a dating app and that it’s fairly new, but you wanted to come to support me.”
“Okay…” I nodded. “It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. I’ll be honest about what I do for a living, so no need to pull stuff out of my ass about some pretend career. I’ll just be Juliette. We shouldn’t have to fake too much, aside from the actual nature of our relationship.”
I’d been curious about Wes’s family but never thought I’d have the opportunity to see where he came from. He’d given me bits and pieces of his past, like the tragedy of losing his brother. I knew his dad was MIA and had been abusive to his mother. But it would be interesting to see firsthand what she was like.
“Anything I need to know about your mom or anything else?” I asked.
“Not really. She lives in a modest house, the same one I grew up in. I don’t come from money or anything.”
I drew in my brows. “Why do you feel the need to clarify that?”
“Just making sure you know what to expect.”
“I’d give every red cent my father ever made for a modest house with a normal mom and no crazy-ass father who ruined my life.”
“I get it.” He offered a sympathetic smile.
