I pull into the driveway and to the right of the house, where the detached garage sits on the other side of the cobblestone drive. There are at least half a dozen cars parked in the grass and I find an empty space beside a white Porsche.
My phone chimes and I open up the email that came through, seeing it’s a message from my cardiologist. Relief washes over me as I read over his words. My results all look normal—for my heart—and I’m supposed to keep an eye out for worseningsymptoms. They’re not concerned with the palpitations, so long as it doesn’t bother me.
I tuck my phone into my bag and sling it over my shoulder. I grab the reusable grocery bag filled with buffalo dip and chips, and slip out of my car before turning to the house. I’m not sure which door I’m supposed to use. It looks like there’s one on the back of the house, one at the front, and there’s an entrance on the side, facing the driveway.
I should have asked Matteo before I came.
Stop overthinking, Jade.
Shaking away the anxious thoughts, I opt for the side door. I head up the four short steps and the door pops open. A younger woman, who can’t be but a few years younger steps out, not noticing me at first.
Her head whips to the side, her dark hair shifting across her back. “Oh! I didn’t see you there.” She pauses, her dark gray eyes widening for a second. “Oh my gosh, you must be Jade!”
“Yes, hi,” I smile, nodding my head eagerly. My heart races and my palms are clammy.
“I’m Elena, Matty’s sister.” She holds open the door, stepping to the side. “Come in! I’m so glad to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
I step into Matteo’s home and am in awe of the elegant interior. Light pours through tall windows, settling across dark polished wooden floors. The walls are subtle tones of ivory and gray with various oil paintings hanging on the walls. I take a moment to drink it all in. There’s nothing superfluous in the decor. It’s as if every piece and every touch is deliberate, calculated.
I glance at the chandelier hanging above before looking at Elena again.
“Come on,” Elena waves me through the mudroom and into the kitchen. A massive skylight lets light spill in. “You can putyour stuff in here. Everyone’s in the basement playing pool and hanging out right now.”
Elena shows me where to put the dip so it stays warm, and leads me down to the basement. Voices drift up the stairwell and Elena smiles, shaking her head with a soft laugh.
“Be prepared… the guys can be a bit of a handful, but the girls are the best ever.”
A nervousness washes over me as we reach the bottom of the steps. I’m about to meet some of the people who are closest to Matteo. I think it’s only normal for my stomach to be in knots. We turn left into the open space and there’s a bar in the corner with a television hanging on the wall, a pool table, and an air hockey table.
Matteo’s bent over the table, his stick in his hands, lining up a shot. His eyes flicker to mine, a slow smirk tugging on his lips as he hits the cue ball, sending it into the black eight ball he was aiming for. It sinks into the left pocket and two of the guys whine in protest.
Matteo tosses the stick onto the table, ignoring them as he stalks across the room to me. A familiar warmth slides down my spine as my gaze locks with his.
“Hey, Sunny,” he breathes, his eyes shining bright as he stops in front of me. His hand shifts forward but then he stops himself from reaching out to me. My stomach does a somersault.
“Hey. Sorry I was a little late. I got caught up with some work things.”
He shakes his head. “I’m just glad you were able to come.”
His sister chuckles to herself, leaving the two of us as she walks over to the bar where a younger woman is sitting.
“Come on, I want to introduce you to everyone,” Matteo smiles, waving at me to follow him. He doesn’t walk in front of me, instead, he stays beside me as we walk over to the pool table. His presence is comforting and it chases away the nervousness.
There’s no reason to feel that way.
“Everyone, this is Jade,” he announces, looking at me with a grin. “Jade, this is Cameron Shaw and Warren Cross,” he motions to the two men at the pool table. They’re both tall and lean, around the same height as Matteo.
“Hey, Jade,” they say in unison. Cross makes a face and shoves at Shaw’s shoulder. Shaw ducks out of the way, bumping into Elena. He says something under his breath, his hands wrapping around her biceps as they share a look.
Matteo’s brow furrows for a second and the two men walk over.
“Everyone calls me Cross,” the one with dark, almost black hair and bright green eyes says as he shakes my hand.
“I go by Cam, or Shaw,” the one with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes smiles, shaking my hand too.
“You met Elena,” he nods to his sister. She looks over and smiles, although there’s a pink tint of frustration across her face as she takes a step back from Shaw.
