Francesco: Well, that’s serendipitous. I’ll be down that way in a few nights. When do you leave?
Me: I’m here for another seven days. I have wedding stuff for the next three days, but I’m free after that.
Francesco: Perfect. I’ll be there in five days for a business meeting. I’ll find a restaurant in Broni.
Me: That sounds lovely. Looking forward to it.
I’m a little freaking out. Is it too soon to go on a date? Should we talk longer? I may need to ask the ladies for advice on this one.
We continue to chat for a few minutes, and then I notice Bray watching me. I tell Francesco I have to go help with wedding things, and he says he’ll message me later.
“What was that about?” he asks.
“Just talking to some guy,” I say.
Bray’s eyebrows shoot up. “What? Since when?”
Shrugging, I close my eyes and lean back, letting the sun warm me. “Since today.”
He’s quiet, and I steal a glance in his direction. He’s frowning as he looks at the vista in front of us. Is he pouting? He needs to chill.
“How did you meet this guy?” he finally asks.
I sigh. “Don’t worry about it. I’m allowed to date, you know?”
“I know that,” he grumbles under his breath.
I decide to get up. I don’t want to sit with a mercurial man who is acting like a teenager who just got grounded. He’s killing my vacation vibe.
“Where are you going?” he asks as I pack up my things.
“Back to the villa to get dressed. Vito and Drew said they were going to oversee the decorations for the rehearsal dinner, so I guess I’ll go see how it’s going,” I state as I toss my bag over my shoulder and walk away while Bray is practically growling. Why is Bray being so infuriating? Why does he care if I date? It’s not like he would ever ask me out. Does he expect me to be celibate forever?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Bray
What the fuck? Carly’s dating? The jealousy I’m feeling has my head spinning. I shouldn’t feel this way. She’s entitled to find her happily ever after. Hell, she deserves it. But hearing that she was talking to someone was like a sucker punch to the gut.
I throw back my second beer as Gray walks over to me.
“Uh, starting early?” he asks as he looks at the now two empty cans in front of me.
“Something like that,” I say as I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. I may have broken into Vito’s beer stash in the main kitchen. I needed something to help calm me down. I shouldn’t be this upset about Carly dating, but I am.
Gray opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it again as his eyes widen. I turn to see what he’s looking at, and my mouth falls open.
Margie and Cornelia are legit doing the walk of shame from a car that’s pulled up at the property.
They tiptoe like no one will see them if we can’t hear them. They are wearing the dresses they had on last night.
“Fun night, ladies?” Gray asks as he fights a smirk.
Margie levels a stare at him. “You Goddamn know it was fun, Grayson. Ever fuck an Italian stallion?”
Gray nearly snorts his drink that he’s just taken a sip of while continuing to watch them.
“Damn, Margie. Hope you brought lube,” Hutch mutters as he walks past them and laughs.
