What would it be like to have Daniel and Grace’s soul-deep relationship? The way they support each other no matter what and put each other first? An image of Gio and me pops into my head. He smiles at me, peering over his sewing glasses, and I can practically feel my hand running through his curls.
Would it be so bad to just relax?To let go?
It might’ve taken me a little longer than I’d like to fully realize it, but I’m more confident than ever that Gio is not the man I thought him to be. Looking at him through the lens of our time in Italy, everything is starting to make more sense. Maybe his jabs were truly just jokes. Maybe his critiques were just him looking out for me. And maybe his “lies” were the truth, but I just didn’t know him well enough to understand it. Though, there’s still the matter of what happened between us on that day two years ago…Don’t go there right now.
Cruelty and callousness are not part of Gio’s character. They don’t even belong in the same sentence as the man I’ve come to know. We’ll figure this out. Together.
“Papa, no!”
My face relaxes into an easy smile upon hearing Gio chastise his dad, probably for a pigeon-related crime, from the garden. And I give myself permission to wonder, for the first time, if it’s my turn.
Chapter 30
Giovanni
With an hour left to go before my family arrives for the party, I head down the hallway to check on my date. My bedroom door is cracked, but Tessa mentioned she was going to maybe call her mom, so I don’t want to intrude. I lean closer to the door to make sure she’s off the phone. But I only hear her voice, and she’s speaking Italian.
“Sono la sua ragazza.”I am his girlfriend.
“Amo il tuo vestito.”I love your dress.
“Quanto lontano vivi da qui?”How far do you live from here?
Who is she talking to? I carefully push open the door a bit more and find Tessa wearing headphones and holding her phone with her back turned toward me.
“E un piacere stare qui con voi.” She practices “it’s a pleasure to be here with you” in a clumsy accent.
My heart twists as I watch her stumble through small talk. When she attempts to roll the “r” in piacere, I feel an unexpected stinging behind my eyes.
I gently close the door before she notices me and head toward my parents’ room to get ready. My closet is overrun with clothes from my school portfolio, so my old suits are in their closet for funerals and weddings.
I slide hangers across the bar until I find my favorite one. Navy blue pants that I tailored myself, along with a crisp, fitted ivory button-down shirt. I admire the fabric for a moment, brushing my thumb across the Cattaneo Bespokelabel, before I throw it on and look in the mirror. I’ve always appreciated Tessa’s taste in fashion. I wonder what she’ll think of the design.
My feelings for Tessa are like a funnel. A large amount of swirling, complex emotions that slowly narrow into something small and simple: Ilikeher.
I like the way she speaks with my family. How she really listens to them, teases them back, asks to help them. I like spending time with her. And she’s funny. And so fuckinginteresting. Playful, when she wants to be. Incredibly smart. Gifted.
We didn’t talk about the massage in the countryside. I do better with actions, not words. I don’t want to mess things up with Tessa, not when they’re so unbelievably good.
While I wait for her to finish getting ready, I head back toward the kitchen area to see what Mamma needs help with.
“Wow.” To my surprise, my pretend girlfriend is already talking with Mamma at the dining room table, looking radiant. Timeless.
Both of them turn toward me and smile.
I think Mamma says something, but my eyes are dedicated to staring at Tessa, and my ears are busy listening for anything she might say.
Tessa stands up from her chair and walks my way, her mid-length, cornflower blue sundress swishing with every step. The dress has cap-sleeves with ruffle detailing and a V-neckline.When she gets closer to me, I reach out for a hug and she walks straight into my arms. The dress is open around her shoulder blades and upper back, and I idly rub her skin. She rests her head on my chest long enough for me to smell the pear notes in her hair.
“Aren’t you two the most handsome couple?” Mamma’s voice calls from the table.
Tessa chuckles, pulling away. I gently tug on her hand to bring her back to me, high off her touch.
“You are captivating, Tessa,” I murmur in her ear.
“Thanks.” She blushes.
“Where was this for the photoshoot, hm?” I tease.
