“Answer now!” Gran Louisa yelled.
“Yes, that is… hm”—I cleared my throat—“correct.”
“Let me see! I need to know if she deserve pretty man like you.”
I don’t deserve her.
“She left,” I told her. “They had aneventto attend on the cruise.”
Gran Louisa nodded. “Okay, bring girlfriend home when you leave ocean; I will cook for her and ask her important question.”
Home.
I almost smiled as I nodded. “Okay.”
“I will go now; I have church. Gaida is making cookies for us—it will not be good—but I have to prepare for lie. Poor Gaida.”
Gemma laughed, shaking her head. “Okay, Nonna, talk to you later.”
“Bye-bye,” she responded with a wave while her hand came close to the screen as the call ended.
Gemma sighed as I handed her the phone and let my head fall back.
“Now I have to contrive a way to tell her mygirlfriendwould never be available to see her.”
The culprit angled her body to face mine, but I didn’t turn my head to look at her. “‘Never Say Never,’ Justin Bieber knew what he was talking about when he sang that song.”
“I do not know who that is.”
“I know you don’t; I’d be surprised if you did,” she said, laughter in her voice. “My main focus now is when and how you’ll reintroduce us. The first time we met, it wasn’t really great, and now she knows my face but doesn’t know who Iam; so before she sees me again with you and jumps to a conclusion, you—”
“I will introduce you both.” I cut her off, turning my head to her. “When I am positive she won’t kill you, and then me.”
Gemma blinked at me. “Wh-what?”
“Zahra is… quick-tempered. I made a mistake not telling her who you were when she first saw you.”
Gemma nodded, her teeth closing on her bottom lip. “Right, you’re right. You might need to lay it on slowly so she doesn’t misunderstand.” She blew out a breath. “God, she was—she was intimidating. Not at all welcoming, but I know there’s a softie in there.” She grinned, poking my arm and wiggling her brows. “She likes you.”
I sighed, narrowing my eyes and looking away. “Nothing special.”
“Oh please…” Her tone turned sharp. “Spare me the false modesty and self-degradation. You are the most likable person I know.”
I watched her. “You are naïve, Gemma.”
“Probably, but I have that good-people tingle. I know when I see a good person.”
“I suggest that you check the tingle. Might be broken.”
She laughed, and I shook my head. Appreciating the fact that I could carry out that movement without getting a headache.
Zahra and Street had stayed till the morning, but then they had to leave for some casino bet they made… I did not want to know more or indulge them in their thieving activities, but Zahra had stayed an hour longer, and Elia had told me he would stop by later for a talk.
Since then, I’d been pretending that I wasn’t overthinking what that talk would entail.
At this point, I didn’t know what I wanted or where I stood with everything I wanted to do. My goal was not to settle with Elia; it was the opposite. But that didn’t excusethe inconvenient fact that I wanted to talk to him, rebuild our relationship, and have him look at me like I was his family, his brother, his protector, his friend. I missed that…
But…
