“And what about the year after that?” he asked.
She blinked. Did she hear him right?
“What?”
“What about the year after that? Can you put up with the annoying, arrogant, asshole then too?”
“Prick,” Charles’s voice came from behind her.
“What’s that?” Rocco asked.
Nico cleared her throat. “It’s annoying, arrogant, asshole, prick.”
He chuckled. “Right. Well?”
She smiled. So hard her teeth hurt.
“Is that a yes?”
She blinked, suddenly realizing she hadn’t said anything. “Yes, yes, yes.”
“And the year after that?”
This must be what it feels like to be a bird and have wings.
Please, she pleaded with her eyes as she gazed up at him.
Not now. Don’t play misty now.
And then she had a sudden thought that squelched any tears.
“What did Beatrice and Sofia tell you?”
He grinned, shaking his head. “I can’t tell you. I promised I wouldn’t.”
“I don’t believe it! They promised!”
“Yeah, but they’d crossed their fingers behind their backs. I didn’t, so I’m obligated to keep my promise.”
“Crossed their fingers behind their backs,” Nico scoffed.
Charles tapped her on the shoulder. “That does negate a promise. It’s something that’s understood universally. It’s like some kind of law of nature. In fact, I think I read that somewhere.”
Nico shook her head and turned back to meet Rocco’s gaze.
“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain, Nico. I should have. I was just so—”
“Angry. I understand.”
“No. Not angry. Hurt. But I realized something. You holding yourself responsible for what others did when you were just a kid is as ludicrous as me thinking Carolyn is responsible for me being an F1 driver.”
She smiled. He was right. It was.
“I wouldn’t change a thing, Nico Angelini.” He paused. “Well, no that’s not entirely true. Maybe one thing.”
She knitted her brow. “What?”
“I’d have made that last shot at Drink and Dive so fucking difficult, there would’ve been no way you could’ve made it. Then I’d have gotten what I really wanted.”
