Page 75 of The Fall Affair

“Yeah, it was.”

Izzy brushed past me and yanked the door open. I followed her down the hall and walked straight into Bianca. Her face told me I hadn’t been talking as softly as I’d intended.

“Dovrei andare,” she said and turned on her heel. I should go.

“Bianca—” I started, but she held up a hand.

“Non sono arrabbiata. È solo…non voglio essere la ragazza intrappolata nella storia incompiuta di qualcun altro.” I’m not mad. I’m just…I’m not gonna be the girl stuck in the middle of someone else’s unfinished story.

“Mi dispiace. Non le ho chiesto di venire.” I’m sorry. I didn’t ask her to come.

Bianca smiled sadly. “Lo so. Ma non le hai nemmeno chiesto di andare via.” I know. But you also didn’t ask her to leave. She grabbed her bag, slipped her shoes back on, and walked out without another word.

The door clicked shut, and I stood there, trying to decide what the hell to do next. After a few minutes, I ran for the door and pulled it open, only to find Izzy standing there.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“For what?”

“Everything.”

“I don’t know if that’s enough,” I said.

“I don’t either. But maybe in time it will be. I’m not going anywhere.”

Chapter 25

Allegra

“I THINK I screwed up.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific,” Cassie said. “Are we referring to insulting Harry’s manhood, quitting your job, or are you still paying those ridiculous dues to Equinox when you haven’t been there in over a year?”

I was actually still paying four hundred dollars a month to Equinox. I made a mental note to cancel my membership and sighed. “I’m talking about things with Matteo.”

“Who?”

“My neighbor. I didn’t mention him before because I wasn’t ready to admit there was something going on. But…there is.”

“Oooh. This sounds juicy. Wait, hang on. I want to get a glass of wine for this conversation.”

I looked at the clock on the microwave and did the math. “It’s pretty early in New York still.”

“Don’t be judgy. Ryan’s mother is coming over for dinner at four—you know, early-bird-special time. And a little pregaming will help me control myself when she tells me what’s wrong with my chicken piccata.”

I laughed. “I’d have one with you, but I think I had enough the other night.”

“Oh boy. I’m going to need a full glass for this. But give me a minute because I have to open a bottle and I need two hands.”

“Okay.”

I heard the sound of Cassie moving around the kitchen, a drawer opening and closing, and then a minute later there was a loud pop! followed by the familiar glug glug of wine being poured.

Then she came back on the line. “Okay. I’m ready. Tell me what you did to push the hot neighbor away.”

“How did you know I—” I shook my head and sighed. “Never mind. I did.”

“Start from the beginning.”