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Dex smiles beside her.

I feel Jude shifting behind me, apparently trying to make himself invisible while twenty-something people we've never met study us and whisper amongst themselves.

Unfortunately for him, being a tall man doesn't exactly help.

Nonna lets go of Lexy and turns her attention to Jude.

Then to me.

Then back to Jude.

“Ti sei fidanzata?”

Chiara bursts out laughing.

Oh, good Lord.

I feel every drop of blood in my body rush straight to my face.

“No, nonna! Lui è il migliore amico di Damiano. Jude.”

“What did she just say?” Jude whispers behind me as every pair of eyes seems to settle on him.

“She asked if you were my boyfriend,” I whisper back. “I think she's a little delulu.”

I smile up at him.

He shrugs, looking entirely unbothered, and steps forward with his hand extended.

“Piacere. Jude.”

His American accent wraps itself around the Italian words, and I have to suppress a smile. He's spent the past week trying to learn as much Italian as possible, practicing little phrases under his breath whenever he thinks I'm not listening.

I like that he tried.

But Nonna Carmela doesn't take his hand.

She goes completely still.

“Tu sei Jude?”

He glances at me, then nods.

“Sì.”

Her expression changes.

She looks at him properly now, as though she's trying to find the little boy Damiano told her about somewhere inside the grown man standing in front of her.

Then she steps forward and wraps both arms around his waist.

Jude freezes for half a second.

I watch his expression soften before he bends down and hugs her back.

Nonna starts talking, too quickly for him to understand, telling him how often Damiano spoke about him. About their childhood, their friendship, the trouble they got into together. Her voice trembles once when she says Damiano's name, but she keeps talking, one hand resting against Jude's cheek.

I translate what I can.