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“Getting in Helen’s good graces will not necessarily place you among the VIPs.”
“And why aren’t you with the VIPs, Mr. Perfect? Now, I understand why you didn’t want me to come this weekend. You don’t want me to see how unimportant you actually are.” I huffed, but he wasn’t listening to me. He was gazing longingly at Sabrina who was, in direct violation of Harris’s classist rules, practically snuggled up to Marcangeli. I hoped she’d finally decided to approach him about finishing her thesis. “To think I felt sorry for you earlier.”
Pete turned to me, light bouncing off his thick lenses and blinked. “Why would you feel sorry for me?”
“Because—” I took a deep breath. “You’re in love with Sabrina.”
He stared at me. “What gave it away?”
“Well, the way you look at her for one. And you’re much nicer to her than you are to me. Extraordinarily considerate, whereas I’m pretty sure you’d push me into an open tomb if you ever had the chance.”
He snorted. “Hardly. You’d probably claw your way out and then dig your nails into me. I’ve known plenty of gingers and you’re all the same. Emotions as vivid as your hair. Plus I’ve already seen you lay into him.” He nodded toward Levi who was charming yet another group of ladies.
“When?” I asked.
“At the dig site. I ducked around the trailer before you could see me. I wasn’t spying, I swear. So, I know you’re not really engaged.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “I won’t tell anyone that you’ve been spinning tales to cozy up to Helen, don’t worry.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, heart pounding. Pete from just a few short months ago, the one who had taken special delight in my falling for a hoax and in basically implying that Harris had hired me because he wanted to sleep with me, would not have let this information slide. “What do you want?”
“Advice.” He glanced at Sabrina again. “How to get the girl.”
“If I knew what the secret was, I’d have the boy,” I mumbled, realizing too late that I’d said it out loud.
“Ah-ha, so you do fancy him.” Pete leaned back and crossed his arms. “Well, in your case it should be easy since he clearly fancies you as well.”
“Oh, please. Now, who’s inventing crazy theories?”
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Diana, it’s not that I think your theory is crazy. It just doesn’t have much evidence to back it up for the moment.” He looked up again. “Uh, here he comes. What did I tell you?”
A shadow fell over us, and I didn’t have to look up to know it was Levi. It’s true that as long as I’d known him, he was always looming over me any time there was a man within five feet of me.
Levi slid into his chair and looped an arm over the back of mine. Before talking to Pete, I might have dismissed it as him playing the fake fiancé to the max, but what if . . . ?
“There are mini lobster rolls,” he whispered in my ear, placing a plate in front of me.
I sighed. That’s what he wanted to tell me?
“I saw you talking to the Italian professor,” Levi said, voice tense.
“He’s interested in my research and wants to learn more about it,” I explained, playing with the food on my own plate. It looked delicious but I had no appetite.
“That’s great, right? Like getting a second opinion from a doctor.” Levi plucked lobster roll from my plate and I glared at him. “What? You weren’t going to eat that.”
After a moment of silence, Levi said, “Tomorrow you’re getting your interview with Visconti. You can do it, Indy.”
“How can you be so sure?” I answered, unable to keep the disappointment from my voice.
“Because you deserve it.” He winked at me. “Trust me.”
Oddly enough, I did.
Chapter 19
Diana
Back at the villa, the evening festivities ended with a candle-lighting ceremony on the lawn. I stared up at the stars, remembering all the times I’d looked at them and thought about Levi. Now, he was here with me, still playing the role of lovestruck fiancé, and I was enjoying it.
Don’t forget, he all but admitted he was still hung up on Ashleigh, I reminded myself. He was so in love with her that he hadn’t been in a relationship since she broke his heart. At that moment I didn’t know who I hated more, Ashleigh for being so unforgettable, Levi for choosing her, or me for so easily loving him again. Because there was no way I could deny it any longer—as much as I said I didn’t want him to be here, as much as I was still angry and hurt, I still loved him and probably always would.
