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He shoots me a cutting side-eye before leading me to the formal living area off the entry. “Without those calls you’ve allowed her to make, that wouldn’t be the case.”
“That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I’d like to get her phone from you so that she can call whenever she wants.”
He studies me, then sits in a black wingback chair. “But she’s still not free to come home?”
I follow his lead and sit in the matching chair adjacent to him. “It’s more complicated than that. We’re trying to figure out how this is going to work.”
The older man with a healthy dose of silver at his temples studies me before standing and walking away. When he returns, he has a phone in his hand. He offers it to me, then sits back down.
“I still have the things she packed before the wedding. You can take that with you as well.”
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”
He’s quiet for a beat before redirecting the conversation. “I always suspected it was you,” he says in an even tone.
“Meaning?”
“Her grief. It didn’t make sense until the accident, and I learned about the pregnancy. She never spoke about it, you know that? Not once.”
I swallow hard, not expecting him to be so open about what he knew. “That’s because she had amnesia.”
It’s Cosimo’s turn to look shocked. “What are you talking about?”
“She didn’t remember anything about our relationship or the pregnancy until yesterday. We were in a car accident—”
“Is she okay?” he demands, his face draining of color.
“She’s fine. It was a freak accident, and I’m the only one who was injured, but seeing that took her back to the crash that took Ario.”
Aging a solid ten years, Cosimo leans back in his chair and rubs a hand over his face. “My poor princess. She’s born more suffering than any one person should.”
“I agree,” I assure him. “That’s why I’m here.”
He cracks his eyes open and lowers his hand. “You’re going to bring her home?”
“I’m going to give her the life she always wanted. The life she deserves.”
“What does that mean?”
“I suppose that’s up to us—what we can work out. I don’t want to get in the way of her relationship with you, but I’ll need your help to make that a reality.”
Worry creases his forehead as he whispers, “She’s all I have left in this world. I’ll do anything for her.”
“And on that front, you and I are not all that different.”
A voice in the back of my mind wants to point out that marrying her off to Mazzi was a poor showing of his love, but I wasn’t a part of that decision and am in little position to judge. Sometimes life takes matters out of our hands. I have no doubt Cosimo loves his daughter, and she loves him. That’s the only part that matters.
He nods almost to himself, then stands. “Would you like a drink?”
“Sure, I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
And with that, we’ve sewn the first threads of a tenuous truce. If only the other obstacles I have to overcome would fall as easily.
CHAPTER 54
ISA
The first thing I do when Elio gives me my phone is call my dad. I know the two must have talked, but I still want to hear my dad’s voice. He sounds surprisingly good. My relief is immediate.
