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“I feel sexy, but also a little like I’m not me. Which is good if I want to catch Nevio’s eyes since good ole me isn’t doing the trick.” If he kissed me on the forehead, cheek, or hand tonight, I’d seriously lose my shit around him for the first time. I was done with this.
“You shouldn’t have to be someone else to attract someone, Aurora.”
I shrugged. “Seems to be my only option right now.”
“No, it’s not.You could just show Nevio every version of you. In the past few years, you’ve become someone different around him. You don’t show any sass or answer back to him. You’re tongue-tied around him. That’s the problem.”
I sighed because I knew Carlotta had a point. I really wasn’t sure what to do about it, though, since my mind seemed to go blank with him around.
“I’ll start with this outfit, and maybe my brain and tongue will come around by tonight.”
A knock sounded, and Gemma poked her head in. My heart almost jumped out of my chest, thinking it was Mom. If she saw me in this outfit, she’d probably not allow me to attend the party. I’d fought too hard for my parents’ permission to lose it now. She slipped in, and her eyes widened. “No way can you go out like that.”
“Are you channeling your inner Diego?” Carlotta asked pointedly.
Gemma gave her an annoyed look. “I’m just being realistic. If Fabiano sees Aurora like that, he won’t let her go. Should I be worried about who you want to impress?” Gemma narrowed her eyes at me.
“In this day and age, girls can dress sexy for themselves, Gemma. We don’t need or want to impress boys anymore,” Carlotta said.
“You act like I’m sixty,” Gemma said, then raised her eyebrows. “Since when is she so argumentative?”
“Since she argues with Massimo on a daily basis.”
Gemma tilted her head in curiosity, and Carlotta sent me a shut-up look. She usually shared everything with Gemma, so I was surprised she hadn’t mentioned her endless arguments with him to her sister.
“His viewpoints are impossible. I have to argue with him,” she said with a shrug. She was good at making this seem like nothing. Her nonchalance was impressive, and I needed to learn from it.
“All right,” Gemma said slowly. “Do what you want, but you better put one of your overalls on as cover before you leave this room.”
My overall. Everyone always pretended I wore them all the time. I had plenty of different clothes in my wardrobe. And I definitely wouldn’t go to a party in them! I grabbed one of my overall dresses, put it over my party clothes, and tugged my blouse down to cover my midriff.
“If I’m supposed to do your makeup and hair, we need to hurry,” Gemma reminded us.
Fifteen minutes later, we left my room. Dad wasn’t home yet, which was good because I still expected him to retract his permission at any moment. Mom only briefly checked my outfit and told me to be careful. Carlotta and I followed Gemma to her and Savio’s wing of the mansion. Gemma had set up a table with plenty of makeup and a chair in front of it. There were also snacks. I half wished we’d actually stay for a girls’ night. I wasn’t really a party girl, which was probably why I’d never been to one. I liked dancing, but I preferred doing it in a different atmosphere. The relaxed parties at the race track, when I’d babysat Roman for Adamo and Dinara, were nice and chill, but I wouldn’t back out now and risk looking like the biggest Goody Two-shoes in front of Nevio and the other guys.
Carlotta popped a few chips into her mouth while Gemma began to do my makeup.
“Do you want fake lashes?” Gemma asked eventually, holding up an assortment of lashes.
I quickly shook my head. I’d once worn fake lashes, and they’d driven me completely crazy.
When Gemma finished our makeup, it was already time to leave.
“Be careful, okay?” she said firmly.
“Massimo, Nevio, and Alessio will keep an eye on us. Nobody will bother us with them as our bodyguards.”
“Pardon me when I’m not convinced these three will keep you out of trouble.”
“You’re breaking my heart, Gemma,” Nevio said from his spot in the doorway to the patio.
We all jumped, not having heard him approach.
“Turn down the creep factor, will you?” Gemma muttered, causing Nevio’s grin to widen. “And you don’t have a heart I could break.”
Nevio looked from Gemma to Carlotta to me. “How come Gemma looks like she’s about to go to a party, and one of you looks like she’s attending a picnic in a park, and the other looks like she’s hitting the half-pipe?”
I flushed immediately. Then kicked myself in the butt because I wanted to follow Carlotta’s advice and not be a goddamn punching bag around Nevio. “What’s your fashion style called? Out of the morgue?”
