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“Yeah.” She closes her eyes for a moment. I stare at her, watching. Eventually, she shakes her head, then nods. Her eyes pop back open. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
I just stare at her, trying to process the strange interaction. Does she mean I have to tell Sav how I feel? Or I have to marry to strengthen the family.
My insides are even more knotted than before. “Um…okay. Thanks?”
She turns on the heel of her slipper and leaves.
I’m alone with my thoughts, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end from her brief, unsettling visit. She’s right. I should be smiling. Happy. Feel something good about my wedding day other than undying loyalty to my family?—
Which is waning with every thought of Sav.
My mom’s face pops up in the frame of the door. “You ready, sweetheart?” She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
I’d have thought she’d look happier than this on my wedding day. I must be giving off mopey vibes. I need to hide how I feel, in case Sav rejects me and I have to move forward with this wedding.
If I tell him how I feel and he doesn’t tell me not to marry Gio…
Well, that’s a secret I’ll take to my grave as Mrs. Paisley Russo.
“Mom! Come in.” I try to smile. But I can’t hide my feelings. I don’t know what it feels like to be a mother, but I’m guessing you can read right through your kid’s fake expressions. I know my mom certainly can.
Will I inherit those super senses if I have a family? Why are Sav’s dark eyes popping up in my mind right now? Why am I thinking of the children we would have, wondering if their eyes would be like his or mine.
She picks at invisible lint on the shoulder of my white Vera Wang wedding gown. “Good thing Vera had one your size waiting in the wings. I can’t believe we got all these people and this dress here on such short notice.” She shakes her head. “Gio’s timeline demands were crazy. I swear, no Beauty has slept more than four hours a night leading up to this. The things we women do for this family.”
“Has Gio told Dad yet? Why he wanted to rush the wedding?” I try to keep my voice light, curious.
“Yes, Gio said he has to go away on business next month. He said he’d rather get to know you as his bride later, than have you here alone while he’s gone. He wanted you to feel like the woman of the house before he had to leave, so you’d be comfortable making decisions in his absence. Wasn’t that thoughtful of him?” But she doesn’t meet my eyes, just continuing to fiddle with the lace at my sleeve.
“Yes, it was.”
“Honey.” Finally, her bright blue eyes find mine as they search my face. “If you don’t want to do this…”
Her words trail off and thank goodness they do.
If she gives me an out, I might walk out of here without even worrying about how Savage feels. I need to carry on. I have to tell him. But every moment I get closer to walking down that aisle, I lose a little bit of my courage. “Mom, how long till the wedding?”
She glances at her watch. “Maybe fifteen minutes before you and your bridesmaids need to gather outside the front doors of the church?”
Fifteen minutes. That’s not long. Only a quarter of an hour but enough time to change the entire trajectory of my life.
A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.
“I have something I need to do. Quickly. Can you cover for me?”
She takes in a shaky breath, her face filled with questions. Instead of interrogating me, she holds up her blue diamond. “We wear the same ring, don’t we?”
“Yes,” I say, holding up my matching oval, unsure of why she’s saying this.
“Same eyes, same rings, different secrets.” She gives me what looks like a worried smile. “But yours are always safe with me. Now go. Quickly.”
She looks as if there’s more she wants to say but I’m running out of time. I kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Mom!” And I run from the room.
I hold the hem of my long dress up, happy I’ve chosen flats for the occasion. Where is he? Who can help me find him? I know he’s still on security—I’ve seen him watching me over the past week as I’ve gotten to know Gio. We’ve spent our time touring the estate, Gio introducing me to everyone. The days were a whirlwind. The thing I remember most about them are his dark eyes following me, a sheen of sadness in them.
Did I imagine that sadness?
There’s that feeling again, a rickety rope bridge swaying, ready to break away, tossing me into the raging current below. I enter the short stone walls of the rose garden, looking for him. I remember walking the paths with Giovanni, admiring the blooms. Sav standing by the brown wooden gate. Watching. I dash down the path that leads to the fountain with the angel spewing a delicate stream of water. He’s not here.
