“On her way back to Italy. I’ll be flying out to see her once my jet returns.”
“Returns?” she and Dillon asked in unison.
“She has the jet,” I said with a mix of pride and affection.
“You’ve got it bad,” Azzaria teased. “Now, if only we could get Arnoldo on the same page.”
“I pick my battles wisely,” I smirked.
Azzaria’s tone shifted to mischief. “Well, I may or may not have seen him at the gym with Meli.”
“He’s with random women all the time,” I said, confused.
“The way he looked at her,” Azzaria continued. “Like she was the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. You guys don’t know her?”
Dillon and I exchanged puzzled glances. “No.”
Azzaria pulled out her phone, showing us a picture.
“Emilia?” Dillon and I said in disbelief. “That has to be a mistake.”
Azzaria’s voice was amused yet certain. “He looked at her like you look at me, like Ronan looks at Nina, like Mikkel looks at Abi.”
Dillon leaned in. “And what way is that?”
Azzaria met his gaze seriously. “Like he saw forever. Ask the gym to pull the security feed.”
Dillon and I exchanged shocked glances. This could besignificant or troubling.
“Anyway,” I said, checking the time, “I’ve got a therapy session. See you soon.”
After hugging them goodbye, I made my way to Dr. Saad’s office, the familiar mix of apprehension and relief settling in. The calming colors and comfortable furniture of the room helped ground me, and her warm smile offered a contrast to the swirling thoughts in my head. We briefly discussed how I was doing, work, and my progress with Nina. The session gave me the clarity I needed, leaving me calm and ready for what lay ahead.
As I left Dr. Saad’s office, I felt more prepared for the day. The hospital came next, where meeting patients, discussing treatments, lecturing interns, and offering reassurance kept me busy.
After finishing my rounds, I shifted gears and headed to my main office. The transition from clinical to corporate was always noticeable. Meetings with Rachel and the team followed, where we worked through projects, resolved issues, and made key decisions that would shape our future. Despite the demanding day, there was a sense of accomplishment in everything we had achieved.
Before wrapping up, I checked in with the flight crew to ensure Nina’s return to Italy was on track. They assured me everything was running smoothly, easing my earlier concerns. As I finished up, I realized I needed a break from the day’s pace, so I decided to head over to Lucio’s house.
Lucio greeted me with a playful smile, “Look who decided to show up. How’s the groveling going?”
I chuckled. “Oh, you know, the usual.”
His grin widened. “How does that feel?”
I shrugged. “Honestly, it feels good. Taking things one step at a time.”
The conversation shifted to family. Lucio mentioned visiting our parents’ graves in Italy with Marina. “It was nice,” he said. “Just remembering them.”
I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. “I need to make a trip soon.”
Lucio’s eyes softened. “Take your time, and I saw Aunt Rosa too.”
“How is she?”
“She’s good,” he replied, and I made a mental note to reach out to her more often.
“How’s your baby-making going?”
