Page 49 of Lost & Found

“Finally, one I approve of,” Sebastian muttered.

“It’s not about you,” Marcel warned once more.

He mocked Marcel. “It’s not about you. Except it’s not your sister,” he grumbled.

“Like fucking hell she isn’t,” he fired back.

“Okay, let’s get this back on track, shall we or we’ll be here all night and I do want to tuck my son into bed,” Victoria shouted over their raised voices.

“The rest are simple. Driving will give me more independence. The London Eye and climbing a mountain are clearly addressing my fear of heights. Number seven is so I can surprise Mum and Dad since they always wanted me to take lessons. I thought I could dance at the next ball they have. Number nine is something different, and ten will challenge my comfort zones around strangers. Twelve is to put myself out there in a proper sense.”

I couldn’t help but notice the hint of hesitation and the uncertainty that lingered.

“You did amazing, Bellaruso. Come here,” Marcel called, and she flew over to him.

He rubbed her back, soothing her, and probably whispered words of encouragement. What I wouldn’t give to publicly be the one to offer her solace.

Victoria stood up and stretched, officially ending the meeting. “Kinsley, want to help me with Declan? He apparently can’t sleep now unless you sing him a lullaby. Isabella, you can read to him.”

“Give me a few minutes and I’ll be there before he’s done in the bath. Pasha can we talk for a minute about the trip?” Isabella asked.

Sebastian rose and bolted from the room, muttering in Italian under his breath. The rest of them filtered out in twos and threes until the door clicked shut and it was just us. She didn’t come toward me. Instead, she drifted toward the table with the refreshments.

“Want anything?” she asked.

“I’m good.”

She nodded. Why was she stalling? My nerves grew tenfold. Was she going to change her mind? Fuck. She adjusted the cookies, picked up a brownie.

“Bella,” I called quietly.

She paused, shoulders tense, and glanced back at me.

“There were supposed to be fourteen.”

Her jaw tightened just enough to confirm it. “I know.”

I waited her out. She exhaled, eyes dropping briefly before lifting to mine again.

“There are,” she said. “I just…I’m not ready to put it on the list. And I didn’t want to put one more random thing on there just to get to that number.”

“Makes sense. But does this mean whatever it is, you’re not sure you want to do it?” I asked.

Her lips pressed together. A flicker of uncertainty passed through her. “It’s not that. I’m uncertain it is workable. I’m still researching.”

“Whatever it is, you don’t have to add it. The list isn’t meant to corner you.”

A faint smile ghosted across her mouth. “I know and if I’m being honest, that’s not what scares me.”

So she was scared. “What does, then?”

She held my gaze for almost a full minute. There was a mix of vulnerability and stubbornness warring behind her eyes.

“That I want to do it. That I need to do it and that it might not work out. Managing my expectations. It’s a whole ass thing for me.”

Well, call me intrigued. I was dying to know what the hell it could be.

“Are you going to share it with me?”