Page 140 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“Early boarding for flight TI457.”

Cara grabbed the carry-on bag at her feet, and readied for the regular boarding call for her flight. Tommas sat in the seat beside hers, yet he didn’t speak. Likely because all someone had to do was look at Cara’s face, and they would know she wasn’t in the mood for any sort of conversation.

Tommas hadn’t needed to do more than escort her to the airport, but he took it a step further, went through security, and decided to wait with Cara at her gate. She wanted to be thankful, at least her brother cared on some level, but she really wanted to be alone.

“You’re always welcome to come home,” Tommas said quietly.

Cara glanced up at the ceiling, and let out a slow breath. “Yeah, I know.”

“But I don’t think that’s in your plans, is it?”

“Probably not.”

“Even now, with … Gian and all?”

A flash of irritation settled in Cara’s gut, but she pushed it away. It wasn’t Tommas’ fault that Gian had lied to Cara for months. Beyond that, she knew her brother thought that Cara had already known the truth about Gian and his … wife.

“I was getting back into a routine,” Cara said, “before all this happened. I was getting better—finally—after losing Lea. I’m not going to push myself back several steps because of one man.”

She had said the words so flippantly that anyone would believe them. Shit, even she wanted to believe them.

Cara didn’t know if they were true.

“Cara.”

She was lost in her thoughts, barely present as it was, and didn’t hear her brother’s call of her name.

Tommas reached out and placed his hand to her arm. “Cara.”

“What, Tommas?”

“I’ll never tell you what you can and can’t do with your life. You know that, right?”

Cara nodded. “You never have.”

“And I’m not going to start with this. But I do want to tell you one thing, if you’ll hear it.”

“Shoot.”

Tommas smiled, but it was measured, and not entirely genuine. “Be careful, Cara, especially in this situation. You’ve always been careful not to step too deep into the piles of shit left by the family, and right now, I’m worried you’re knee-deep and don’t even realize it.”

“I’m not involved in that side of his life, Tommas.”

Her brother shook his head. “You may not see it that way, but I can assure you that you are.”

“Well, not for much longer.”

“Maybe, maybe not. A day ago—before this came up—you said you loved him. That sort of feeling doesn’t go away because bad things happen. So, today, you want to skin him alive, but maybe in a week, you won’t be so angry, and you might even remember what he was like before you knew about his wife. I won’t tell you what to do, but you do need to be careful. Whether you like it or not, you’ve already put yourself into a position where a label is stuck on your relationship. I get that you didn’t know it was there, but the people around him certainly did. And if you understand what it means to be … that woman—”

Cara scowled. “The other woman. The whore. A goomah. Say it, Tommas.”

He didn’t even flinch at her truth, simply kept staring at her like it didn’t change a thing about how he thought of her or saw her in his eyes. “If you understand what it means to be that woman, and you can handle it, then I’ll never say a word against your choices and wishes. It is your life—live it how you want to, Cara. Live the way that makes you happy with the person who makes you happy. But the very second you find yourself in too deep, and you want to get out, you know where to find me. Okay?”

“Now beginning regular boarding for flight …”

Cara stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

Tommas stood with her. “Okay, Cara? Say the word, that’s all you have to do.”