Page 147

Fuck.

I move toward the edge of the pool before I even realize what I'm doing, but when I look back, Penny is holding her a little tighter, and Lexy has a hand on her shoulder.

I stop.

Whatever happened, they've got her. And maybe right now, she needs them more than she needs another person asking if she's okay.

So I stay where I am, keeping an eye on her while Ethan and Cas start arguing behind me.

A few minutes later, Nora sits up and wipes her cheeks. Summer hands her a tissue, and Grace passes her a glass of water. Penny says something that makes Nora smile, just a little, before she pulls the sleeves of my hoodie over her hands again.

Okay.

I grab the edge of the pool and pull myself out.

Eleonora

I take another sip of water and look up as Jude approaches, his hair dripping onto his forehead and his shirt plastered against his chest. He crouches beside my chair, and there's no laughter on his face anymore.

Only worry.

“You okay?”

His eyes search mine as I wipe under my eyes.

“I'm okay. Just grief being her usual bitchy self.”

He studies me for another second, like he's deciding whether he believes me, before leaning forward and pulling me into a hug.

He's soaking wet.

“Jude!” I gasp through a laugh as cold water immediately seeps through the hoodie.

“Sorry.”

He seems to realize what he's done, but he doesn't let go.

And neither do I.

“Whenever you want to leave, you just tell me, okay?”

I pull back enough to look at him and shake my head.

“I don't want to leave.” I wipe another tear away. “I actually think I missed being at big family gatherings.”

I glance around at the Hawthornes, still laughing and talking around the fire.

“You are blessed with a beautiful family.” I smile. “Damiano was right. Your family is one of a kind.”

Jude studies me.

“You're family too, you know.”

Something warm settles in my chest.

“I know.” I smile. “And I'm lucky, because I have a family just as wonderful waiting for me in Chicago.”

I think of all those loud Italian dinners, of mine and Damiano's families blending together over the years until there was barely a line between them anymore. Too much food, everyone talking over each other, arguments across the table and someone always insisting you hadn't eaten enough.